Policies

Choice of major does not impact whether a Foundational Studies (FS) course fulfills a Foundational Studies requirement

Course sequencing (also known as program-based substitutions) may not be used to meet FS requirements.

• Social and Behavioral Science
• Literary Studies
• Fine and Performing Arts
• Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Category #1 and Category #2 Upper Division, Integrative Electives

Students who have an SAT verbal score of 650 or above (or the ACT equivalent) and complete GH 101 and GH 201 as part of the University Honors’ curriculum have fulfilled the FS freshman composition requirement.

Students who have an SAT Math score of 650 or above (or the ACT equivalent) have fulfilled the Quantitative Literacy requirement.

Students must take the math placement test and earn the appropriate placement score to enroll in Mathematics courses which fulfill requirements in Foundational Studies Program (e.g. MATH 115, MATH 241, MATH 131, or MATH 132, etc.).

There are two pathways to completing the Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity requirement.  Which pathway a student takes is dictated by whether they have met Indiana State University's Non-Native Language (NNL) requirement in high school.  Students who have completed the NNL requirement will take one officially designated Global Perspective and Cultural Diversity (GPCD) course.  Students who have not, will take two Non-Native Language courses to complete the requirement.

International students will take the designated Global Perspective and Cultural Diversity course.

Students on the Non-Native Language pathway, with a certified learning disability, must work with the Languages, Literatures, and Linguistic department and the Center for Student Success to meet the Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity requirement.

Note:  Students who took non-native languages in high school, but did not take two years in a single language earning a C- or better are encouraged to take the language placement test at ISU to see if they can place into a non-native language class at a higher level. If they take the higher-level course and earn a C+ or better, they will have met the non-native language pathway.

Requirements

Students who have not met Indiana State University's Non-Native Language requirement, must take the non-native language pathway:

        1. Two courses (6 credits) at ISU in a single or multiple non-native languages, (select from 101 and 101, or 101 and 102), or two courses (6 credits), from an accredited college or university, in a single language, including American Sign Language

International Students must successfully complete the ESL curriculum (103A and B, or 103B, and completion of ENG 105) and:

        2. One GPCD course (3 credits)

Students who have met the non-native language component in high school (two years in high school in a single non-native language, including American Sign Language, with a C- or better) must complete the Global Perspective and Cultural Diversity pathway:

        3. One GPCD course (3 credits)       

Students who have completed armed military service basic training (including reservists) have met the Health and Wellness requirement.

Students may meet the Laboratory Science requirement by taking any two laboratory science courses from two different science disciplines.

A student enrolled in an Indiana State University online degree program who demonstrates that he or she was unable to enroll in an online course to meet an FS requirement for two consecutive terms may petition to substitute another FS studies course to meet the requirement.

A course from another university may receive FS credit if it has been designated as the equivalent of an FS course at ISU or it was designated as a GE course at the university from which it is being transferred and it meets the learning objectives of an FS requirement. Once enrolled as a full-time student at ISU, students are bound by the FS requirements.

Students who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Sciences degree at an accredited regional campus have met all of the Foundational Studies requirements except for:

• Junior Level Composition (one class)
• Ethics and Social Responsibility (one class)
• Category #1 and Category #2 Upper Division, Integrative Electives

Students who have earned an Associate of Applied Science degree at an accredited regional campus have fulfilled automatically the following FS requirements:

• Freshman-level composition (3.0-6.0)
• Communication (3.0)
• Quantitative Literacy/Mathematics (3.0)
• Health and Wellness (3.0)
• Non-Native Language (3.0-6.0)
• Social Behavioral Science (3.0)
• Laboratory Science (4.0)
• Category #2 UDIE (3.0)

The FS Upper-Division Integrative Elective Category #1 and Category #2 UDIE requirements may be met in one of the following ways:

• Two upper-division, integrative elective courses from Indiana State University (see the list of approved courses designated as Category #1 UDIES) or,
• One upper-division, integrative elective course from Indiana State University (see the list of approved courses designated as Category #1 UDIES) and a one-course equivalent study abroad experience (student must sign up for the 0.0 credit IS 398) or,
• One upper-division, integrative elective course from Indiana State University (see the list of approved courses designated as Category #1 UDIES) and completion one of the following:
  • second major, or
  • a minor, or
  • a certificate, or
  • a degree in education where content courses are delivered outside the College of Education, or
  • service in the U.S military and stationed outside of the United States

Non-Native Language Requirement Guidelines for Advisors

Policy for Students with Disablities