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College of Arts and Sciences 2006-2008 Online Bulletin Table of Contents

 

 

College of Arts
and Sciences (College)
2006-2008
Academic Bulletin

College Programs
College of Arts and Sciences (College) 
Kirkwood Hall 104 
130 S. Woodlawn 
Bloomington, IN 47405  
Local (812) 855-1821 
Fax (812) 855-2060 
Contact College
 

Degree Requirements

Student Information
Program Planning and Counseling Guidelines
Academic Regulations
Academic Standing of Students
Restart Policy
Special Opportunities for Students
Student Records
Explanation of Abbreviations
Liberal Learning at Indiana University
The College of Arts and Sciences: The Tradition
Admission to Indiana University
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy of Indiana University
Entering the College of Arts and Sciences
Transfer Students
Students with Learning Disabilities
Degrees and Majors Offered
General Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees
Course Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts
Fundamental Skills Requirements
Distribution Requirements
Culture Studies Requirement
Major Concentration Requirements (B.A.)
College of Arts and Sciences Optional Minors
Completing Minor Requirements
Courses Outside the College of Arts and Sciences
Associate of Arts Degree

Liberal Learning at Indiana University

At the core of Indiana University, as at all distinguished universities and undergraduate institutions, is the College of Arts and Sciences. The College provides the means for undergraduates to acquire a liberal arts education: an education that broadens the student's knowledge and awareness in the major areas of human knowledge, significantly deepens that awareness in one or two fields, and prepares the foundation for a lifetime of continual learning. The distinguishing mark of the university is that its faculty are engaged in the discovery and dissemination of knowledge, thereby offering students an unusually rich opportunity to gain a liberal education.

A liberal arts education begins with the premise that one's world and one's self are worth knowing. To understand our world, we must know something about its physical, biological, cognitive, social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. The liberal arts provide these perspectives on knowledge to serve as the basis for a full and effective professional and personal life. No better preparation for success in the professions exists than a strong liberal arts education, and our experience demonstrates that the liberal arts help develop the rigor of mind needed for advanced study in any field and for the pursuit of a richer life through the enlargement of mind and spirit.

By its very name, a liberal arts education suggests that broadness of study is a primary concern. It inspires openness and breadth of mind, regard for values unlike our own, and respect for the creative processes of diverse disciplines. The liberal arts emphasize cultural, social, and biological change and assess the impact of technological progress on the world's environment. They generate appreciation and understanding of many societies' past accomplishments and provide the basis for future insight and enterprise.

At Indiana University, the liberal arts curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences directs its students to achieve 11 major goals:

  1. Our students must achieve the genuine literacy required to read and listen effectively, and to speak and write clearly and persuasively.
  2. The liberal arts teach students to think critically and creatively. As perceptive analysts of what they read, see, and hear, students must learn to reason carefully and correctly and to recognize the legitimacy of intuition when reason and evidence prove insufficient.
  3. By gaining intellectual flexibility and breadth of mind, liberal arts students remain open to new ideas and information, willing to grow and learn, and sensitive to others' views and feelings.
  4. The curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences helps students discover ethical perspectives, so that they can formulate and understand their own values, become aware of others' values, and discern the ethical dimensions underlying many of the decisions they must make.
  5. A quality liberal arts education includes an appreciation of literature and the arts and the cultivation of the aesthetic judgment that makes possible the enjoyment and comprehension of works of the creative imagination.
  6. Liberal arts students must understand and practice scientific methods; this approach to knowledge forms the basis of scientific research; guides the formation, testing, and validation of theories; and distinguishes conclusions that rest on unverified assertion from those developed through the application of scientific reasoning.
  7. Mathematical and statistical studies teach arts and sciences students to reason quantitatively, a skill essential in an increasingly technological society.
  8. A liberal education must develop historical consciousness, so that students can view the present within the context of the past, appreciate tradition, and understand the critical historical forces that have influenced the way we think, feel, and act.
  9. The College of Arts and Sciences emphasizes the study of the international community and encourages students to become involved in the contemporary world. By understanding the range of physical, geographic, economic, political, religious, and cultural realities influencing world events, students cultivate an informed sensitivity to global and environmental issues.
  10. Students in the liberal arts develop basic communication skills in at least one foreign language, providing the fundamental skills for communicating with people from other cultures and offering insights into other patterns of thought and modes of expression.
  11. The breadth of knowledge characteristic of a liberal arts education requires an in-depth knowledge of at least one subject to be complete. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences must learn to acquire and manage a coherent, sophisticated understanding of a major body of knowledge with all its complexities, power, and limitations.

