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Undergraduate Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Arts
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts degree is designed to give students a broad acquaintance with the various ways scholars study and interpret the world in which we live. It is also intended to enable students to understand, and to communicate their understanding of, the richly varied and changing contexts of our lives. Within this general-educational framework students choose one or more areas for in-depth study.
Every student at IU South Bend must complete campuswide general-education requirements. Students within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must also complete requirements for bachelor’s degrees, and the following concentration requirements. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisors every semester to help them select the optimal course of study. In many cases, courses can be selected that satisfy both the college and the campuswide general-education requirements.
A bachelor’s degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at IU South Bend comprises three parts:
Part One | Campus and college requirements (I, II and III) together encourage breadth of general knowledge and skills.
Part Two | A minor encourages depth of knowledge in an area outside the major, perhaps even outside the college
Part Three | A major encourages deep and coherent knowledge and skills development in a particular field of study within the college.
Parts One and Part Two together make up the college’s liberal education requirements, summarized below. For information on Part Three, major requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, refer to the relevant department or interdisciplinary program section of this campus bulletin.
No course may be used to meet more than one Part One requirement. Any course used to meet major (Part Three) or minor (Part Two) requirements may also be used to meet one but not more than one of the Part One requirements. No course may be used to meet both a minor (Part Two) and major (Part Three) requirement. No course may be used to meet a requirement toward more than one minor.
A candidate for a bachelor’s degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, including at least 30 credit hours at the 300– or 400–level.
Part One
Campuswide Curriculum (33 cr.)
For a more detailed description of the IU South Bend general-education curriculum, including lists of approved courses, see the General Education site. All courses certified as meeting the campuswide general-education requirements are designated in the Schedule of Classes.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Arts Requirements (16-26 cr.)
Bachelor of Arts students must also satisfy the following College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements:
Extended Literacies (3 cr.)
Students will demonstrate their ability to apply extended literacies to their lives through the use of technology, engaging in healthy behaviors to include financial wellness, and understand and interpret visual messaging.
CLAS B.A. students will be required to take at least one option listed below for the Extended Literacies, in addition to meeting the campus requirement, for a total of at least six credit hours in two of the four extended literacies:
- Computer Literacy (3 cr.)
- Visual Literacy (3 cr.)
Intensive Writing (3 cr.) | Select from approved course list
Writing clear English is one of the defining characteristics of a liberal arts graduate. All Bachelor of Arts students are required to complete an Intensive Writing course with a grade of C- or higher. This course may be taken any time after completing ENG-W 131 with a grade of C or higher.
Origins of the Modern West (3 cr.) | Select from approved course list
College of Arts and Sciences Bachelors of Arts students should attain a critical awareness of the historical, literary, artistic or philosophical achievements that have contributed to the construction of the idea of the West, its culture and institutions. CLAS BA majors must take one course whose primary subject matter treats aspects of the ancient, medieval, and/or early modern world and gives the student a sense of the historical and geographical origins of modern societies.
This requirement can be met by taking any course or section designated as approved for Origins of the Modern West.
Science Course and Laboratory (4-5 cr.)
Natural science laboratory (1-2 cr.)
Additional natural science course (3 cr.)
- Select from anatomy, astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, microbiology, physiology, physics, or plant sciences
These requirements can also be satisfied by a single 4-5 credit hour integrated lecture/laboratory course.
To prepare students for a world profoundly influenced by rapid changes in science and technology, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires that Bachelor of Arts students take a minimum of 4 credit hours in the natural sciences, in addition to N 190 The Natural World.
To understand science, students must learn the experimental method. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requires that Bachelor of Arts students take a science course with a formal laboratory component. Courses fulfilling this requirement must have a minimum of 2 hours of lab per week. The amount of lab time per week assumes traditional fall/spring semester length and would need to be adjusted for non-traditional length courses.
World Languages (3-12 cr.)
The study of languages other than English is essential to understand and appreciate our global community. In recognition of this fact, students pursuing a BA degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must establish proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college level course work. A passing grade in the 204 course fulfills the language requirement for CLAS.
This requirement can be met in one of three ways:
- Successful completion of a fourth-semester language course designated in the IU South Bend Schedule of Classes as 204 (204 is the last class in a four-semester sequence: 101, 102, 203, and 204).
- Successful completion of a 300– or 400–level course in which the primary instruction is in a language other than English.
- Formal training, as evidenced by a secondary or university diploma, in a language other than English.
World Language Placement Examination
In order to place students in the appropriate level, all incoming students with prior experience with French, German, Japanese or Spanish must take the language placement exam. Students with no prior foreign language experience should enroll in 101.
The Department of World Language Studies offers a placement examination in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish to determine in which semester a student should enroll. If a student places into and completes a course with a grade of B or higher, he or she is eligible to receive between 3 and 12 additional credit hours for lower level courses.
For more information, see World Language Studies.
