A well-rounded college graduate must have knowledge and skills that span a variety of fields. For this reason, the requirements for IU Northwest’s Arts and Sciences degrees are designed to expose students to a broad range of subjects and methods. The four groups of requirements promote the development of foundational skills, breadth of knowledge, and appreciation for diversity.

Group I: Foundation Courses: English, Mathematics, Public Speaking, and First Year Seminar

Successful graduates must express themselves clearly and effectively in English. They must be able to write documents and deliver presentations that display logical organization, proper grammar, and appropriate word choices. Thus, all College of Arts and Sciences students are required to complete both an English and a Public Speaking requirement.

Students must also cultivate a set of basic mathematical skills. These are essential for logical reasoning and have wide applications in a variety of fields of study. The Mathematics requirement ensures that all students develop their quantitative skills and learn to interpret—and draw conclusions from—data presented in tables and graphs.

The first year seminar considers interesting topics and helps students make the transition from high school, or community college to college.

Group II: Foreign Languages

Learning a foreign language increases the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication. It connects students with the world in ways that are not always available locally. The Foreign Language requirement for Bachelor of Arts degrees is designed to give each student a working knowledge of a second language. The benefits are not only cultural but also practical: knowledge of a foreign language is a vital skill for those who pursue careers in business, education, social services, health care, government, and many other fields. ​

Group IIIA, Mathematics and Physical/Life Sciences

Courses in this group train students in the use of the scientific method. They expose learners to forms of inquiry that rely on observation, measurement, and the rigorous experimental testing of hypotheses. Typical Group IIIA disciplines include, but are not limited to, Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Psychology, and Physics.

Since learning an experimental science is not just a theoretical, but also a practical endeavor, students must take at least one course that includes a laboratory experience.

Group IIIB, Social and Behavioral Sciences 

The social and behavioral sciences focus on the systematic and objective study of human behavior and social institutions. These disciplines apply rigorous methods to the observation and analysis of a broad range of human activities and interactions. Group IIIB includes courses in disciplines such as African-American and African Diaspora Studies, Anthropology, Communication, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies.

Group IIIC, Humanities

Courses in the humanities help students reflect on the complexity of the human experience, appreciate the range of human thought and emotion, learn about aesthetic expression across artistic fields, and grapple with moral issues. Such courses focus on language, literature, history, art, theater, religion, philosophy, and related fields. The approach may be comparative, historical, or analytical, but the emphasis is always on strengthening the students’ interpretive, critical, and writing skills.

Since the development of creativity is an essential component of the humanities, students must take at least one Group IIIC course that incorporates a laboratory experience.

Group IV: Diversity

An appreciation for the value of diversity is one of the essential qualities of an educated person. The Group IV requirements are designed to help students deepen their understanding of how diversity contributes to the cultural, social, and intellectual growth of individuals and societies.

Group IVA: History 

Students working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree are required to take at least one history course chosen from a set that includes U. S. History, Western Civilization, and World History. The goal of the requirement is to help students place important events in their proper historical context and appreciate the many ways in which the past still shapes our present decisions, institutions, and ways of life.

Group IVB: Racial Minority Experience in the United States

The goal of this requirement is to expand our students’ understanding of the many racial, linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversities that exist in the United States. In addition to their primary focus on a racial minority experience in the United States, courses in this group have a secondary focus on cultural histories, injustice, and the interconnectedness of communities. 

Group IVC. Additional Diversities (social class, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disabilities, nonwestern culture)

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree are also required to explore diversity from the perspective of social class, religion, gender, sexuality, age, or ability. Group IVC courses focus on special populations and communities, exploring their complex relationship with—and contributions to—society at large.