The liberal arts education of the College of Arts and Sciences provides the fundamental knowledge, skills, and experience essential for a full, rich, and rewarding life. Such an education taps many of the capacities that we as human beings possess. It offers us fuller lives, in understanding and expressing ourselves and in relating to others.

These arts and sciences are preprofessional in the best sense. They serve as a foundation for many professions, many ways of earning a living. More than training for today's occupations, a liberal arts education offers students the foresight and flexibility they will need as they move on to careers and technologies not yet known or imagined.

Finally, a liberal arts education develops the qualities of mind that are needed by informed and responsible people. Any decision or action-whether personal or professional-informed by knowledge, rationality, and compassion makes the greatest contribution to a better world.

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The College of Arts and Sciences: The Tradition

The education offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is based on a tradition established when Indiana University was founded in 1820 as a liberal arts institution. What are now departments in the College served then as the core of the university from which all the other schools and units developed.

Today the College continues its central role in the mission of Indiana University. The College not only offers more than 50 baccalaureate majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, but it also provides much of the general education for undergraduate students in the Schools of Continuing Studies; Education; Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; Informatics; Journalism; Public and Environmental Affairs; Social Work; the Kelley School of Business, and the Jacobs School of Music.

At the heart of the College's tradition is excellence in teaching based on excellence in research. College faculty who are at the forefront of their disciplines teach at all levels of the curriculum, from freshman through senior and graduate courses. Although the content of courses has changed as society has changed and knowledge has developed, the College faculty has always sought to provide students with specialized knowledge in a major field of study that is enriched by a broad liberal arts education. For more than 185 years, the mission of the faculty has been to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to help them develop an understanding of themselves and the world around them through a combination of specialized and general study.

The present degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences relate these principles to the modern world. Fundamental skills courses in writing, mathematics, and foreign language provide opportunities for students to develop communication and computational skills for use in their own society as well as for use in understanding other societies. The Topics curriculum and distribution requirements are designed for students to acquire broad familiarity with the general areas of human knowledge by taking courses in the arts and humanities, social and historical studies, and natural and mathematical sciences. The culture studies requirement enables students to enrich their understanding of their neighbors in a shrinking world. These courses serve as the foundation upon which students can develop a major program of study. Because of the richness and diversity of its more than 50 majors, the College offers students a variety of counseling services to help them take full advantage of their opportunities at Indiana University. Academic assistant deans in the College can answer specific questions or talk with students about their goals. Academic advisors in each department in the College are eager to help students understand the special requirements and options of the department, and are also happy to discuss general degree requirements and the best options for their completion. Finally, counselors in Arts and Sciences Career Services in the Career Development Center will help students understand how to combine their liberal arts education and their career goals in satisfying employment.

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Admission to Indiana University

Most incoming freshmen admitted to Indiana University first enter the University Division, which provides them with academic advising. Because freshmen are not usually admitted directly into a major, all freshmen are expected to meet the admission standards outlined in the freshman application materials. These materials and additional information are available from:

Office of Admissions
300 N. Jordan Avenue
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 855-0661
Web site: www.indiana.edu/~iuadmit

International students should request the International Application for Admission from:

International Admissions
300 N. Jordan Avenue
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 855-4306
Web site: www.indiana.edu/~iuadmit

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Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy of Indiana University

Indiana University pledges itself to continue its commitment to the achievement of equal opportunity within the university and throughout American society as a whole. In this regard, Indiana University will recruit, hire, promote, educate, and provide services to persons based upon their individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on arbitrary consideration of such characteristics as age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Indiana University shall take affirmative action, positive and extraordinary, to overcome the discriminatory effects of traditional policies and procedures with regard to the disabled, minorities, women, and Vietnam-era veterans.

The university director of affirmative action is responsible for carrying out the affirmative action program for units in central administration. In addition, there is an affirmative action officer on each campus who develops and administers the program there.

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Entering the College of Arts and Sciences

Although freshmen generally spend their first year in the University Division, the College of Arts and Sciences encourages them to visit departments in which they are interested to discuss possible programs with faculty members and academic advisors. Freshmen planning to earn bachelor's degrees in the College can begin to satisfy degree requirements in the first year.

