Degree Requirements

CASE Credit Hour and Residency Requirements

The following credit hour, GPA, upper-level credit hours and residency policies apply to all B.A., B.F.A., B.S. and B.L.S. degrees awarded by the College of Arts and Sciences. CASE requirements tied to course content and subject-matter are listed separately under CASE Curricular Requirements at the head of the Degree Requirements section.

Overall and Upper-Level Credit Hours
  1. All College awarded degrees require a minimum of 120 overall credit hours.
  2. B.A., B.A.J. and B.F.A. degrees require a minimum of 42 credit hours in courses at the 300–400 (junior–senior) level.
  3. B.S. and B.L.S. degrees require a minimum of 36 credit hours at the 300–400 (junior-senior) level.
  4. B.A., B.A.J., B.S. and B.F.A. degrees require at least 18 credit hours at the 300–400 (junior–senior) in course work that count in the major. This policy does not apply to the B.L.S.
Credit Hours in the Major and Inside the College
  1. B.A. majors require a minimum of 30 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours in the major subject area. No B.A. major may require more than 42 credit hours. This stipulation does not apply to interdepartmental majors.
  2. B.S., B.A.J., and B.F.A. are specialized degrees and include more hours in the major concentration; policies vary by individual degree.
  3. Students in B.A. majors, who exceed the major cap of 42 credit hours, may count a maximum of 20 major credit hours toward the required minimum of 120 credit hours (See #6 below).
  4. For the B.A., B.A.J., B.S. and B.F.A., at least 100 credit hours must be earned in courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences ("inside hours"). Students may select the remaining 20 credit hours from courses either inside or outside of the College.
  5. For the B.L.S. at least 81 credit hours must be earned in courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences ("inside hours").
  6. The sum total of credit hours taken outside of the College and excess major credit hours may not exceed 20 credit hours. Credits beyond this 20 credit hour cap will not count towards the 120 credit hours required for degree. These caps are modified for students pursuing Secondary Teacher Certification.
College and Major Residency
  1. Following completion of their 60th credit hour toward degree, students are required to take 36 credit hours of College course work on the IU-Bloomington campus or in an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program to graduate with a degree from the College.
  2. Students must complete 18 credit hours of College course work in the major on the IU-Bloomington campus. In all cases, course work completed on an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program counts as residential credit.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
  1. Students must have a minimum cumulative College of Arts and Sciences grade point average of 2.000 (C) in order to graduate.
  2. Students must have a minimum major grade point average of at least 2.000 (C) in order to graduate.
  3. Any course taken to satisfy the requirements of a major must be completed with a minimum grade of C–.
  4. B.A., B.S., and B.F.A. students must have a minimum major GPA of 2.000 (C) in order to graduate.
The B.F.A., , B.A.J., B.S., and B.L.S. degrees have additional requirements:
  1. Students pursuing the B.S. or B.F.A. degree should consult the departmental entry in the Bulletin that offers that particular degree. For instance, for information regarding the B.S. degree in Chemistry, students should go to the listing for Chemistry.
  2. Students pursuing the B.L.S. should consult the program’s entry under "B.L.S. Degree Requirements" for specific degree policies.
General Policies
  1. The College does not accept certain types of credit, including engineering, technology, or self-acquired competency credits.
  2. Requests for exceptions to College requirements may be granted by written approval from the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Owen Hall. Requirements cannot be waived.
  3. 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, Wells Library, Suite W302, 1320 East Tenth Street, (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.