Academic Policies and Procedures

In planning their academic programs, students should be aware of the following policies and procedures of the College of Arts and Sciences:

1. With the exception of GradPact students (for more information, see "GradPact"), the degree requirements that will apply to an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bloomington will be those in effect at the time he or she matriculated at Indiana University (any campus) as a degree-seeking student. Students admitted for the fall semester who elect to take courses in the preceding summer will be bound by the degree requirements in effect for the fall for which they are admitted. A student who fails to complete a degree within eight years of matriculation will forfeit the automatic right to use the requirements in effect at the time of matriculation. In such cases, the student should contact their major advisor or the College Recorder's Office, Kirkwood Hall 001 to determine which set of requirements, or what particular combination of old and current requirements, will be appropriate for the student.
2. Only elective courses may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis. For more information, see "Pass/Fail Option" under "Academic Regulations."
3. No more than 60 credit hours earned in accredited junior colleges may be applied towards a degree.
4. With permission of the dean of the College, course credit may be earned by satisfactory performance on departmentally approved examinations.
5. No more than two courses taken by correspondence may be counted towards the 122 credit hours required for the bachelor's degree without special permission of the dean.
6. Candidates for degrees must have all credit on record at least six weeks prior to the conferral of degrees, except that of the current semester.
7. An application for a degree must be filed in the College Recorders' Office, Kirkwood Hall 001. This should be done no later than September 1 for May graduation, no later than December 1 for August graduation, and no later than March 1 for December graduation. Failure to file by these deadlines may delay graduation.
8. Degrees are conferred in December, May, and August; commencement ceremonies are held in May and in December. Candidates for degrees in August may participate in the May commencement.

Return to Top

Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts

The course requirements for the B.A. degree are summarized here to provide an overview of the program. Students must also complete the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the B.A. requirements described on the following pages (fundamental skills, distribution, culture studies, major concentration). Students may test out of all but 3 credit hours (Intensive Writing) of the fundamental skills requirement. Requirements completed in one area may, under certain conditions, also fulfill requirements in other areas. See section on "Foreign Language" regarding credit in foreign language study. The requirement for the major ranges from 25 to 42 credit hours, depending on the department.

Course Requirements	Credit Hours
Culture Studies Requirement Two courses from List A or one course from List A and one course from List B	6
Distribution Requirements Arts and Humanities Social and Historical Studies Natural and Mathematical Sciences	12 12 12-20
Fundamental Skills Requirements Writing   English Composition   Intensive Writing Foreign Language   Four-semester sequence Mathematics Major Concentration Electives Total Credit Hours	3 3 10-14 0-4 25-42 7-61 122

Return to Top

Culture Studies Requirement

Students must observe the following guidelines in fulfilling the culture studies requirement:

1. Students are required to complete two courses that carry culture studies credit.
2. Students must complete one course from List A (See "Appendix I").
3. Students must take another course either from List A or from List B (See "Appendix I").
4. Students who successfully complete an academic year abroad in a program sponsored by the Indiana University Office of Overseas Study will satisfy the culture studies requirement through the course work they take on the year-long program.

Distribution Requirements

Specially designated courses that count for distribution requirements are classified in the following areas and subareas:

1. Arts and Humanities
1. Literature and the Arts (AHLA)
2. Traditions and Ideas (AHTI)
2. Social and Historical Studies
1. Social Inquiry (SHSI)
2. Historical Studies (SHHS)
3. Natural and Mathematical Sciences
1. Natural Sciences (NMNS)
2. Mathematical Sciences and Cognition (NMMC)

A special category of distribution courses called "TOPICS in Arts and Sciences" is offered primarily for freshmen and sophomores. College of Arts and Sciences E103 counts in the arts and humanities distribution requirement; College of Arts and Sciences E104 counts in social and historical studies; College of Arts and Sciences E105 counts in natural and mathematical sciences. TOPICS courses are not classified under the subareas.

