Degree Requirements

CASE Critical Approaches

Courses in Critical Approaches (CAPP) are intended to help first- and second-year students begin to develop an understanding of the fundamental questions asked and methods employed by the various disciplines represented in the College. Rather than focusing on depth of coverage, CAPP courses introduce students to the different kinds of scholarship that take place in a university. Through these courses, students learn about the ways particular disciplines seek answers, solve problems, and organize ideas. Alternatively, these courses can demonstrate the merits of viewing a problem from an interdisciplinary or a multidisciplinary perspective. CAPP courses also teach students how to seek information from various sources, evaluate the validity of that information, and construct arguments. One of the main objectives of these courses is to instill sound research and writing practices that students will employ in their future undergraduate course work.

Any student who is a candidate for a bachelor’s degree offered by the College is required to complete one CAPP course on the Bloomington campus. This includes students who transfer from other IU Bloomington schools, from other IU campuses, and from other institutions.

Students are encouraged to take this course in their first year; in any case, they should plan to take their CAPP course no later than the first semester of their second year.

For a listing of all courses that can satisfy the CAPP requirement, please use the CASE Course Designations tool. For semester-specific CAPP course descriptions, see the College website at college.indiana.edu/undergrad/courses.php and search on "CASE Critical Approaches" for the relevant semester. CAPP courses can also be counted toward a College and campus-wide General Education Breadth of Inquiry requirement.

Critical Approaches Course Descriptions

Course descriptions for courses that fulfill the Critical Approaches requirement (COLL) are below. For more information about courses with the COLL-S prefix, see Intensive Freshman Seminars:

  • COLL-C 103 Critical Approaches to the Arts and Humanities (3 cr.) CASE A&H, CASE CAPP Specific topics will vary by section and over time, but all versions of C103 will meet the objectives of the College of Arts and Sciences Critical Approaches curriculum. The curriculum is intended for freshmen and sophomores, who will learn how scholars from the arts and humanities Breadth of Inquiry area frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches. Writing and related skills are stressed. Credit given for only one of COLL-C 103 or COLL-S 103.
  • COLL-C 104 Critical Approaches to the Social and Historical Studies (3 cr.) CASE S&H, CASE CAPP Specific topics will vary by section and over time, but all versions of C104 will meet the objectives of the College of Arts and Sciences Critical Approaches curriculum. The curriculum is intended for freshmen and sophomores, who will learn how scholars from the social and historical studies Breadth of Inquiry area frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches. Writing and related skills are stressed. Credit given for only one of COLL-C 104 or COLL-S 104.
  • COLL-C 105 Critical Approaches to the Natural and Mathematical Sciences (3 cr.) CASE N&M, CASE CAPP Specific topics will vary by section and over time, but all versions of C105 will meet the objectives of the College of Arts and Sciences Critical Approaches curriculum. The curriculum is intended for freshmen and sophomores, who will learn how scholars from the natural and mathematical sciences Breadth of Inquiry area frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches. Writing and related skills are stressed. Credit given for only one of COLL-C 105 or COLL-S 105.
Intensive Freshman Seminars

The following Intensive Freshman Seminars also fulfill the Critical Approaches requirement.

  • COLL-S 103 Freshman Seminar in Arts and Humanities (3 cr.) CASE A&H, CASE CAPP Introduction to college-level projects chosen from arts and humanities fields. Students will learn how scholars frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches in a small-class experience with a faculty member. Writing and related skills are stressed. Topics will vary. Open only to freshmen. Credit given for only one of COLL-S 103, COLL-C103, or COLL-E 103.
  • COLL-S 104 Freshman Seminar in Social and Historical Studies (3 cr.) CASE S&H, CASE CAPP Introduction to college-level projects chosen from social and historical studies fields. Students will learn how scholars frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches in a small-class experience with a faculty member. Writing and related skills are stressed. Topics will vary. Open only to freshmen. Credit given for only one of COLL-S 104, COLL-C 104, or COLL-E 104.
  • COLL-S 105 Freshman Seminar in Natural and Mathematical Sciences (3 cr.) CASE N&M, CASE CAPP Introduction to college-level projects chosen from natural and mathematical science fields. Students will learn how scholars frame questions, propose answers, and assess the validity of competing approaches in a small-class experience with a faculty member. Writing and related skills are stressed. Topics will vary. Open only to freshmen. Credit given for only one of COLL-S 105, COLL-C 105, or COLL-E 105.