General Requirements
Degree Programs
Course Distribution Requirements for the Bachelors of General Studies (B.G.S.)
Twelve (12) credit hours are required in each of three learning areas: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences. Students must also complete an 18 credit hour concentration in one of these three learning areas. The 12 credit hours required in each learning area, as well as the 18 credit hour concentration, must include courses from at least two academic departments.
An additional 66 hours of elective credit—including a minimum of 15 additional credit hours in the arts and sciences and no more than 30 credit hours in any one professional school or technical program—must also be completed to fulfill B.G.S. requirements.
| Arts and Humanities | 12 credit hours |
| Science and Mathematics | 12 credit hours |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 12 credit hours |
| Concentration | 18 credit hours |
| Arts and Sciences Electives | 15 credit hours |
| General Electives | 51 credit hours |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the B.G.S. |
120 credit hours |
Completing Course Distribution Requirements
Each general studies degree requires completion of course work in three learning areas: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences. These requirements provide students with a broad exposure to the humanities and sciences. To fulfill the requirements, students may choose from a wide variety of subject fields within each learning area. These subject fields are described below. Note: The subject fields grouped under the three learning areas may vary among Indiana University campuses. Students should consult their General Studies Degree Program counselors for their campus’s specific requirements.
Arts and Humanities
The distribution courses in this learning area provide knowledge and interpretive frameworks through which students may reflect on the complexity of human history, assess the difficulties of determining moral values, appreciate the range and value of human emotion and thought, and be sensitive to the varieties of aesthetic expression. The following departments offer courses that fulfill the arts and humanities distribution requirement:
- Afro-American Studies
- American Studies
- Classical Studies
- Comparative Literature
- English
- Fine Arts
- Folklore
- Foreign Language Courses
- History
- History and Philosophy of Science
- Musicology and Music History
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Speech
- Theatre and Drama
Science and Mathematics
The distribution courses in this learning area provide an appreciation of the physical and biological environment, introduce students to the discipline of systematic inquiry, provide insight into experimental methods and results, and illustrate the role and methods of the mathematical sciences. The following departments offer courses that fulfill the science and mathematics distribution requirement:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Geology
- Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Physics
- Plant Sciences
- Zoology
Social and Behavioral Sciences
The distribution courses in this learning area provide students with the means to analyze and understand the social institutions in which they live, as well as the behavior of individuals in relation to one another and the world. The following departments offer courses that fulfill the social and behavioral science distribution requirement:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Geography
- Linguistics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
Completing B.G.S. Concentration Requirements
B.G.S. students must complete a concentration area by adhering to the following guidelines:
- Students must complete an additional 18 credit hours in one of three learning areas: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, or social and behavioral sciences.
- Students must complete courses from at least two departments in the learning area they select for their concentration area.
- Students must earn a minimum grade of C– in courses used to fulfill the concentration requirement. Passing grades below C– may be used only as elective credit.
Completing Elective Requirements
B.G.S. students may select any of the nonremedial, nondevelopmental courses offered by Indiana University to fulfill elective requirements. These electives enable students to explore diverse academic areas of interest and to tailor their general studies degree to their individual needs. Students are encouraged to consult with their General Studies Degree Program counselors and to choose courses in subjects related to their academic, professional, and personal interests.