With the exception of students pursuing a B.S. degree in the natural sciences (Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geological Sciences, Microbiology, Physics, Psychology, and Speech and Hearing Sciences), any student who matriculates in the summer of 2000 or subsequently and who is a candidate for any bachelor's or associate degree offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is required to complete three TOPICS courses: one each of College of Arts and Sciences E103, E104, and E105. (See immediately below for TOPICS requirements for students pursuing a B.S. degree in the natural sciences and for students transferring into the College.) Students will need to complete two TOPICS courses before being certified to the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are encouraged to take all three courses in their freshman year; in any case, they should plan to take the third TOPICS course no later than the first semester of their sophomore year. Students are reminded that they will not be able to enroll in a TOPICS course as a junior or senior without special authorization.

Students who transfer from other institutions, from other IU campuses, or from other IU Bloomington schools should consult their advisor for options regarding the TOPICS requirement.

For students who complete a B.S. degree in the natural sciences, the E105 requirement is fulfilled by courses in the major. Students pursuing a B.S. degree in the natural sciences will need only to complete COAS E103 or E104 before being certified to the College of Arts and Sciences.

To ensure that they gain a rich and varied education, the College requires students to complete 12 courses for distribution requirements. These 12 courses must be distributed according to the following rules:

1. Students must complete TOPICS courses as specified above.
2. Students must complete four designated courses in the arts and humanities, four designated courses in social and historical studies, and four designated courses in natural and mathematical sciences. The appropriate TOPICS course will count as one of the required courses in that area.
3. Students must complete at least one designated course in each of the six subareas: literature and the arts, traditions and ideas, social inquiry, historical studies, natural sciences, and mathematical sciences and cognition.

Arts and Humanities

1. College of Arts and Sciences E103
2. One Literature and the Arts course (AHLA)
3. One Traditions and Ideas course (AHTI)
4. One additional course from Arts and Humanities (either subarea)

1. College of Arts and Sciences E104
2. One Social Inquiry course (SHSI)
3. One Historical Studies course (SHHS)
4. One additional course from Social and Historical Studies (either subarea)

1. College of Arts and Sciences E105
2. One Natural Sciences course (NMNS)
3. One Mathematical Sciences and Cognition course (NMMC)
4. One additional course from Natural and Mathematical Sciences (either subarea)

Arts and Humanities

Distribution courses in this area help students think about the complexity of human experience, appreciate the range of human thought and emotion, learn about varieties of aesthetic expression, and grapple with moral issues.

1. Literature and the Arts. Study of written texts and works in the visual arts, music, and the other performing arts. The approach may be comparative, historical, or analytical, but the emphasis is on developing students' interpretive and critical skills.

Courses that fulfill the arts and humanities (literature and the arts) requirement are designated by the abbreviation AHLA following the course titles.

2. Traditions and Ideas. Study of philosophical and religious thought and intellectual and cultural traditions.

Courses that fulfill the arts and humanities (traditions and ideas) requirement are designated by the abbreviation AHTI following the course titles.

Social and Historical Studies

Distribution courses in this area analyze social institutions, the behavior of individuals in social contexts and historical settings, and changes in social conditions over time. Students are introduced to theories and methods for studying social experience and behavior.

1. Social Inquiry. Study of the political, economic, and cultural institutions of society, from individuals in social interaction to the international system of nation-states and transnational organizations and actors.

   Courses that fulfill the social and historical studies (social inquiry) requirement are designated by the abbreviation SHSI following the course titles.

2. Historical Studies. Study of changes in the human condition over time, including the inception, development, and transformation of institutions and civilizations, ideas, genres, or forms of representation.

   Courses that fulfill the social and historical studies (historical studies) requirement are designated by the abbreviation SHHS following the course titles.

Natural and Mathematical Sciences

Distribution courses in this area provide an appreciation of the physical and biological environment, introduce students to systematic investigation of that environment, show the value of experimental methods for understanding natural laws, and explore the role and methods of the mathematical sciences.

1. Natural Sciences. Study in the natural sciences, introducing and emphasizing basic principles of the chemical, physical, and life sciences, and expanding students' understanding of the physical world and scientific inquiry about it.

   Courses that fulfill the natural and mathematical sciences (natural sciences) requirement are designated by the abbreviation NMNS following the course titles.

2. Mathematical Sciences and Cognition. Studies in analytical reasoning, the mathematical sciences, and the thinking process and its representations. Courses may focus on forms of reasoning or the nature and processes of cognition and computation.

