multidiscipline

Multidiscipline, or multidisciplinarity, refers to an approach or field that involves more than one discipline to address a topic, problem, or project. In a multidisciplinarity setting, contributors bring knowledge and methods from their own disciplines and work toward common goals, but disciplinary boundaries may remain recognizable rather than fully integrated.

This concept differs from interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. In interdisciplinary work, researchers actively blend concepts and methods to synthesize new frameworks, questions, or solutions that cross traditional boundaries. Transdisciplinary work goes further by involving non-academic stakeholders and seeking to transcend disciplinary boundaries altogether. In a multidiscipline, collaborations are coordinated across disciplines while analysis and interpretation may stay within each field’s established practices.

Applications of multidiscipline are common in research and professional settings. In healthcare, teams may include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers who contribute specialized expertise while maintaining their own clinical approaches. In urban planning, engineers, geographers, economists, and sociologists may collaborate to address sustainability goals. In education and industry, multidisciplinary programs or projects draw on diverse disciplinary perspectives to tackle complex topics such as climate change, public health, or technology development.

Benefits of a multidisciplinarity approach include broader problem framing, access to a wider set of tools and data, and the ability to address real-world questions from multiple viewpoints. Challenges can include coordination complexity, communication barriers, and potential tensions over methods or priorities across disciplines.

Note: the term is widely used, but definitions and distinctions among multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary work vary by field and context.