Declaring a Major in the College

Students who wish to earn a major in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 26 credit hours of course work that can count toward a degree in the College with a minimum cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average of 2.000. Students must also complete the English composition requirement. When students in the University Division have satisfied the entry requirements, they will be certified to the major department listed on their record. To declare or change the major listing, students in the University Division should see their freshman advisor or go to the University Division Records Office, Maxwell Hall 030.

Changing Majors

Once in the College of Arts and Sciences, students who wish to change their majors should see the College advisor for the new major they want.

Exploratory Students

Students wishing to pursue baccalaureate degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences who have not yet chosen majors and who have completed no more than 55 degree credit hours may enter the College as exploratory students. Exploratory students are assigned an advisor who will help them clarify their interests and aptitudes and guide them toward appropriate majors. Students who are already admitted to the College and who wish to change majors or schools may also declare that they are exploratory on approval of the exploratory advisor. Students who are declared exploratory or who wish to learn more about the exploratory option should call the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Kirkwood Hall 012, at (812) 855-1647 to arrange an appointment. Students may remain in the exploratory category only for a limited period. All College of Arts and Sciences students must declare and complete a major in the College to be eligible for graduation.

Direct Admit Program

Incoming freshmen with strong high school records and an interest in majoring in one or more College of Arts and Sciences departments may apply for direct admission into the College of Arts and Sciences. For more information, send e-mail to dap@indiana.edu.

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Transfer Students

Transfers from Undergraduate Programs in Other Schools on the Bloomington Campus

Students transferring to the College of Arts and Sciences from undergraduate programs in other schools of the university, such as the Kelley School of Business, the School of Education, or the Jacobs School of Music, must have completed at least 26 credit hours that can count toward a degree in the College with a minimum cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average of 2.000. They also must have completed the English composition requirement. Engineering and technical courses, including courses from the School of Engineering and Technology, cannot be applied as credit toward a degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must contact the advisor in the department in which they wish to become a major. The advisor will submit a School Change Request to the College Recorder's Office (Kirkwood Hall 001) for processing. Requests for transfer must be completed by July 1 for the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, or April 15 for the summer session.

Transfers to and from Other Indiana University Campuses

At Indiana University, students can transfer easily from one campus of the university to another to continue their studies as degree candidates. Credits are evaluated on a course-by-course basis, but students generally find that most courses do transfer because of the similarity of course work on the eight campuses. Transferring students should note that the degree requirements may differ among the various campuses of Indiana University. Students who are eligible to transfer as degree candidates from one campus of Indiana University to another must meet the degree requirements of the degree-granting division of the campus from which they expect to graduate. Students who are planning to transfer to another campus should apply for an intercampus transfer at the service's Web site (www.iupui.edu/~moveiu/).

Transfers from Other Indiana University Campuses to the College

Students transferring to the College of Arts and Sciences at Bloomington from other campuses of Indiana University must have completed at least 26 credit hours that can count toward a degree with a minimum cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average of 2.000 and must have completed the English composition requirement. Students must indicate their intention to enter the College of Arts and Sciences at Bloomington by applying for an intercampus transfer at the following Web site: www.iupui.edu/~moveiu/ no later than July 1 for fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, or April 15 for the summer session.

Transfers from the College to Other Indiana University Campuses

Students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bloomington who wish to attend another Indiana University campus should apply for an intercampus transfer at the following Web site: www.iupui.edu/~moveiu/.

Transfers from Other Colleges and Universities

Indiana University welcomes students who wish to transfer from other colleges or universities. Students who have completed less than one full year of academic course work will be considered for admission into the University Division. Students who have completed at least 26 credit hours that can count toward a degree in the College, a year of course work at another institution, and the English composition requirement may be given admission to the College of Arts and Sciences.

Applications for transfer admission are evaluated on the basis of a number of factors, including the following:

  1. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 on a 4.000 scale. A higher GPA is required for certain majors. In addition, nonresidents of Indiana will be expected to have a considerably higher GPA for consideration.
  2. A high school record showing satisfactory entrance units.
  3. Evidence of good standing in the institution last attended.
  4. Official transcripts of credits and grades earned in all subjects.

