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Additional Requirements

Core 40 Requirements for Indiana Residents

IPFW supports the Indiana high school Core 40 curriculum program. Just as employers want workers who have certain skills, most colleges want students who have taken certain courses. In Indiana these courses are called Core 40. One thing a student should do to prepare for college and the workforce is to sign up for Core 40 courses and work hard to do well in them.

Completing Core 40 provides added benefits including money for college to those who qualify.

I. Academic Core

This portion of Core 40 consists of 26-28 credits (or semesters) from the following areas:

Language Arts
8 credits in literature, composition, and speech.
Mathematics-
6-8 credits from Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Trigonometry, Calculus, Probability & Statistics, or Discrete Mathematics.
Science
6 credits in laboratory science, including:
  • 2 credits in Biology
  • 2 credits in Chemistry, Physics, or Integrated Chemistry/Physics
  • 2 additional credits from Chemistry, Physics, Earth/Space Science, Advanced Biology, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Physics, or Advanced Environmental Science.
Social Studies
6 credits distributed as follows:

2 credits in U.S. History
1 credit in U.S. Government
1 credit in Economics
1 credit in World History or Geography
1 additional Social Studies credit
II. Directed Electives
This section of Core 40 consists of 8 credits from the following subject areas:

FOREIGN LANGUAGE -- Any credits in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, etc.

FINE ARTS -- Including Art, Theater, and Music.

COMPUTERS -- Computer Applications or Computer Programming.

TECH CAREER AREA -- At least 6 credits in a logical sequence from a technical career cluster.

III. Physical Education, Health & Safety
This portion of Core 40 consists of 2 credits:

1 credit in Basic Physical Education (two semesters)
1 credit in Health & Safety (one semester)
IV. Electives
This portion of Core 40 consists of 2-4 additional credits from any courses offered for high school credit.

Note: See the State Board of Education Course and Program Descriptions for approved course titles. See the Department of Workforce Development list of approved career clusters. For more information, contact the Department of Education, Patty Shutt, Director of Office of Career and Vocational Services, at (317) 232-9184. At the Commission for Higher Education, call Karen Rasmussen, Associate Commissioner for Planning and Policy Studies, (317) 464-4400.