Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.)

4-Year Degree Plan (Sample)

About the Bachelor of General Studies

The Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.) requires 120 credit hours. The degree program includes three main areas:

• Campus-wide general education and additional BGS requirements
• Arts and Sciences required foundation courses
• Electives

In addition, the following conditions apply to this degree:

• 30 minimum IU South Bend credit hours required
• 30 maximum credits may be awarded for successful completion of external exams such as AP, CLEP, DSST and Regents College. Additional credits may be earned with successful completion of university exams as approved by IU South Bend.  Additional credits may also be granted for successful completion of exams and training documented from military service and from accredited licensure examinations as approved by the American Council on Education (ACE).
• 90 maximum credit hours accepted in transfer from other colleges and universities
• 2.0 minimum cumulative grade point average required in all Indiana University courses

Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise designated.

Campuswide Curriculum (33-39 cr.)

• A detailed description of the IU South Bend general-education curriculum, including lists of approved courses
• All courses certified as meeting the campuswide general-education requirements are designated in the Schedule of Classes.
• Within the 120 credit hours required for the Bachelor of General Studies degree, each student must meet the following campus general-education requirements in the following seven areas. Basic competence must be demonstrated through completion of an approved course with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in those areas marked with an asterisk (*).

Fundamental Literacies (13-19 cr.)

• Writing* | ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1
• Critical Thinking | Select from approved course list
• Oral Communication* | SPCH-S 121 Public Speaking
• Visual Literacy | Select from approved course list
• Quantitative Reasoning* | Select from approved course list
• Information Literacy | COAS-Q 110 Introduction to Information Literacy (1 cr.)
• Computer Literacy* | Select from approved course list

Common Core Courses (12 cr.)

Complete one course from each of the following four areas, as designated in the Schedule of Classes. At least one of the areas must be completed at the 300-level.

• The Natural World | Select from approved course list
• Human Behavior and Social Institutions | Select from approved course list
• Literary and Intellectual Traditions | Select from approved course list
• Art, Aesthetics, and Creativity | Select from approved course list

Contemporary Social Values (8 cr.)

Students must complete one course from each of the following three areas, as designated in the Schedule of Classes.

• Non-Western Cultures* | Select from approved course list
• Diversity in United States Society* | Select from approved course list
• Health and Wellness (2 cr.) | Select from approved course list

Additional Bachelor of General Studies Requirements

Basic competence must be demonstrated through completion of an approved course with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in those areas marked with an asterisk (*).

• Introduction to General Studies* | GNST-G 203 Introduction to General Studies must be completed  either prior to or within the first 12 credit hours after admission to the Bachelor of General Studies degree program.
• Mathematics* | One course required (unless math is taken to fulfill Quantitative Literacy requirement for General Education)
• Second-level Writing* | The second-level writing requirement can be met with ENG-W courses above ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1 or any course designated as fulfilling the CLAS second-level writing in the Schedule of Classes.
• Senior Capstone Seminar* | GNST-G 400 Senior Capstone Seminar must be completed during the final semester prior to graduation. This course gives students the opportunity to make an assessment of their degree in the light of university degree requirements and their personal and professional objectives.

Arts and Sciences Required Foundation Courses

The three subject fields in the College of Arts and Sciences are generally organized as follows.

A. Arts and Humanities | African American Studies | American Studies | Classical Studies | Comparative Literature | English | Fine Arts | Folklore | History | History and Philosophy of Science | Philosophy | Religious Studies | Speech | Telecommunications | Theatre and Dance | World Languages

B. Science and Mathematics | Anatomy | Astronomy | Biology | Chemistry | Computer Science | Geology | Mathematics | Microbiology | Physics | Physiology | Plant Sciences | Zoology

C. Social and Behavioral Sciences | Anthropology | Criminal Justice | Economics | Geography | Political Science | Psychology | Sociology

Arts and Sciences Foundation (69 cr.)

These courses must be completed in the three subject fields—A, B, and C—in at least two separate academic disciplines in each field as follows:

A. Arts and Humanities | 12 cr.

B. Science and Mathematics | 12 cr.

C. Social and Behavioral Sciences | 12 cr.

Concentration Area (18 cr.)

Concentration area courses must be earned in at least two separate disciplines in one of the three subject fields A, B, or C

Electives (15 cr.)

Electives may be earned in any of the three subject fields, A, B, or C or additional Arts and Sciences disciplines.

Each course in Areas A, B, C, and the concentration area must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.

General Studies Electives (51 cr.)

• Electives may be selected from any of the colleges/schools of the university.

Since a key objective of the Bachelor of General Studies degree is to encourage the development of a comprehensive curriculum, a maximum of 21 credit hours in any single department in the College of Arts and Sciences, and a maximum of 30 credits hours in any one of the professional schools of the university, may be applied to the Bachelor of General Studies.

Minors and Certificates

Students are strongly encouraged to complete minors and/or certificates in consultation with a faculty advisor in the specific academic area as part of their Bachelor of General Studies degree. Minors  and certificates are listed on their official transcript.

Internships

Students are encouraged to include internships as part of their Bachelor of General Studies degree. Internships provide students with the opportunity to explore a potential career field, develop skills and integrate classroom theory with real-life experiences. Professional level experiences and challenges improve marketability upon graduation. Students may use up to 12 credits of internship toward their Bachelor of General Studies degree.