Applications for admission must be received in the Office of Admissions by July 1 for the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, or April 15 for the summer session.

Acceptance of credit from other institutions will be determined by the Office of Admissions, and the applicability of credit toward degree requirements in the College will be determined by the dean. Only credits earned at Indiana University will count toward a student's cumulative grade point average. Courses from other colleges and universities transfer as credit only, with the exception of courses that transfer into a student's major; the grades associated with these courses are factored into the student's major grade point average.

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Students with Learning Disabilities

Students with a learning disability, hearing impairment, speech impairment, or any other disability that may affect their ability to fulfill a requirement of the College should contact the Office of Disability Services for Students, Franklin Hall 096, (812) 855-7578, prior to registering. Requirements will not be waived for students with disabilities; however, some modifications may be made within specific courses. Students seeking such modifications should do so early in their academic career to ensure timely progress to degree completion.

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Degrees and Majors Offered

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with the following majors:

African American and African Diaspora Studies
Anthropology
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Classical Civilization (Art and Archaeology, Culture and Literature)
Classical Studies (Latin and Greek)
Cognitive Science
Communication and Culture
Comparative Literature
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
East Asian Languages and Cultures (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean)
East Asian Studies
Economics
English
Folklore
French
Gender Studies
Geography
Geological Sciences
Germanic Studies
History
History of Art
India Studies (as part of a double major)
Individualized Major Program
International Studies
Italian
Jewish Studies
Linguistics
Mathematics
Microbiology
Music (program to be discontinued July 1, 2007)
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (Arabic, Hebrew, or Persian)
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Portuguese
Psychology
Religious Studies
Slavic Languages and Literatures (Russian; others by special arrangement)
Sociology
Spanish
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Studio Art
Telecommunications
Theatre and Drama

For further information, refer to individual departmental descriptions and degree requirements. To locate departments, see the "Index" in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Interdepartmental Majors

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with the following interdepartmental majors:

African American and African Diaspora Studies and English
African American and African Diaspora Studies and History
African American and African Diaspora Studies and Religious Studies
African American and African Diaspora Studies and Sociology
Economics and Mathematics
Economics and Political Science
English and African American and African Diaspora Studies
History and African American and African Diaspora Studies
Linguistics and Speech and Hearing Sciences
Mathematics and Economics
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 African American and African Diaspora Studies
Religious Studies and Philosophy
Sociology and African American and African Diaspora Studies
Speech and Hearing Sciences and Linguistics
Speech and Hearing Sciences and Psychology

For further information, refer to individual departmental descriptions and degree requirements. To locate departments, see the "Index" in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Science degree with the following majors:

Apparel Merchandising
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Biochemistry
Biology
Biotechnology (available as a major since fall 2004; as a degree to be awarded possibly beginning in May 2008)
Chemistry
Cognitive Science
Environmental Science (jointly administered with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs)
Geography
Geological Sciences
Interior Design
Mathematics
Microbiology
Physics
Psychology
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Statistics (Department of Mathematics)

For further information, refer to individual departmental descriptions and the degree requirements. Students planning to earn the B.S. degree should see an advisor in the department offering the major. To locate departments, see the "Index" in this bulletin.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

The College of Arts and Sciences offers courses leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the School of Fine Arts. For further information, refer to "Fine Arts" and the degree requirements in that section of this bulletin.

Certificates

As part of completing the bachelor's degree and in addition to completing the requirements for the major, students may earn area certificates in the following interdisciplinary areas:

African Studies
Animal Behavior
Central Eurasian Studies
Criminal Justice
Cultures of Science and Medicine (Department of History and Philosophy of Science)
Environmental Studies
Fashion Design (Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design)
Game Studies (Department of Telecommunications)
Global Human Diversity (Department of Anthropology)
Human Biology
India Studies
Jewish Studies
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Liberal Arts and Management
Medieval Studies
Neuroscience (Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences)
New Media and Interactive Storytelling (Department of Telecommunications)
Urban Studies

To locate departments, see the "Index" in this bulletin.

Secondary Teacher Certification

Students who receive degrees in the College can, if they plan their course work carefully, receive certification to teach in secondary schools. Students should consult the School of Education Undergraduate Program Bulletin. Students should also contact the academic advisor in their major department and an advisor in the School of Education for full details. Students planning teacher certification may need to complete more than 122 credit hours.

