The Division of Continuing Studies

General Studies

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

The requirements for the Bachelor of General Studies degree are as follows:

A minimum of 12 credit hours in each of the three required areas of learning. (The credit hours required in each area must be taken in at least two academic departments.)

• Arts and humanities   12 hrs
• Science and mathematics   12 hrs
• Social and behavioral sciences   12 hrs
• A minimum of 18 additional credit hours in one of the preceding areas with courses from at least two academic departments   18 hrs
• Electives   66 hrs
• Total   120 hrs

Other Requirements

Students must meet the 120 credit hour graduation requirement of the B.G.S. degree by satisfying the following:

1. At least 69 credit hours of course work in the arts and sciences must be completed. No more than 21 of these credits may be taken in a single arts and sciences department or subject area.
2. No more than 30 of 51 credit hours allowed for course work outside the arts and sciences may be taken in any one school or technical program.
3. At least 30 credits hours of course work (excluding self-acquired competency credit) of the required 120 credits must be taken within the Indiana University campuses.
4. At least 20 credit hours of course work (excluding self-acquired competency credit) applied to the B.G.S. degree must be taken after the student is admitted to the School of Continuing Studies. These should be IU credit hours.
5. At least 30 credit hours of the required 120 credits must be taken at the upper-divisional level. Upper-division course work is numbered in the 300s and 400s.
6. In order to apply courses to the required areas of learning, a grade of C- or higher must be achieved in all IU courses.
7. In order to graduate, a student must have a School of Continuing Studies and Indiana University grade point average of at least 2.0.