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Northwestern University

Distribution Requirements

NOTE: Students who start taking classes at Northwestern after Spring 2023 should refer to the Foundational Disciplines page. The information below pertains to students who started at Northwestern Spring 2023 or earlier.

A liberal arts education exposes students to a wide range of academic disciplines.

You must take two (one-quarter) courses in each of six broad areas of intellectual inquiry.

  1. Natural Sciences (Area I)
  2. Formal Studies (Area II)
  3. Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area III)
  4. Historical Studies (Area IV)
  5. Ethics and Values (Area V)
  6. Literature and Fine Arts (Area VI)

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NOTE: Students who start taking classes at Northwestern after Spring 2023 should refer to the Foundational Disciplines page. The information above pertains to students who started at Northwestern Spring 2023 or earlier.