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General Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees

Academic counseling for each student in the College is provided by a faculty member or an academic counselor from the student's major department before each semester's enrollment. Although academic counseling is intended to provide effective guidance and students are encouraged to seek the counsel of their advisor, students are responsible for planning their own programs and for meeting the following degree requirements for graduation.

Online Degree Progress Report

The online degree progress report is available to all students. Students should use this system to monitor their progress toward meeting degree requirements. Information about the system is available from the registrar, from academic advisors, and from the College of Arts and Sciences Recorder's Office (Kirkwood Hall 001).

General Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 122 credit hours to graduate. At least 100 credit hours must be earned in courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may select the remaining 22 credit hours in the College or from courses outside the College.

Exceptions: Students satisfying requirements for a teaching certificate may take a maximum of 29 credit hours outside the College if the courses selected are required for teaching certification. Students planning teacher certification may need to complete more than 122 hours and should contact their major advisor and an advisor in the School of Education early in their degree program. Students should also consult the School of Education Undergraduate Program Bulletin.

Students satisfying requirements for the B.A. with a major in music are required to earn credits in applied music and ensembles, credits that are considered outside the College of Arts and Sciences. Students earning the B.A. with a major in music may take a maximum of 32 credit hours outside the College if the courses are required for their major degree program.

Effective July 1, 2007, the College of Arts and Sciences will discontinue the B.A. major in Music. College of Arts and Sciences students on the IU Bloomington campus who are currently in this major (formally declared), or who formally declare the major by 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2007, will be allowed to complete the major as long as they do so in a timely manner (making themselves eligible for graduation within 8 years of their matriculation to the IU system, any campus).

  1. The College does not accept certain types of credit, including engineering, technology, or self-acquired competency credits.
  2. Students must have a minimum cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average of 2.000 (C) in order to graduate. Any course taken to satisfy the requirements of the major must be completed with a minimum grade of C-, and the grade point average of all courses taken in the major must be at least 2.000 (C).
  3. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in courses at the 300-400 (junior-senior) level for the B.A. or B.F.A. degree. Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at the 300-400 (junior-senior) level for the B.S. degree.
  4. Students must take at least 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours in the major subject area. For B.A. programs, no major department may require more than 42 credit hours in the major. (This stipulation does not apply to the interdepartmental major.) However, especially for students considering graduate school, a maximum of 22 major credit hours taken in excess of 42 may be counted toward the 122-minimum credit hours required for the degree if the students have not exceeded the maximum of 22 credit hours allowable for courses outside the College. In no case may the total of outside credit hours and excess major credit hours exceed 22 credit hours.
  5. Every degree candidate must complete at least 26 credit hours of the work in senior status in residence on the Bloomington campus of Indiana University. At least 12 credit hours of course work in the major field of study must be completed on the Bloomington campus.
  6. Every degree candidate must satisfy the requirement of one Topics course.

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. 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 right to use the requirements in effect at the time of matriculation. Students in this situation with questions about remaining requirements should contact the College Recorder's Office, Kirkwood Hall 001, (812) 855-1821 or coasrecd@indiana.edu.
  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 toward a degree.
  4. With permission of the dean of the College, course credit may be earned by satisfactory performance on departmentally approved examinations.
  5. Courses taken by correspondence may not be applied to any degree requirement of a bachelor's degree without prior special permission of the dean.
  6. Only in very rare circumstances should an undergraduate student be enrolled in a graduate-level course. Graduate courses taken while in undergraduate status may not be applied to any degree requirement of a bachelor's degree without prior special permission of the dean, and this special permission is limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate coursework. Students interested in such permission should contact the director of undergraduate studies in their major and ask that the director confer with the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. Graduate courses taken while an undergraduate and counted toward the requirements of a bachelor's degree may not also be counted toward a graduate degree.
  7. Candidates for degrees must have all credit on record at least six weeks before the conferral of degrees, except that of the current semester. Students enrolled in Indiana University or non-Indiana University programs where grades will be reported after the end of the Indiana University Bloomington semester should apply for the next appropriate graduation date, and can consult the College Recorder's Office (Kirkwood Hall 001) for further information.
  8. An application for a degree must be submitted to the College Recorder's Office, Kirkwood Hall 001. Applications can be submitted online from the Recorder's Office Web site, www.indiana.edu/~college/recorder/. This should be done no later than June 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.
  9. Degrees are conferred in December, May, and August; Commencement ceremonies are held in May and December. Candidates for degrees in August may participate in the May Commencement.

