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Individualized Major Program

Bachelor of Arts with an Individualized Major

Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 requirements IMBA

The Individualized Major Program offers students the opportunity to create their own majors on topics not otherwise available at Indiana University. If you can't find a conventional major that suits your needs, or if you already have a major but would like to add another of your own design, the IMP may be right for you.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Individualized Program of Study. Completion of an individualized program of study as approved by the IMP program.
    • Students develop a major of 30–42 credit hours in consultation with faculty sponsors and propose them to committees of two faculty members selected from the IMP's Faculty Committee (IMPFC).
    • The IMPFC is responsible for ensuring that individualized majors are distinct from fields of study available in existing degrees and majors and that they conform to College and university standards of breadth, depth, and rigor. In addition to granting admission to the program, faculty committees work with sponsors to monitor students' progress, evaluate theses or projects, and administer final oral reviews.
    • Approved majors normally combine courses from two or more College departments, and, as needed, from the professional schools, with independent and self-directed work.
    • Students may graduate with honors if their GPA meets College honors standards and if their project work is deemed of honors quality by the IMP review committee.
    • Students are eligible to take a second major in another department if the course credit is separate and distinct from the IMP concentration.
  2. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Individualized Minor (INDVMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.