The role of an interdisciplinary approach in the design of educational programs for the Master's degree in technical fields

Abstract

Modern challenges of global technological development require fundamentally new 

approaches to the design of master's degree programs in technical fields. This study analyzes the role of an interdisciplinary approach as a key factor in increasing the effectiveness and relevance of higher technical education in the context of the rapid transformation of the labor market. Based on a comprehensive analysis of international experience and educational practices of leading universities, the key principles and methodological foundations for designing interdisciplinary programs have been identified. The work uses a combined research toolkit, including system-structural analysis, expert interviewing and statistical data processing methods. The empirical database includes data on 38 master's degree programs in technical fields at universities in Russia and abroad. The results of the study demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between the degree of integration of interdisciplinary elements into educational programs and graduate employment rates (r=0.78), and also indicate

a 43% increase in academic mobility with the introduction of interdisciplinary modules. It has been revealed that the optimal model of interdisciplinary integration involves a balanced combination of fundamental training (47% of the curriculum) and applied project-oriented activities (53%) organized around complex problem-oriented tasks. The proposed conceptual model for designing interdisciplinary programs opens up prospects for the transformation of engineering education towards the formation of professionals who are able to effectively solve complex technological and social problems in conditions of uncertainty and rapid change.