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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 titled "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 RequirementsCredit Hours
Fundamental Skills Requirements
Writing
      English Composition
3
      Intensive Writing
3
Foreign Language
Four-semester sequence
10-18
Mathematics
0-4
Distribution Requirements
Arts and Humanities (four courses)
12
Social and Historical Studies (four courses)
12
Natural and Mathematical Sciences (four courses)
12-20
Culture Studies Requirement
Two courses from List A or one course from List A and one course from List B
6
Major Concentration
25-42
Electives
2-61
Total Credit Hours
122
(including a minimum of 100 credit hours inside the College)

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Fundamental Skills Requirements

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

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 higher on the SAT Critical Reading test, 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 Critical Reading test, 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 higher on the SAT 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" in this Bulletin.
  3. Completion of any of the following options with a grade of C- or higher:
    1. English W131 (3 cr.)
    2. English W170 (3 cr.)
    3. English L141 and L142 (4-4 cr.)
    4. African American and African Diaspora Studies A141-A142 (4-4 cr.)
    5. Two semesters of English W143 (1 cr.), combined with two introductory courses, Comparative Literature C145, C146 (3-3 cr.)
    6. A combination of any two course options from (c), (d), and (e) above.

Note: Courses taken under these options, except for English W131, W143, and W170, may, if they are so designated, be applied toward distribution requirements

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 online 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 before 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 toward fulfilling other College of Arts and Sciences degree requirements (e.g., distribution, major, 300- or 400-level).

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 ways:

  1. Earning a minimum math test score of 650 on the SAT exam or 29 on the ACT exam.
  2. Completing MATH M025 (A025) or MATH M027 with a minimum grade of C-. (Note that MATH M025 [A025] and MATH M027 do not carry hours of credit toward a degree program in the College.)
  3. Completing with a minimum grade of C- or being exempted from MATH A118, M118, M119, M211, M213, D116 and D117 (both courses must be successfully completed), or mathematics courses that directly presuppose the fundamental skill proficiency.
  4. Earning appropriate scores on CEEB Advanced Placement tests in calculus 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."

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.

Students with incomplete records can take a placement test administered by the Department of Mathematics.

Foreign Language

Students pursuing the B.A. or B.F.A. degree 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 is not 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 Undergraduate Academic Affairs, 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 second 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 toward graduation. Students earning exemption from the first or second semester of foreign language study may receive 4-5 or 8-10 credit hours of special credit in some languages when they apply.
  2. Students earning exemption from the third or fourth semesters may receive 3-4 or 6-8 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.

See also "Credit by Examination" and "Foreign Languages, Placement."

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. Students interested in less frequently taught languages must confer directly with the appropriate department; availability of multiple semesters cannot be guaranteed. To locate departments that offer these languages, see the "Index" in this bulletin or the notes below.

American Sign Language (Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences)
Arabic
Bambara
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
Norwegian (Germanic Studies)
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Sanskrit
Serbian
Spanish
Swahili
Tibetan
Turkish
Twi
Urdu (India Studies)
Uzbek
Yiddish
Zulu

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Distribution Requirements

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

  1. Arts and Humanities (A & H)
  2. Social and Historical Studies (S & H)
  3. Natural and Mathematical Sciences (N & M)

Specific courses that fulfill distribution requirements are designated by abbreviations following the course titles. (See symbols in parentheses above.) A complete list of courses that fulfill the distribution requirements is located in "Appendix II."

A special category of distribution courses called Topics is offered: COLL E103 counts in the Arts and Humanities distribution requirement; COLL E104 counts in Social and Historical Studies; COLL E105 counts in Natural and Mathematical Sciences.

Any student who matriculates in the summer of 2001 or subsequently and who is a candidate for any bachelor's degree offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is required to complete one Topics course. Courses that fulfill the Topics requirement are designated by the abbreviation TFR following the course titles. A complete list of courses that fulfill this requirement is located in "Appendix III." Students are encouraged to take this course in their first year; in any case, they should plan to take their Topics course no later than the first semester of their second year. Students who transfer from other institutions, from other IU campuses, or from other IU Bloomington schools must also successfully complete one Topics course.

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 one Topics course 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.

