How do AP/IB Scores fit into the Arts & Sciences requirements?
What about courses in other divisions such as Business or Art?
If I take courses over the summer at home, can they count?
What are attributes, what do they mean, and where do I find them?
If a course carries more than one attribute, can I use it for both?
How does my major fulfill requirements?
Do all Arts & Sciences courses participate in clusters?
If a cluster belongs in two (or more) areas, can I count it for both?
How do clusters comprising courses from more than one area work?
What is the Shared Attribute Principle and how does it work?
If I start a cluster and decide I don't like it, do I have to finish it?
How can I learn about specific clusters?
What should I do in my first year with regard to the requirements?
Who do I contact for help?
How do AP/IB Scores fit into the Arts & Sciences requirements?
You may count up to 15 AP or IB credits toward the 120 total units needed, and you may use them to place into advanced courses where appropriate; however, AP and IB credits do not count toward Core Skills, Social & Cultural Perspectives, or Coherent Course Work Distribution Area requirements.
What about courses in other divisions such as Business or Art?
These courses also count toward the 120 total units, but they do not participate in clusters nor do they fulfill Core Skills, Social & Cultural Perspectives, or Coherent Course Work Distribution Area requirements: only Arts & Sciences course fulfill Arts & Sciences distributions. Please note that you must earn at least 90 Arts & Sciences units to earn the B.A.
If I take courses over the summer at home, can they count?
With pre-approval, such courses can be transferred to WU and will count toward your 120 units; they can also serve as prerequisites to advanced courses and may count, with prior approval, toward your major or minor. They do not, however, substitute in clusters or count toward other Arts & Sciences distributions.
What are attributes, what do they mean, and where do I find them?
Attributes are designated by pairs of letters that indicate which distribution requirement(s) a course can fulfill. There are "area" attributes (NS, SS, LA, TH) as well as other attributes (WI, QA, SD, CD). Each course's attribute(s) will be included in its description in Course Listings.
If a course carries more than one attribute, can I use it for both?
Yes! The only exceptions are courses carrying both the SD and CD attributes: you must fulfill these two requirements through two separate courses.
How does my major fulfill requirements?
All students must complete an approved major program. Each major (as well as each minor) will automatically serve as a cluster in an area, and any courses you take toward the major or minor can also be counted toward any distribution requirement.
Do all Arts & Sciences courses participate in clusters?
No, but there are more than 250 clusters available, and many courses participate in more than one cluster. Also, even if a class isn't part of a cluster, it still counts towards an area's 8-9 units.
If a cluster belongs in two (or more) areas, can I count it for both?
No, you must choose one.
How do clusters comprising courses from more than one area work?
To count the cluster toward a particular area, at least one of the courses you choose to take must actually carry that area's attribute.
What is the Shared Attribute Principle and how does it work?
The Shared Attribute Principle states that, if a cluster contains courses from different areas, one of the courses may take on the area attribute of the other course. For example, if you take one SS and one NS course to complete an NS cluster, you can count both of those courses as NS courses; alternatively, if you take the same two courses to complete an SS cluster, you can count both as SS courses. Although you can share attributes in multiple clusters, you can only share them once within a single cluster.
If I start a cluster and decide I don't like it, do I have to finish it?
Absolutely not! You can always chose another cluster, and the course you've already taken will count toward the area's 8-9 units.
How can I learn about specific clusters?
All clusters are detailed both in the Discovery Curriculum Guide book and online through the Course Listings Web page. Both of these resources let you look up specific courses to see the cluster(s) in which they participate.
What should I do in my first year with regard to the requirements?
Beyond taking Writing 1, simply explore! Keeping clusters in mind will help give shape to your education and may even lead you to interesting courses that you might not otherwise discover if you really enjoy a particular class, you might consider looking it up to see if it participates in any clusters, but at this stage you certainly don't have to. Instead, focus on taking courses from lots of different departments and begin to discover what you're passionate about studying in depth.
If this document does not answer all your questions, feel free to call, write or e-mail:
Trevor Bilhorn
College of Arts & Sciences
Washington University in St. Louis
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314)935-7699
E-Mail: tbilhorn@artsci.wustl.edu
"The Mellon Mays Programs has been one of my most impactful experiences at WashU. Not only was I given the guidance and support to conduct a two-year independent research project, but the relationships I have formed with my mentor have led me to definitely pursue a career in academia."
