To complete either general studies degree, you must complete course work in three learning areas: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences. To fulfill the requirements, you may choose from a variety of subject fields within each learning area. These subject fields are described below. You also complete additional hours of elective credits.
Area A: Arts and Humanities
Arts and humanities courses provide knowledge and interpretive frameworks through which you may 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.
Area B: Science and Mathematics
Science and mathematics courses give you an appreciation of the physical and biological environment, introduce the discipline of systematic inquiry, provide insight into experimental methods and results, and illustrate the role and methods of the mathematical sciences.
Area C: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social and behavioral sciences courses give you the means to analyze and understand the social institutions in which you live, as well as the behavior of individuals as they relate to one another and the world.
Arts and Sciences |
Area A
Arts and Humanities | Area B
Science and Mathematics | Area C
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
[12 credits from each Area A, B and C
plus an additional 18 credits from one area (concentration)] |
African-American Studies
(AFAM)
American Studies (AMST)
Art History (AHST)
Classical Studies (CLAS)
Comparative Literature (CMLT)
English (ENG) (ENG-W 131 or
higher for composition
courses)
Fine Arts (FINA)
Folklore (FOLK)
French (FREN)
German (GER)
History (HIST)
History and Philosophy of
Science (HPSC)
Integrated New Media Studies
(INMS)
Japanese/Eastern Languages
& Culture (EALC)
Music (MUS) M174
Philosophy (PHIL)
Religious Studies (REL)
Spanish (SPAN)
Speech (SPCH)
Theatre and Drama (THTR)
Women's & Gender Studies
(WGS) B260, B342, H260,
L207, P394, W201General Education courses:
A190, A399 Arts, Aesthetics &
Creativity
T190, T390 Literary &
Intellectual Traditions | Anatomy (ANAT)
Astronomy (AST)
Biological Sciences (BIOL)
Chemistry (CHEM)
Computer Science (CSCI)
Geology (GEOL)
Informatics (INFO) I101,
I201,I210, I211, I450,
I451
Mathematics (MATH-M 111
or higher level)
Microbiology (MICR)
Physics (PHYS)
Physiology (PHSL)
Plant Science (PLSC)
Women's & Gender Studies
(WGS) N200
Zoology (ZOOL)General Education courses:
N190, N390 The Natural
World
Computer Literacy
Quantitative Reasoning | Anthropology (ANTH)
Criminal Justice (CJUS)
Economics (ECON)
Geography (GEOG)
Political Science (POLS)
Psychology (PSY)
Sociology (SOC)
Women's & Gender Studies
(WGS) E391, P391, P460,
S310, S338, S349, S410,
W201, W240, W301General Education courses:
B190, B399 Human Behavior
& Social Institutions |
Area D
Arts and Sciences Electives
[15 credits] |
Arts & Humanities Departments
Science & Mathematics Departments
Social & Behavioral Sciences DepartmentsCognitive Science (COGS)
College of Arts and Sciences (COAS)
General Studies (GNST)
Gerontology (GERN)
Honors (HON)
Sustainability (SUST)
*Women's & Gender Studies (WGS)*Certain courses offered in Women's & Gender Studies may be used in areas A, B, or C depending upon the content of the course.Please note: You are allowed a maximum of 21 credits in any single discipline in the College of Arts & Sciences. Students who minor in an area may take up to six additional credits beyond the minor requirements in order to complete the minor. |
Area E
General Electives
[51 credits] |
| General Electives can be selected from the arts and sciences or any of the professional schools. |
Professional Schools
Courses completed in professional schools are counted in Area E as general electives.
Professional schools include: |
Allied Health (AHLT)
Business (BUS, BUSE))
Continuing Studies (SCS)
Dentistry (DAED, DAST, DHYG)
Education (EDUC)
Health, Physical Education & Recreation
(HPER)
Informatics (INFO)
Journalism (JOUR)
Labor Studies (LSTU)
Library & Information Science (ILS, SLIS)
Mass Communications (MASS) | Military Science (MIL)
*Music (MUS)
Nursing (NURS)
Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA)
Purdue School of Technology
(CGT, CNIT, ECET, IET, MET, MFET)
Purdue School of Supervision (OLS)
Social Work (SWK)
Undistributed (UNDI)
Please note: You are allowed a maximum of 30 credits in any single professional school. |
| *Certain courses offered by the Herron School of Art and the School of Music may be used in Area A: Arts and Humanities. Check these options with your General Studies advisor. |
