About one in every six IUB undergraduates takes a 100-level Philosophy course. These courses have no prerequisites and are taught at an introductory level. They satisfy the Gen Ed A&H requirement. However, like all Philosophy courses they present an intellectual challenge and develop students’ skills at reading carefully and critically; analyzing, evaluating, and developing arguments; and writing and thinking clearly and precisely. Students from across the university regularly say they appreciate the rigor and skills they develop in 100-level Philosophy courses. 

Sophomore-level introductory courses -- introductory courses with no prerequisites, but (with the exception of P240 Business Ethics) -- are taught at a slightly higher level than the 100-level courses. These courses are more focused than the 100-level courses. Most satisfy the Gen Ed Arts and Humanities (A&H) requirement. Some satisfy the Gen Ed World Civilizations requirement, others satisfy the Gen Ed Natural and Mathematical Sciences (N&M) requirement, and some satisfy more than one requirement. The core historical sequence, covering Ancient Greek Philosophy and Early Modern Philosophy, is taught at this level (PHIL-P201 and PHIL-P211 respectively), and both are Gen Ed A&H courses.

These courses are intended for students with an interest in the topic of the course and either one prior course in philosophy or 200/300-level work in another discipline related to the topic of the course. One or two are offered as College Intensive Writing courses every semester, and though these are serious 300-level Philosophy courses, they are open to students from any discipline who have had one prior course in philosophy or appropriate coursework in a related discipline, and who are prepared to put in the effort.

These advanced courses are primarily intended for majors, minors, and other students with adequate preparation in Philosophy. A student should not take a 400-level course unless they have already taken two Philosophy courses.