Degree Requirements

CASE Breadth of Inquiry

Students pursuing a B.A. or B.F.A. in the College must complete 6 courses in CASE Breadth of Inquiry in addition to the Breadth of Inquiry courses that they must complete for campuswide General Education including two designated courses in the arts and humanities, two designated courses in social and historical studies, and two designated courses in natural and mathematical sciences. For information about Breadth of Inquiry requirements for the B.L.S. or B.S. degrees, please see the entry for the department or program that offers the degree in question. Specific courses that fulfill the College's Breadth of Inquiry requirement are designated by abbreviations following the course titles (CASE A&H, CASE S&H, or CASE N&M). For a complete list of courses that fulfill the Breadth of Inquiry requirement, please use the CASE Course Designations tool.

Courses to be considered for CASE Breadth of Inquiry credit must  be conducted as formal classes. A course can carry only one Breadth of Inquiry designation.

Arts and Humanities (CASE A&H)

Courses in this area examine the complexity of human experience, interrogate the range of human thought and emotion, interpret varieties of aesthetic expression, and grapple with moral issues. Such courses analyze written texts and works in literature, the visual arts, music, and the other performing arts, as well as philosophical and religious thought, and intellectual and cultural traditions from both contemporary and historical perspectives. They also develop the abilities to think rationally and to construct and assess opinions, ideas, and arguments. The approach may be comparative, historical, or analytical, but the emphasis is on developing students' interpretive and critical skills.

Courses approved for Arts and Humanities Breadth of Inquiry credit explore and analyze the artifacts of human expression and/or put their knowledge into practice through producing work in (a) literary form, (b) the visual arts (painting, sculpture, textiles, etc.), (c) musical composition and performance, or (d) dramatic performance (live theater, video and film, dance, etc.). These courses should include some written component—whether an analytical paper, a research paper, or a response to an aesthetic experience.

Social and Historical Studies (CASE S&H)

Courses in this area analyze social institutions, the behavior of individuals in social contexts and historical settings, and changes in social conditions over time. Such courses study the political, economic, and cultural institutions of society, from individuals in social interactions to the international system of nation-states and transnational organizations and actors as well as changes in the human condition over time, including the inception, development, and transformation of institutions and civilizations, ideas, genres, or forms of representation.

Courses approved for the Social and Historical Breadth of Inquiry credit help students gain knowledge of human cultures and the impact of historical events by (a) understanding and using appropriate theoretical underpinnings and methodologies, (b) developing their critical analytical skills, (c) increasing social awareness and the ability to reason ethically, and (d) developing an appreciation for diversity and inclusiveness.  These courses should include some written component, whether an essay, an analytical paper or a research paper that address social, historical and/or cultural aspects of human cultures and events.

Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CASE N&M)

Courses in this area provide an understanding of physical and biological phenomena, introduce students to systematic investigation of those phenomena, show the value of scientific inquiry and hypothesis testing, review the state of the science related to scientific theories and natural laws and the evidence for them, and establish the role and approaches of mathematics. Courses cover the natural sciences, introducing and emphasizing basic principles of the chemical, physical, and life sciences, and expand students' understanding of the physical world and scientific inquiry about it, as well as analytical reasoning and mathematics. Courses may focus on forms of reasoning or the nature and processes of cognition and computation.