   Courses that fulfill the natural and mathematical sciences (mathematical sciences and cognition) requirement are designated by the abbreviation NMMC following the course titles.

Return to Course Requirements

Return to Top

Fundamental Skills Requirements

Students must meet requirements in writing, mathematics, and foreign language.

Writing
Foreign Language
Mathematics

Return to Course Requirements

Return to Top

Writing

Students must complete English composition and intensive writing requirements.

English Composition
This part of the writing requirement may be fulfilled in any one of the following ways:

1. Exemption without credit. Students scoring 670 or above on the SAT Verbal Examination, or 32 or above on the ACT English Composition section, or 4 to 5 on the Advanced Placement English Composition section, are exempt from English composition.
2. Exemption with credit. Some students have an opportunity to receive College of Arts and Sciences credit. A student will be granted 2 credit hours of English W143 if the student has
1. a score of 670 or above on the SAT Verbal Examination, or 32 or above on the ACT English Composition section, or 4 to 5 on the Advanced Placement English Composition section, PLUS
2. a score of 660 or better on the SAT II English Writing Test, AND if the student applies to the Department of English in Ballantine Hall 442. Students should also see "Special Note" under "Credit by Examination."
3. Completion of any of the following options with a grade of C- or better:
1. English W110 (primarily for Collins cluster students) (3 cr.)
2. English W131 (3 cr.)
3. English W170 (3 cr.)
4. English L141 and L142 (4-4 cr.)
5. Afro-American Studies A141-A142 (4-4 cr.)
6. Two semesters of English W143 (1 cr.), combined with two introductory courses (3 cr.) from the following: Comparative Literature C145, C146; Slavic Languages and Literatures R145, R146.
7. A combination of any two courses from (d), (e), and (f) above.

Intensive Writing
This part of the writing requirement may be fulfilled by completing one intensive writing course at or above the 200 level after completing the English composition requirement. Normally, intensive writing sections are taught by faculty in small sections or by individual arrangement and include a series of written assignments evaluated with close attention to organization and expression as well as to substance and argument. Graded revision of assignments is a requirement of all intensive writing courses and of all special arrangements for intensive writing. Students must check the listings for courses in the Schedule of Classes each semester to make certain the course section they have chosen fulfills the requirement. Students seeking to arrange an individual intensive writing component for a course or section that is not listed as intensive writing must contact the faculty director of undergraduate studies of the department of their major concentration prior to the semester during which they wish to enroll for intensive writing. All special arrangements are subject to the approval of the College. Intensive writing credit will not normally be awarded for written work in courses not listed as intensive writing unless arrangements are completed and approved in advance. Designated intensive writing courses also may be counted towards fulfilling other College of Arts and Sciences degree requirements (e.g. distribution, major, 300-400 level).

Return to Fundamental Skills Requirements

Foreign Language

Students pursuing the B.A. or B.F.A. degrees must complete the study of a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level course work. (See departmental listings in this bulletin for B.S. foreign language requirements. Note also that the second semester of the second year of American Sign Language is numbered as Speech and Hearing Sciences A300.) All or part of this requirement may be fulfilled by performance on placement examinations. Completion of high school foreign language courses will not be accepted as a basis for exemption. Students may fulfill the entire foreign language requirement by placing into the third-year level. With the permission of the College, international students may fulfill the foreign language requirement through demonstrated proficiency in their native languages. International students interested in this option should contact the Office of the Academic Assistant Deans, Kirkwood Hall 012, as early in their undergraduate careers as possible.

Special Credit Option
Students whose scores on the language placement exam place them in or beyond the third semester of language study may be eligible for special credit in some languages. Students must apply for the special credit, and the following rules apply:

1. Students who earn exemption from one or more semesters may be eligible for special credit towards graduation. Students earning exemption from the first or second semester of foreign language study may receive 4 or 8 credit hours of special credit in some languages when they apply.
2. Students earning exemption from the third or fourth semesters may receive 3 or 6 hours of additional special credit only if they complete a specified language course at the level at which they place. Students may fulfill the entire foreign language requirement by placing into the third-year level without enrolling in an additional course.
3. International students may not earn credit or be awarded special credit for any courses at the first- or second-year level in their native languages.

