Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Arts Degree and Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

The requirements for these bachelor’s degree programs include the common general education core approved by the faculties of both the School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science. This general education core, together with the major, is a curriculum based on the IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning (see the front part of this bulletin for a description of these principles).

First-Year Experience Course
Each beginning freshman and transfer student (with less than 18 credit hours) in both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs in the School of Science is required to take either SCI-I120 Windows on Science (1 cr.) or an equivalent freshman experience course that may be offered by a department in which the student is a major. Beginning psychology majors are required to take PSY-B103 Orientation to a Major in Psychology (1 cr.).
Area I
English Composition and Communication Skills Both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science students are required to take two courses in English composition worth at least 3 credit hours each and COMM-R110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3 cr.). The English composition requirement is partially satisfied by completing ENG-W131 (or ENG-W140). The second composition course must have ENG-W131 (or ENG-W140) as a prerequisite. An appropriate course in technical or research writing may be used to complete the second composition course requirement. Consult departmental guidelines. A grade of C or higher must be obtained in both composition courses.
Area II
Foreign Language
  1. A first-year proficiency in a foreign language is required for the Bachelor of Arts degree program. Note that American Sign Language may be used to satisfy this requirement. This requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:
    • by completing first-year courses (8-10 credit hours) in a single language with passing grades;
    • by completing a second-year or third-year course with a grade of C or higher;
    • by taking a placement test and placing into the 200 level or higher. See the School of Liberal Arts section of this bulletin for items related to the placement test, courses numbered 117, nonnative speakers, and credit for lower division language courses.
  2. Check the department section of the bulletin for any reference to a language proficiency requirement for a Bachelor of Science degree program.
Area III
IIIA Humanities, Social Sciences, and Comparative World Cultures

Four courses totaling 12 credit hours are required. The courses are to cover each of four areas:

  1. HIST-H114 History of Western Civilization II (3 cr.) or *HIST-H109 Perspectives on the World: 1800 to Present (3 cr.) (*NOTE: Environmental Science, Geology, and Interdisciplinary Studies majors must take HIST-H114.  HIST-H109 will not meet this requirement.)
  2. One course in humanities from List H
  3. One course in social sciences from List S
  4. One course in comparative world cultures from List C

Courses taken from lists H, S, and C must be outside the student’s major.

It is recommended that the student see an academic advisor for updated lists.

Note that some courses may appear on more than one list. A cross-listed course may apply to only one of the required areas specified by the lists.

List H: Humanities
  • Afro-American Studies (AFRO)
    • AFRO-A150 Survey of the Culture of Black Americans    (3 cr.)
  • American Studies (AMST)
    • *AMST-A103 Topics in American Studies (3 cr.) (*NOTE: Not all topics are acceptable. Please confirm with the School of Science Dean's Office for approval.)
  • Art History (HER)
    • HER-H100 Art Appreciation    (3 cr.)
    • HER-H101 History of Art I    (3 cr.)
    • HER-H102 History of Art II    (3 cr.)
  •  Classical Studies (CLAS)
    • CLAS-C205 Classical Mythology    (3 cr.)
  • Communication Studies (COMM)
    • COMM-T130 Introduction to Theatre    (3 cr.)
  • English (ENG)
    • ENG-L105 Appreciation of Literature    (3 cr.)
    • ENG-L115 Literature for Today    (3 cr.)
  • Film Studies (FILM)
    • FILM-C292 Introduction to Film    (3 cr.)
  • Folklore (FOLK)
    • FOLK-F101 Introduction to Folklore    (3 cr.)
  • History (HIST)
    • HIST-H105 American History I    (3 cr.)
    • HIST-H106 American History II    (3 cr.)
    • HIST-H108 Perspectives on the World to 1800    (3 cr.)
    • HIST-H113 History of Western Civilization I    (3 cr.)
    • HIST-H217 The Nature of History    (3 cr.)
  • Music (MUS)
    • MUS-M174 Music for the Listener    (3 cr.)
  • Philosophy (PHIL)
    • PHIL-P110 Introduction to Philosophy    (3 cr.)
    • PHIL-P120 Ethics    (3 cr.)
  • Religious Studies (REL)
    • REL-R133 Introduction to Religion    (3 cr.)
    • REL-R173 American Religion    (3 cr.)
    • REL-R180 Introduction to Christianity    (3 cr.)
    • REL-R212 Comparative Religions    (3 cr.)
  • Women’s Studies (WOST)
    • WOST-W105 Introduction to Women’s Studies    (3 cr.)
  • World Languages and Cultures (WLAC)
    • WLAC-F200 Cultural Encounters    (3 cr.)
List S: Social Sciences
  • Afro-American Studies (AFRO)
    • AFRO-A150 Survey of the Culture of Black Americans (3 cr.)
  • Anthropology (ANTH)
    • *ANTH-A104 Culture and Society (3 cr.)
    (Note: ANTH-A304 may be substituted for ANTH-A104. Students may not receive credit for both.)
  • Communication Studies (COMM)
    • COMM-C180 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)
  • Economics (ECON)
    • ECON-E101 Survey of Current Economic Issues and Problems (3 cr.)
    • ECON-E201 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr.)
    • ECON-E202 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)
  • English (ENG)
    • ENG-G104 Language Awareness (3 cr.)
  • Folklore (FOLK)
    • FOLK-F101 Introduction to Folklore (3 cr.)
  • Geography (GEOG)
    • GEOG-G110 Introduction to Human Geography (3 cr.)
    • GEOG-G130 World Geography (3 cr.)
  • History (HIST)
    • HIST-H117 Introduction to Historical Studies (3 cr.)
  • Political Science (POLS)
    • POLS-Y101 Principles of Political Science (3 cr.)
    • POLS-Y103 Introduction to American Politics (3 cr.)
    • ◦*POLS-Y213 Introduction to Public Policy (3 cr.)
    • ◦POLS-Y219 Introduction to International Relations (3 cr.)
    (*Note: POLS-Y213 and SPEA-V170 are equivalent courses. Students may not receive credit for both.)
  • Psychology (PSY)
    • PSY-B104 Psychology as a Social Science (3 cr.)
    • PSY-B310 Life Span Development (3 cr.)
  • Public and Environmental Affairs, School of (SPEA)
    • *SPEA-V170 Introduction to Public Affairs (3 cr.)
    (*Note: POLS-Y213 and SPEA-V170 are equivalent courses. Students may not receive credit for both.)
  • Sociology (SOC)
    • SOC-R100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.)
    • SOC-R121 Social Problems (3 cr.)
  • Women’s Studies (WOST)
    • WOST-W105 Introduction to Women’s Studies (3 cr.)
List C: Comparative World Cultures
  • Anthropology (ANTH)
    • *ANTH-A104 Culture and Society (3 cr.)
    (*Note: ANTH-A304 may be substituted for ANTH-A104. Students may not receive credit for both.)
  • Classical Studies (CLAS)
    • CLAS-C205 Classical Mythology (3 cr.)
  • World Languages and Cultures (WLAC)
    • WLAC-F200 Cultural Encounters (3 cr.)
  • Geography (GEOG)
    • GEOG-G110 Introduction to Human Geography (3 cr.)
  • History (HIST)
    • HIST-H108 Perspectives on the World to 1800 (3 cr.)
  • Political Science (POLS)
    • POLS-Y217 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 cr.)
  • Religious Studies (REL)
    • REL-R133 Introduction to Religion (3 cr.)
    • REL-R212 Comparative Religions (3 cr.)
IIIB Junior/Senior Integrator (3 cr.)

