Distribution Requirements
Why are distribution courses required?
Courses in each distribution area share subject matter, ways of acquiring new information, evaluative criteria, and modes of analysis. By taking courses in each area, you can become familiar with a broad range of problems and the methodologies for approaching them, acquiring the breadth of interests and intellectual flexibility that are hallmarks of a well-educated person.Reminder to Students
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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.
- Natural Sciences (Area I)
- Formal Studies (Area II)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area III)
- Historical Studies (Area IV)
- Ethics and Values (Area V)
- Literature and Fine Arts (Area VI)
Find courses
- Review the lists of courses approved for distribution credit for this academic year or past years.
- Some courses can count toward more than one distribution area, subject to certain rules and limitations. Read about interdisciplinary studies courses.
Tips and tools
- Read rules and policies for filling distribution requirements.
- Find tips and strategies for completing these requirements.
- A maximum of 2 of your distribution credits, each in a different area, can come from AP or IB testing.