Afrah Haque, now a third-year student at Cleveland State University, began her college journey studying computer science at John Carroll University. While she enjoyed the technical side of her studies, she knew she wanted a career in user experience (UX) and product design – a path her former school did not offer.

After learning about CSU’s new integrated degree – Computer Science and Design – Haque knew she had found the perfect fit. The program’s balance of design and technology gave her the experience she needed to pursue her goals, and with the transfer process and financial aid falling into place, she was confident she had made the right move for her future.

“After talking to people (in design) I found out that I needed to have some sort of design experience, and John Carroll didn’t offer that,” Haque said. “And then I got in touch with one of the head advisers of the art department, and she was telling me about this program… Now that I'm here, taking both these classes, I really love it.”

The Computer Science and Design program is one of 12 integrated degrees recently introduced at Cleveland State University, following their approval by the ODHE. According to CSU Provost Nigamanth Sridhar, Ph.D., who was a driving force behind Cleveland State's embrace of integrated degrees, this semester marks the first time freshman students are enrolling in these programs, along with transfer students joining them for the first time.

“We had a few students transferred into them, but this semester is the first time that we have new students able to come in as first-year students and declare one of these integrated degrees,” Dr. Sridhar said. “I think we have almost 100 students enrolled in these programs.”

Sridhar noted that today’s workplace seeks individuals who can quickly adapt and think across multiple disciplines. He added that those who achieve mastery in two fields are well-equipped to take on a third, and potentially more, making these integrated degrees appealing.

“Really the motivating factor is the ability for students or for new graduates to be able to enter the workforce and think in adaptive ways across disciplinary boundaries,” Sridhar said.

CSU currently offers the following integrated degrees:

• Computer Science + Design B.S.
• Computer Science + Music B.S.
• Design + Psychology B.A.
• Electrical Engineering + Computer Science B.S.
• English + Computer Science B.A.
• Journalism + Criminology B.A.
• Journalism + Sociology B.A.
• Mathematics/Statistics + Computer Science B.S.
• Mathematics/Statistics + Economics B.A.
• Mechanical Engineering + Electrical Engineering B.S.
• Physics + Computer Science B.S.
• Psychology + Criminology B.S.

Samuel Plax is another student thriving in CSU’s integrated degree programs. As a first-year student, he discovered the Journalism and Sociology program, a combination that offered the balance he’d been searching for. 

Through sociology, he is finding meaning in studying patterns and understanding why people act the way they do. Through journalism, he is finding a way to tell those stories and make that knowledge tangible. After hearing about the program, he decided it was worth pursuing.

“I'd already gotten accepted to CSU at that point, so I was looking through their programs, and I saw journalism and sociology,” Plax said. “That just seemed like a more tangible major and seeing them integrated sounded interesting – I had to ask about that.”

Plax described how sociology and journalism intersect by using each other’s work to identify and explain broader social patterns, with sociology analyzing what journalists uncover and journalism bringing sociological insights to public attention. For this reason, he finds that the two fields work as an integrated major.

“A lot of sociological study will cite journalism as sources…, and journalism will publish sociology,” Plax said. “So I do think those fields blend well together.”

Like Plax, Haque agreed that the two sides of her degree complement each other well, often overlapping in ways that enhance both  creative and technical skills. She hopes this combination will set her apart in the job market. 

“I think computer science, like design and technology, there's a lot of intersections there,” Haque said. “And I think because they're kind of related, hopefully it's something that helps me stand out.”

Plax emphasized that he doesn’t want to find himself confined to a narrow path when it comes to future career opportunities, especially as someone still exploring what his future might hold.

“I didn't want to be pigeonholed,” Plax said. “I think that was appealing to me as someone who's not really sure what to do – the idea of the integrated degree was very attractive.”

Similarly, Haque appreciates the flexibility her degree offers, knowing she has another field to rely on if one path doesn’t feel right. With the tech industry constantly evolving, she values having the freedom to pivot and explore new opportunities within her combined skill set.

“Just with all the things going on in the tech world, having that integrated major to fall back on is nice,” Haque said. “Because I can also do something in a completely different field.”

After settling into CSU’s integrated program, Haque has found the perfect balance between her two passions – computer science and design. Coming from a college that didn’t offer the combination she was looking for, her decision to transfer to Cleveland State has fully met her desire to study both fields in tandem.

“You take a calculus class, and then you go to your next class, and you're scrapbooking – so it's nice overall,” Haque said. “ I think it's good what CSU is doing – combining both majors is really nice, because not a lot of other schools in general offer that and this is exactly what I want."