Despite widespread support for interdisciplinary curricula, there is little evidence that such courses are particularly efficacious or that they are superior to disciplinary courses in promoting student learning. To understand how and why interdisciplinary courses might promote specific learning outcomes, the authors apply cognitive and learning theories in an analysis of two undergraduate interdisciplinary courses. This exploration of theoretical warrants for interdisciplinarity leads to a proposed research agenda on interdisciplinary curricula, teaching, and learning.

The current study examined the extent to which college women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors demonstrated differential levels of leadership capacity and/or leader efficacy than their non‐STEM, female peers. Data represented 14,698 women from 86 institutions of higher education in the United States. Results indicated similar levels of leadership capacity but significantly lower leader efficacy for women in STEM majors. Implications explore unique predictors of leader efficacy for women in STEM majors along with recommendations for changes to policy and professional practice that might address how the differential organizational contexts shape leadership development.