Students with 45 or more transfer credits, an Associate Degree, or an ICC (formerly STGEC) designation
CLAS Transfer students are required to complete at least one course in each family of disciplines (Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences). One of the four courses must be a 300–level Common Core. Courses in the remaining three areas may be either among transferred credits taken in that area or Common Core courses (190 or 390/399) at IU South Bend.
Common Core
In addition to one 300–level Common Core course, CLAS Bachelor of Arts students must complete one course (transfer or IU) in each of the remaining three areas.
The Natural World: ANAT, AST, BIOL, CHEM, GEOL, PHYS, PLSC, e.g. or an approved N190/390 course
Human Behavior and Social Institutions: ANTH, GEOG, POLS, PSY, SOC, e.g. or an approved B190/B399 course
Literary and Intellectual Traditions: CMLT, ENG, HIST, PHIL, e.g. or an approved T190/T390 course
Art, Aesthetics and Creativity: FINA, MUS, THTR, or approved A190/A399 course
Contemporary Social Values
CLAS Bachelor of Arts students must complete both a course that meets the Diversity in US Society requirement and a course that meets the Global Cultures requirement.
Extended Literacies
CLAS Bachelor of Arts students must complete a Computer Literacy or a Visual Literacy course. This is in addition to any course taken to meet campus Extended Literacies requirement.
Part Two
The Required Minor (15-18 cr.)
While the campuswide general-education requirements expose students to a broad array of topics and methods, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Arts students should also explore at least one area outside their major in some depth. Bachelor of Arts students must complete a minor offered by any IU South Bend school, college, division, or approved interdisciplinary program.
Bachelor of Arts students must also complete a minor in an area outside their major. For the minor requirements of specific departments and interdisciplinary programs, consult those sections of this publication. Students must declare their minor in a timely manner by meeting with an advisor for the department or program offering the minor early in their career at IU South Bend. Students are encouraged to consult with an advisor for the minor regularly.
Any student who completes a double major within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or a second major from outside the college is deemed to have met this requirement.
Departmental Minors
Students must earn a minor in conjunction with a Bachelor of Arts degree. All minors consist of at least 15 credit hours in one department or in an approved interdepartmental program. Minors must include a minimum of two courses, totaling at least six credit hours, taught by IU South Bend faculty. See specific departmental requirements for any additional residency requirements specific to the minor.
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 calculated from all courses used to fulfill minor requirements and a minimum grade of C- in each of those courses. For the minor requirements of specific departments and interdepartmental programs, consult those sections of the IU South Bend Bulletin.
Each minor program must be approved by an advisor in the department or interdepartmental committee offering the minor. Declare IU South Bend minors online through the Registrar’s Office.
Part Three
The Required Major
Select from degree programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as specified under the respective undergraduate degree listing in this campus bulletin.
Concentration Requirement
Many concentrations require careful planning starting with the freshman year. Students are advised to consult early in their college career with the departmental advisor for any department in which they may wish to concentrate.
Single Major Area of Concentration
The following are minimum requirements for the concentration requirement. Additional and/or detailed requirements are to be found in the departmental statements in this publication. The specific departmental requirements that must be fulfilled are those published in the IU South Bend Bulletin that is current at the time the student certifies into the college (but not longer than 10 years), or those in the IU South Bend Bulletin current at the time of graduation. The following rules pertain to the concentration group:
- At least 25 credit hours must be taken in the major subject area. This is a minimum. See specific departmental requirements.
- At least 12 credit hours in the major must be upper-division (300– and 400–level) courses taught by IU South Bend faculty. See specific departmental requirements for any additional residency requirements specific to the major.
- Any course in which the student receives a letter grade below C– may not be used to fulfill the concentration area requirement. However, courses in which the student receives a D or higher count toward the 120 credit hour total that is required for graduation.
- Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 calculated from all courses used to fulfill major requirements and a minimum grade of C- in each of those courses. Some degree programs have additional stipulations in their bulletin listings.
Double Major
A student may major in more than one discipline. A double major requires that the major requirements in both departments be fully met, as well as general-education and other general requirements of the college. The student should consult regularly with advisors from both departments if this option is chosen.
Requirements for a Second Bachelor’s Degree
Normally the holder of a bachelor’s degree who wishes to pursue a further educational goal is encouraged to become qualified for admission to a graduate degree program. In certain cases, however, the dean may admit a bachelor’s degree holder to candidacy for a second bachelor’s degree. When such admission is granted, the candidate must declare a major, earn at least 30 additional credit hours in residence, and meet the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences additional general-education requirements as well as those of the major department. No minor is required.
Bachelor of General Studies
The College of Arts and Sciences offers the Bachelor of General Studies degree to allow students to design and implement a coherent, focused, and comprehensive plan of study leading to a bachelor’s degree. While achieving the traditional objectives of a university education, the B.G.S. allows students needed flexibility and creativity to also meet their own personal and professional goals.
Bachelor of Science
Every student who registers in a curriculum leading to the degree Bachelor of Science must complete the requirements for bachelor’s degrees and the general-education requirements as specified under the respective departmental listing in this campus bulletin.