The Junior/Senior Integrator requirement is suspended indefinitely as a School-level requirement.

Please refer to the Department section of the Bulletin for additional information as to whether a Junior/Senior Integrator is still required at the major level or if the Department has replaced it with an additional requirement.

You may also contact your academic advisor with questions regarding this requirement suspension.

IIIC Physical and Biological Sciences 

Both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science students are required to complete at least four science lectures courses totaling a minimum of 12 credit hours outside the major department. At least one of the courses must have a laboratory component.

Courses that do not count in Area IIIC include AST-A130; BIOL-N100, BIOL-N200, CHEM-C100, FIS 20500, GEOL-G103, GEOL-G130, PHYS 10000, PHYS 14000, PHYS 20000, and all agriculture courses.

NOTE: This is not a complete list. If you have a question about whether a course is applicable or not, please speak with your academic advisor prior to registering to confirm.

Topics or variable credit hour courses (i.e., BIOL-N222) must receive approval from the School of Science Academic Dean’s Office. Consult with your major department or the School of Science Academic Dean’s Office for additional course restrictions.

Courses that do not count for any credit toward any degree program in the School of Science include BIOL-N120 and PHYS 01000.

Except for laboratory courses combined with corresponding lecture courses, 1 credit hour and, in general, 2 credit hour courses do not apply to this area. In addition, students must obtain grades of C- or higher in their Area IIIC courses. However, a single grade of D+ or D will be allowed for one course only. Check with the major department for additional restrictions or requirements. Courses can be chosen from the following departments:

Note that if credit has been established for both GEOL-G132 and GEOL-G107, then only GEOL-G107 may apply to Area IIIC. In this case, GEOL-G132 may count as a general elective provided that credit was established in GEOL-G132 preceding GEOL-G107.

Note that GEOG-G107 Physical Systems of the Environment (3 cr.)/GEOG-G108 Physical Systems of the Environment: Laboratory (2 cr.) may apply to Area IIIC with approval of the student’s major department. Also, GEOG-G185 Global Environmental Change (3 cr.) is an acceptable substitute for GEOL-G185 Global Environmental Change (3 cr.).

IIID Mathematical Sciences

Bachelor of Arts students must have at least one course of at least 3 credit hours in mathematics and one course of at least 3 credit hours in computer science.
Bachelor of Science students must have at least two courses beyond algebra and trigonometry, totaling 6 credit hours. In addition, one course of at least 3 credit hours in computer science is required. Courses in applied statistics are not acceptable.

MATH-M010, 00100, MATH-M001, 00200, 11000, 11100, 12300, 13000, 13200, 13600; BUS-K201, BUS-K204, CSCI-N100-level courses; CIT 10600 does not count for any credit toward any degree in the School of Science. Computer Science CSCI-N241 and CSCI-N299 do not count in this area, but may count as a general elective. Students must obtain grades of C- or higher in their Area IIID courses. However, a single grade of D+ or D will be allowed for one course only. Check with the major department for additional restrictions or requirements. Courses can be chosen from the following departments:

Area IV

Major Department 

Consult the listing of the major department for courses required within the major subject as well as courses required by the major department in the other areas.

Capstone Experience Course

Each undergraduate major in the School of Science is to be provided a Capstone Experience (research, independent study/project, practicum, seminar, or field experience). The capstone, required of all majors, is to be an independent, creative effort of the student that is integrative and builds on the student’s previous work in the major. See departmental sections of the bulletin for specific information about capstone courses.


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