Basic Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to fulfill a series of general education requirements that expose the students to the fields of science, communications, the humanities, social studies, interprofessional studies, and an introduction to their chosen major.
Writing and communications
While focused on their particular major, all students take part in an extensive communications-rich curriculum that emphasizes the use of verbal and visual communications skills within their discipline instead of in separate courses.
Mathematics
All students are required to take at least one college-level statistics, geometry, or pre-calculus course. Many programs, especially those in engineering and the sciences, require at least a calculus course.
Computer science
Computers are a critical part of nearly every career in the world today, and students across all academic programs are required to take at least one introductory course in computer science. Some programs expand on this in discipline-specific programming and numerical methods courses.
Humanities and social sciences
Whether studying the arts and humanities from a technical perspective, or looking at the political and social histories of cities such as our sweet home Chicago, the humanities and social studies are a vital part of ensuring a well-rounded perspective beyond the science and technology our students study in their majors. All students are required to take at least seven courses in the humanities and social studies chosen from a wide variety in history, philosophy, communications, economics, literature, music, and the arts.
Natural science and engineering
While automatic for those studying the sciences or engineering, even students in programs not always associated with technical fields are required to complete courses in two fields of science and/or engineering, including a two-course series in one field.
Introduction to the profession
Recognizing how important it is for first-year students to immerse themselves in their field of study, each program offers an introductory course taught by a first-year advisor to both acclimate students to their profession as well as ensure a smooth transition into college.
Interprofessional projects
The signature program of the IIT undergraduate experience, Interprofessional Projects (or IPROs) bring ten to fifteen students from across the disciplines together to work on a real world project, often with industry or academic sponsorship. With faculty guides and student leadership, IPROs have produced patents, products, and potential employers.
Find out more about IPROs at http://ipro.iit.edu/.
