A Review over the Policy Options for Development of Interdisciplinary Programs in the Humanities in Iran

The present study aimed at identifying the policy options and strategies for developing interdisciplinary programs in Iran. Multiple methods were used, although the study was mainly qualitative and revolved around the focus group method. To this end, nine faculty members from universities and higher education institutions, who were experienced in teaching and conducting research projects, were selected through purposeful sampling. Data analysis was performed by qualitative content analysis method. To determine the validity of the data, two methods were used: member checking and review by non-participant experts. The research findings showed that nine policies could be developed for the enhancement of interdisciplinary programs based on the two factors, including the mixing rate that meant being multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary as well as the ecosystem of intercultural realization, i.e. Iran and the world. Also, 10 strategies and 18 executive strategies were recommended for the development of interdisciplinary programs in Iranian higher education system.