Journal of Accounting Educofion, Vol. 7, pp. 69-82, 1989 0748-5751189 $3.00+.00 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. Copyright 0 1989 Maxwell Pergamon Macmillan plc INTEGRATING CONCEPTS FROM ACCOUNTING, AMERICAN HISTORY AND ENGLISH LITERATURE: A CLUSTER COURSE APPROACH Michael L. Fetters James Hoopes Martin ‘lkopp BABSON COLLEGE Abstract: Using the common themes of (1) value assessment, and (2) interpretation of reality, the authors present a cluster course model to better integrate liberal arts and business courses. This approach enables students to achieve a depth of knowledge in the primary course for which they are enrolled while achieving breadth of knowledge in other areas by exploring connections among academic disciplines. The cluster course model also promotes analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application of knowledge gained in one area of study to different disciplines. The authors encourage experimentation with this model as a means of improving students’ abilities to integrate knowledge from different disciplines, promote curriculum coor- dination, and encourage a faculty’s professional growth. As teachers we continually struggle with the issues of integration and extrapolation of knowledge. Can and will our students apply in other courses what they have learned in ours? How many times, for example, do we need to teach present value concepts before the students understand and freely apply these techniques in marketing or business policy courses? How many grammatical errors must we correct before the errors will not be repeated? In sum, how do we encourage our students not to learn within the tunnel vision of a course or a discipline, but to learn with visions of applica- tions in other courses or disciplines? This article discusses an innovative program, termed Cluster Courses, which addresses these issues. With an American history, English literature and financial accounting cluster (ALH) as a basis for discussion, the au- thors explain the cluster concept, discuss the preparation necessary for its implementation, and make recommendations for future cluster efforts. LEARNING THEORY AND LEARNING STYLE THEORY Based on a study that found accounting majors to have a variety of learning styles, Baker, Simon, and Bazeli (1986) recommend that “ . . . fac- ulty should make sure that a variety of learning opportunities are presented to students” (Baker, Simon, & Brazeli, 1986, p. 11). They further concluded “ . . . a goal of each student should be towards improving his or her weaknesses so s/he will be able to learn from the large variety of different 69