Foreign Language Courses
Course sequences that fulfill the foreign language requirement may be offered in the languages listed below. Students should consult the departmental course descriptions for specific courses. To locate departments that offer these languages, see Departments page.
American Sign Language (Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences)
Arabic
Chinese-Mandarin
Croatian
Czech
Dutch
Estonian
Finnish
French
German
Greek
  Classical
  Modern
Hausa
Hebrew
  Biblical
  Modern
Hindi
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Lakota (Sioux)
Latin-Classical
Mongolian
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Sanskrit
Serbian
Spanish
Swahili
Tibetan
Turkish
Twi
Uzbek
Yiddish
Zulu

Return to Fundamental Skills Requirements

Mathematics

Students must demonstrate mastery of a fundamental skill in mathematics, which is defined as a level of proficiency equivalent to three years of high school math. This proficiency is needed for study in many courses throughout the College of Arts and Sciences curriculum. Students may demonstrate mastery of a fundamental skill in mathematics in any one of the following three ways:

1. Earning minimum math test scores of 650 on the SAT exam or 29 on the ACT exam.
2. Completing MATH M025 with a minimum grade of C-. (Note that MATH M025 does not carry hours of credit towards a degree program in the College.)
3. Completing with a minimum grade of C-, or being exempted from MATH A118, M118, M119, M211 or M215, M213 or M217, D116 and D117 (both courses must be successfully completed), X118 or math courses that directly presuppose the fundamental skill proficiency.
4. Students entering the College who have scored below 400 on the SAT mathematics section, or below 20 on the ACT mathematics sections, are advised to enroll in MATH M014 before fulfilling the mathematics requirement.
5. Students with incomplete records can take a placement test administered by the Department of Mathematics.
6. Students may be exempted from the mathematics requirement through CEEB Advanced Placement tests in calculus, through certain CLEP subject examinations, or through departmental examinations. Students who pass a departmentally administered examination may be eligible for special credit. For information about applying for these credit hours, refer to "Credit by Examination."

Return to Top

Major Concentration Requirements (B.A.)

Students have three options for fulfilling the major concentration requirements for the B.A. degree: major, double major, or interdepartmental major. Detailed requirements are to be found in the departmental statements in this bulletin. Some departments require students to complete a minor in addition to the major. Some of the rules below also apply to minors.

1. At least 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours must be taken in the major subject area.
2. The 100-level courses in French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish will not count towards a major or minor in these languages.
3. Any course in which the student receives a grade below C- may not be used to fulfill a major or minor requirement. Courses in which the student receives a D- or higher, however, will count towards the 122 credit hour total.
4. Courses taken to satisfy the English composition fundamental skills requirement (W110, W131, W143, or W170) may not be applied towards a major or minor requirement.
5. The grade point average of all courses taken in the major must be at least 2.0.
6. Students must include at least 80 credit hours of general education (courses not in the major concentration area) in the 122 credit hour minimum for graduation; thus, no more than 42 credit hours in the major may be counted in the 122 credit hour minimum for graduation.
7. The residence requirement of at least 10 credit hours in the major at Bloomington must be met.

1. At least 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours must be taken in each major.
2. The residence requirement of at least 10 credit hours in each major at Bloomington must be met.
3. Students must have two advisors, one from each department in which they propose to study.
4. The program of studies must be approved by the College of Arts and Sciences, Kirkwood Hall 001.
5. With approval of both departments and the College, one course may be cross-listed in both majors.

Interdepartmental Major
Interdepartmental majors are available in some disciplines for students who are pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree and who wish to combine two disciplines or subjects into an interdepartmental concentration area. Such students are required to complete a minimum of 40 credit hours in the interdepartmental major. No more than 62 credit hours in the interdepartmental major may be counted in the 122 credit hour minimum for graduation required for the B.A. degree. The following interdepartmental majors are available; students should consult the appropriate departmental listing for details: Computer Science and Philosophy, Economics and Mathematics, Economics and Political Science, Mathematics and Economics, Philosophy and Computer Science, Philosophy and Political Science, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Political Science and Economics, Political Science and Philosophy, Psychology and Speech and Hearing Sciences, Religious Studies and Philosophy, Speech and Hearing Sciences and Psychology.

Return to Course Requirements

Return to Top