Scope

General Education Program on the Bloomington campus.

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Policy Statement

The Indiana University Bloomington General Education Program consists of two parts – Common Ground and Shared Goals. The two-part structure recognizes that some critical learning outcomes are best fulfilled by all undergraduates through completion of specific courses, whereas other important educational components are better defined and experienced within the context of each degree program. Thus, each student has responsibility for fulfilling the course requirements of the Common Ground, whereas the faculty is responsible for developing integrated approaches that incorporate the Shared Goals into each degree program.

I. The Common Ground (Required; up to 31 credits)
All undergraduates must fulfill these requirements by completing coursework that is approved by the General Education Committee (GEC) as supporting defined learning goals within three specific areas: Foundations, Breadth of Inquiry, and World Languages and Cultures.

a. Foundations

i. Writing: English Composition: 3 credits
ii. Mathematical Modeling: 3 or 4 credits

b. Breadth of Inquiry

i. Arts and Humanities: 6 credits
ii. Social and Historical studies: 6 credits
iii. Natural and Mathematical Sciences: 5 or 6 credit hours; either two courses or a single 5-credit course that includes a substantial lab component with at least one course from the Natural Sciences

c. World Languages and Cultures: 6 credits; either second-year, second semester level of a world language or World Culture courses or International experience in an approved study abroad

II. Shared Goals
These components are to be structured by faculty within each degree program and may be embedded within curricula and/or as co-curricular activities. One of the components within the Shared Goals – Diversity in the United States (DUS) – is required, whereas the other three – Intensive Writing, Information Literacy, and Enriching Educational Experiences – are recommended. All Schools and the College must report to the GEC annually how each of their undergraduate degree programs supports and assesses the DUS learning goals within their curricula and/or co-curricular activities, and also whether and how they address each of the three recommended Shared Goals (Intensive Writing, Information Literacy, and Enriching Educational Experiences). A dedicated subcommittee of the GEC should be appointed to review DUS learning outcomes and share their findings annually with DAAC and EPC to recommend and foster best practices for fulfillment of DUS learning outcomes via courses or co-curricular components.

a. Diversity in the United States (Required component)  
b. Intensive Writing (Recommended component)
c. Information Literacy (Recommended component)
d. Enriching Educational Experiences (Recommended component); this category includes service learning, internship, capstone project, student teaching, independent research/creative activity program, an approved study abroad experience, honors thesis, show, recital, performance, community service and advocacy, etc.

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History

Approved: BFC 09/16/08; 04/16/2019

Previous versions: 

09/16/2009 - 04/16/2019

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