Weinberg College
of Arts & Sciences

Distribution Requirements

NOTE: Students who start taking classes at Northwestern after Spring 2023 should refer to the Foundational Disciplines and Overlays 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)

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.
• If you were admitted as a transfer student from another university, some of your prior coursework may count toward the distribution requirements. See Transfer Student Credit Evaluation.

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