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. Courses that fulfill the Arts and Humanities distribution requirement are designated by the symbol A & H 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. Courses that fulfill the Social and Historical Studies distribution requirement are designated by the symbol S & H 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. Courses that fulfill the Natural and Mathematical Sciences distribution requirement are designated by the symbol N & M following the course titles.

A complete list of courses that fulfill distribution requirements is located in "Appendix II."

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Culture Studies Requirement

Culture studies courses introduce students to cultural systems different from that of mainstream America. The courses expose students to sets of values, attitudes, and methods of organizing experience which may not be obtained from the predominant American culture. Such exposure should lead students to understand the facts and limitations of their own cultural conditioning.

Students must observe the following guidelines when 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.
  5. Students who successfully complete a semester abroad in a program sponsored by the Indiana University Office of Overseas Study will earn the equivalent of one Culture Studies List A course through the course work they take abroad.

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Major Concentration Requirements (B.A.)

Students have three options for fulfilling the major concentration requirements for the B.A. degree: major, double (or triple) 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 toward 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, count toward the 122 credit hour total.
  4. Courses taken to satisfy the English composition fundamental skills requirement (W131, W143, or W170) may not be applied toward a major or minor requirement.
  5. The grade point average of all courses taken in the major must be at least 2.000.
  6. Students must take at least 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours in the major subject area. For B.A. programs, no major department may require more than 42 credit hours in the major. (This stipulation does not apply to the interdepartmental major.) However, especially for students considering graduate school, a maximum of 22 major credit hours taken in excess of 42 may be counted toward the 122 minimum credit hours required for the degree if the students have not exceeded the maximum of 22 credit hours allowable for courses outside the College. In no case may the total of outside hours and excess major hours exceed 22 credit hours.
  7. The residence requirement of at least 12 credit hours in the major at Bloomington must be met.

Double or Triple Major

The College offers a double or triple major for the B.A. degree with the following requirements:

  1. At least 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours must be taken in each major.
  2. The residence requirement of at least 12 credit hours in each major at Bloomington must be met.
  3. Students must have two or three 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 the relevant major departments and the College, one course may be crosslisted in both majors of a double major or among the three majors of a triple major program.

Whether a student plans two majors or three majors, a total of only one course may be crosslisted. With the approval of the departments and of the College, that one course may be listed in two majors or may be listed in all three majors if appropriate. No further crosslisting is allowed in the student's multiple majors on one degree.

Students interested in having a third completed major recognized at the point of graduation should contact the College Recorder's Office, Kirkwood Hall 001, for further information.

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. For Interdepartmental Majors, no program may require more than 62 credit hours in the major. However, especially for students considering graduate school, a maximum of 22 major credit hours taken in excess of 62 may be counted toward the 122 minimum credit hours required for the degree if the students have not exceeded the maximum of 22 credit hours allowable for courses outside the College. In no case may the total of outside credit hours and excess major credit hours exceed 22 credit hours.

The following interdepartmental majors are available; students should consult the appropriate departmental listing for details: African American and African Diaspora Studies and English, African American and African Diaspora Studies and History, African American and African Diaspora Studies and Religious Studies, African American and African Diaspora Studies and Sociology, Economics and Mathematics, Economics and Political Science, English and African American and African Diaspora Studies, History and African American and African Diaspora Studies, Linguistics and Speech and Hearing Sciences, Mathematics and Economics, 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 African American and African Diaspora Studies, Religious Studies and Philosophy, Sociology and African American and African Diaspora Studies, Speech and Hearing Sciences and Linguistics, and Speech and Hearing Sciences and Psychology.

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College of Arts and Sciences Optional Minors

Many departments in the College of Arts and Sciences offer minors of at least 15 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours. Students majoring in one department (e.g., English) may satisfy the requirements for a minor in a different department (e.g., Religious Studies). A student may complete up to three minors. Students' majors and minors listed in this bulletin may be listed on their transcripts. Students planning to complete a minor should consult the advisor in the department in which the minor is offered.

Two departments (Spanish and Portuguese; Psychological and Brain Sciences) require that students in those departments complete a minor or concentration of courses in a different department. Students with majors in those departments should check with the advisor about requirements for the minor. For students majoring in other departments, the minor is optional.

