Exploratory Humanities and Social Sciences covers a broad selection of subjects for you to explore, such as English, History, and Political Science.
As you experiment with classes that interest you, you'll get advice from advisors and build connections with other students who are also exploring the many majors in this area of Exploratory Studies.
First-Year Course Guidelines
Below, you'll find the typical first-year courses taken by students in Exploratory Humanities and Social Sciences. Your courses may be slightly different, based on placement testing and courses you've already taken through dual enrollment or Advanced Placement (AP).
First Semester (Fall)
- DVST 160† (1cr)
- CHSS 281 Pathways in Humanities & Social Sciences† (1cr)
- Social Science Course (3cr)
- ENGL 101 OR ENGL 100 (based on placement) (3cr)
- Fine Arts Course (3cr)
- Natural Science Course or Foreign Language Course (3-4cr)
Second Semester (Spring)
- Major Course (3cr)
- Electives in sequence for Natural Science or Languages (3-4cr)
- HIST 196 OR HIST 197 OR HIST 198 (3cr)
- Dimensions of Wellness Course (3cr)
- Social Science Course (3cr)
†Courses are part of the required First-Year Experience
Foreign Language Options
Students in the colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences and Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and other selected majors, must complete up to the intermediate level of a foreign language (unless otherwise noted). Students who place beyond the beginning level should consider continuing while they have useable language proficiency on which to build.
Language classes
- CHIN 101 (4cr), CHIN 102 (4cr), CHIN 201 (4cr)
- FRNC 101 (4cr), FRNC 102 (4cr), FRNC 201 (4cr)
- GRMN 101 (4cr), GRMN 102 (4cr), GRMN 201 (4cr)
- JAPN 101 (4cr) JAPN 102 (4cr), JAPN 201 (4cr)
- SPAN 101 (4cr), SPAN 102 (4cr), SPAN 201 (4cr)
Critical Language Program
This program provides tutorial classes to offer less commonly taught foreign languages. Each course carries three credits. For more information about this program, contact professor Stuart Chandler at Stuart.Chandler@iup.edu. Currently available languages include Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian.
Liberal Studies Courses to Consider Your First Year
Social Science Electives
Students must complete three alternatives in fulfilling social science requirements. Some may be required or strongly recommended by the major. Note that you may use a prefix only once. Courses marked (GMA) may also fulfill the Global and Multicultural Awareness requirement.
- ANTH 110 Contemporary Anthropology (GMA)
- ANTH 211 Cultural Anthropology (GMA)
- ANTH 213 World Archaeology
- CRIM 101 Crime and Justice Systems
- ECON 101 Basic Economics
- ECON 121 Principles of Economics I
- GEOG 101 Geography of Human Environment Interaction
- GEOG 102 Geography of US and Canada
- RGPL/GEOG 103 Global Cities: Issues in Planning and Development (GMA)
- GEOG 104 World Geography/Global Context (GMA)
- JRNL 105 Journalism and the Mass Media
- PSYC 101 General Psychology
- PLSC 101 World Politics (GMA)
- PLSC 111 Power and Democracy in America
- SOC 151 Principles of Sociology
- SOC 231 Contemporary Social Problems
Natural Science Electives
Students must complete one of two options:
- Option 1 (8cr): two laboratory courses, may be non-sequential
or - Option 2 (7cr): one laboratory course (4cr) and one non-laboratory course (3 cr)
Either option usually begins with a laboratory course, but option 2 may start with a non-laboratory course.
Listed below are some of the options for lab sciences you may consider. All of these courses are designed from a liberal studies perspective and are open to non-majors.
- BIOL 103 Life on Earth
- BIOL 104 Human Biology: How the Human Body Works
- BIOL 106 Human Genetics and Health
- CHEM 101 College Chemistry I*
- CHEM 111 General Chemistry I*
- CHEM 113 Advanced General Chemistry*
- GEOS 101/102 The Dynamic Earth + lab
- GEOS 103/104 Oceans and Atmospheres + lab
- GEOS 105/106 Exploring the Universe + lab
- GEOS 201 Foundations of Geology*
- PHYS 111/121 Physics I + lab (needs calculus)
- PHYS 131/141 Physics I + lab (needs calculus)
- SCI 105 Physical Science I (physics)
- SCI 107/117 Chemistry for Everyone
*CHEM 101, 111, 113 are typically restricted to certain majors; on limited occasions others may receive special permission. CHEM113 requires that students be able to enroll in a calculus course (i.e., must place into MATH 121 or 125, or have already completed MATH 110 or 105). Students not meeting this requirement should be advised to schedule CHEM111.