Completing Course Distribution Requirements
(Bloomington Campus)
The A.A. in General Studies and B.G.S. require completion of course work in three areas of learning. These include Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral sciences. (The corresponding areas in the College of Arts and Sciences are Arts and Humanities, Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and Social and Historical Sciences). These requirements are designed to provide students with a broad exposure to the humanities and the sciences. To fulfill the requirements, students may choose from a wide variety of subject fields within each area of learning. These subject fields are as follows.
Arts and Humanities
The distribution courses in this area of learning provide knowledge and interpretive frameworks through which students can reflect on the complexity of human history, assess the difficulties of determining moral values, appreciate the range and value of human emotion and thought, and be sensitive to the varieties of aesthetic expression. The following departments offer courses that fulfill the arts and humanities distribution requirement.
| African American and African Diaspora Studies | History & Philosophy of Science |
| American Studies | Foreign Language Courses |
| Classical Studies | Musicology & Music History |
| Communication and Culture | Philosophy |
| Comparative Literature | Religious Studies |
| English | Theatre and Drama |
| Fine Arts | Folklore |
Science and Mathematics
The goals of the distribution courses in this area of learning are to provide an appreciation of the physical and biological environment, introduce students to the discipline of systematic inquiry, provide insight into experimental methods and results, and illustrate the role and methods of the mathematical sciences. The departments listed below offer courses that fulfill the science and mathematics distribution requirement.
| Anatomy and Physiology | Mathematics |
| Astronomy | Microbiology |
| Biology | Physics |
| Chemistry | Computer Science |
| Geology |
Social and Behavioral Sciences
The distribution courses in this area of learning seek to provide students with the means of analyzing and understanding the social institutions in which they live as well as the behavior of individuals in relating to one another and the world. The departments listed below offer courses that fulfill the social and behavioral science distribution requirement.
| Anthrology | Linguistics |
| Criminal Justice* (most courses) | Political Science |
| Economics | Psychology |
| Geography | Sociology |
| History | Telecommunications* (most courses) |
*Please consult with your academic advisor.
Please note that the subject fields grouped under the three areas of learning may vary among Indiana University campuses. Students should consult the General Studies Degree Program counselor for the specific requirements at their campus.