The following minors are available in the College of Arts and Sciences:

African American and African Diaspora Studies
African Languages (Department of Linguistics)
American Studies
Animal Behavior
Anthropology
Apparel Merchandising
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Biology
Chemistry
Classical Civilization
Cognitive Science
Communication and Culture
Comparative Arts
Comparative Literature
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Dutch Studies (Department of Germanic Studies)
East Asian Languages
East Asian Studies
Economics
Economics and Political Science
English
European Union
Folklore
French
Gender Studies
Geography
Geological Sciences
Germanic Studies
Greek (Department of Classical Studies)
Hebrew (Jewish Studies Program)
History
History and Philosophy of Science
History of Art (School of Fine Arts)
India Studies
International Studies
Italian
Latin (Department of Classical Studies)
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Latino Studies
Leadership, Ethics, and Social Action
Linguistics
Mathematics
Medieval Studies
Music (program to be discontinued July 1, 2007)
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Political Science and Economics
Portuguese
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian and East European Studies
Russian and East European Studies with Language Certification
Slavic Languages and Literatures
Social Science and Medicine (Department of Sociology)
Sociology
Sociology of Work and Business
Spanish
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Speech and Hearing Sciences (Preprofessional)
Studio Art (School of Fine Arts)
Telecommunications
Theatre and Drama
West European Studies
Yiddish (Department of Germanic Studies)

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Completing Minor Requirements

In completing requirements for minors, students should be aware of the following College of Arts and Sciences policies and procedures:

  1. A minor must consist of 15 or more credit hours in College of Arts and Sciences courses.
  2. The residence requirement of at least 6 credit hours in the minor at Bloomington must be met.
  3. The 100-level courses in French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish do not count toward a minor in these languages. Consult the lists of requirements for individual minors to see which 200-level courses count toward a minor in each language.
  4. Any course in which the student receives a grade below C- may not be used to fulfill a minor requirement.
  5. The grade point average of all courses taken in fulfillment of minor requirements must be at least 2.000.
  6. Courses taken to satisfy the English composition requirement (W131, W143, or W170) may not be applied toward a minor requirement.
  7. Students majoring in Portuguese, Psychology, or Spanish must consult the advisor in their major department about requirements for a minor or concentration of courses.
  8. Some minors have an overall grade point average requirement. See lists of requirements for specific minors for more information.
  9. A student may complete up to three minors.

For specific minors, see departmental statements.

For minors outside the College of Arts and Sciences that can be listed on a College student's transcript, see "Additional Programs" in this bulletin.

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Courses Outside the College of Arts and Sciences

A candidate for a bachelor's degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 100 credit hours in courses offered by the College. Jacobs School of Music courses that are listed in the College's distribution chart, "Appendix II," in this bulletin in history, literature, composition, and theory of music may be counted among the 100 credit hours inside the College of Arts and Sciences. School of Informatics courses in Computer Science that are listed in the College's distribution chart, "Appendix II," in this bulletin may be counted among the 100 credit hours inside the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students may select the remaining 22 credit hours from courses in the College of Arts and Sciences and/or from courses outside the College. The College does not accept certain types of credit, including engineering, technology, or self-acquired competency credits.

Students satisfying requirements for a teaching certificate may take a maximum of 29 credit hours outside the College if the courses selected are required for teaching certification. Students planning teacher certification may need to complete more than 122 credit hours and should confer with their major advisor and an advisor from the School of Education early in their academic careers. Students should also consult the School of Education Undergraduate Program Bulletin.

Students satisfying requirements for the B.A. with a major in music are required to earn credits in applied music and ensembles, credits that are considered outside the College of Arts and Sciences. Students earning the B.A. with a major in music may take a maximum of 32 credit hours outside the College if the courses are required for their major degree program. Effective July 1, 2007, the College of Arts and Sciences will discontinue the B.A. major in Music. College of Arts and Sciences students on the IU Bloomington campus who are currently in this major (formally declared), or who formally declare the major by 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2007, will be allowed to complete the major as long as they do so in a timely manner (making themselves eligible for graduation within 8 years of their matriculation to the IU system, any campus).

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Associate of Arts Degree (A.A.)

Effective Summer 2005, the College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, discontinued all of its Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree programs.

Students who are already in A.A. programs in the College of Arts and Sciences on the Indiana University Bloomington campus will be allowed to complete their degree programs, as long as they do so within four years of their matriculation date.

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