A Study On The Disciplinary Identity Of Interdisciplinary Graduate Students

From the cultural perspective, interdisciplinary is in reality one part of the cross-cultural fields. In recent years, a growing number of students have entered for the interdisciplinary postgraduate entrance examinations, making it a great focus of concern. Stepping from their original major to a brand new interdisciplinary subject, they are gradually aware of the huge cultural differences between these two disciplines and also acclimatize themselves to a new learning style. And in this process of transformation, the interdisciplinary students have gradually formed their own disciplinary identity. So, what does this special interdisciplinary experience mean to them? How do they feel about and evaluate it? What do they think of it when comparing these two disciplines in order to make a choice on their own identity? Have they confronted any difficulties in the formation of their own disciplinary identity? What is the reason behind it and how to promote their self-identity with the new discipline?This thesis, taking as research objects the interdisciplinary postgraduates from School of Eductional Science of N University, intends to conduct a qualitative research on the interdisciplinary postgraduates’ disciplinary identity from the cross-cultural perspective. It is found that the process of interdisciplinary postgraduates’ subject identity can be divided into three stages:the first stage is to realize the cultural differences between the two disciplines concerning their thinking modes, values, academic expressions and academic life; The second stage is the formation of different coping styles. Facing the disciplinary cultural differences and learning difficulties, interdisciplinary postgraduates show different responses and attitudes to cope with it. Some students will ask for help on their own initiatives in order to better get involved into the new discipline. While some students take a negative attitude towards it and doubt thenselves, so they cannot adapt to the new discipline and lag behind; The third stage is the formation of the differential interdisciplinary postgraduates’ disciplinary identity. Five different types are introduced: integration, assimilation, contradiction, separation and marginal type. Further, this study has explored the reason why it is difficult for the interdisciplinary postgraduates to adapt and establish their self-identity with the new discipline. The one is for their own reasons, namely the impact of utilitarianism; the other is the influence of cultural barriers between different disciplines due to thier backward disciplinary organizations. Finally, the specific measures and suggestions have been put forward to promote the subject identity of interdisciplinary postgraduate students.