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Start as a Sophomore Pathway (Indiana College Core)

GET A SMARTER START ON YOUR DEGREE

WHAT IS THE 'START AS A SOPHOMORE' PATHWAY?

The Start as a Sophomore pathway—Ivy Tech's name for the Indiana College Core—consists of a block of 30 credit hours that are guaranteed to transfer to another Indiana public college or university.

WHO IS THIS PATHWAY FOR?

  1. Students who plan to spend one year at Ivy Tech and then transfer to any public Indiana four-year university as a sophomore to pursue their bachelor's degree.
  2. Students taking Ivy Tech classes in high school, either through Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment, who want to earn their first year of college credits before they graduate and then head to Ivy Tech to complete their two-year associate degree or transfer to a public Indiana four-year university as a sophomore to pursue a bachelor's degree.

WHY IS THIS ALSO CALLED THE INDIANA COLLEGE CORE?

In 2013, the Indiana legislature required that state colleges and universities establish the requirements for an Indiana College Core (formerly the STGEC) of at least 30 credit hours which allows students to fully transfer the Core as the first year of instruction toward a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Pursuing the Indiana College Core at Ivy Tech allows you to continue your education at Ivy Tech or any public Indiana four-year university as a sophomore without losing any credits.

SAVE $5,000+

Ivy Tech's tuition is the lowest in the state, making it the most affordable college option in Indiana. Students on the Start as a Sophomore pathway who complete their first year of college at Ivy Tech can save more than $5,000 on their bachelor's degree. Dual Credit high school students, who take classes for free at their high school, can save even more.

THE INDIANA COLLEGE CORE

Technical Certificate (TC)
30 Credit Hours | 2 Semesters | 1-Year
Offered at 29 Ivy Tech Locations, plus 100% Online

The Indiana College Core is a long-term certificate offered by Ivy Tech consisting of 30 credit hours toward general education requirements. It is offered at 29 Ivy Tech locations throughout the state as well as 100% online. Full-time students typically take two semesters, or one year to complete the Core.

To earn the Core, students must take at least three credit hours in six competency areas, as well as an additional 12 “elective” credit hours from the same competencies. Once these credits have been earned, you will have fulfilled the core requirements equivalent to your first year of college.

Core Competency Credit Requirements

The Indiana College Core is based on competencies and learning outcomes in six areas:

Foundational Intellectual Skills

  • Written Communication – 3 required credits, no more than 6 credits
  • Speaking & Listening – 3 required credits, no more than 6 credits
  • Quantitative Reasoning – 3 required credits, no more than 15 credits

Ways of Knowing

  • Scientific Ways of Knowing – 3 required credits, no more than 15 credits
  • Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing – 3 required credits, no more than 15 credits
  • Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing – 3 required credits, no more than 15 credits

SEE COURSE LIST

START AS A SOPHOMORE DETAILS

  • Offered at 29 Ivy Tech Locations

    Ivy Tech's Indiana College Core Technical Certificate (TC)—also known as the Start as a Sophomore pathway—is available at 29 Ivy Tech locations throughout the state as well as 100% online through IvyOnline. If you don’t see a location listed, the Indiana College Core is not being offered there at this time.

    Offered at Over 100 Indiana High Schools

    The Indiana College Core is also offered at Indiana high schools that meet certain criteria established by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. To find out if your high school school offers the Core, use the Indiana Commission for Higher Education's High School Finder. Select only the "Ivy Tech" box to see which high schools have Ivy Tech as their primary college partner.

    High schools are continuously being added to this list, so also check with your counselor to see what is offered at your school.

    Find high schools offering the Indiana College Core: Desktop | Mobile

  • Indiana 4-Year Public Institutions

    After you complete the Indiana College Core, you can begin pursuing your bachelor's degree with automatic sophomore status at any Indiana public four-year institution. Choose from the following Indiana colleges and universities:

    Indiana 4-Year Private, Non-Profit Institutions

  • Indiana College Core Courses

    Below is a list of Ivy Tech courses offered for the Indiana College Core Technical Certificate (TC) for the 2022-2023 academic year. Courses are available in-person, online, and in hybrid formats. The number of credits required is based on students who are program-ready and does not include College Prep courses.

    View course Details

    Speaking and Listening (3-6 CREDITS)

    • COMM 101 - Fundamentals of Public Speaking CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • COMM 102 - Introduction to Interpersonal Communication CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    Written Communication (3-6 CREDITS)

    • ENGL 111 - English Composition CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 215 - Rhetoric and Argument CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    Quantitative Reasoning (3-15 CREDITS)

    • MATH 123 - Quantitative Reasoning CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 135 - Finite Math CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 136 - College Algebra CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 137 - Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 200 - Statistics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 201 - Brief Calculus I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 202 - Brief Calculus II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 211 - Calculus I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • MATH 212 - Calculus II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • MATH 221 - Calculus for Technology I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • MATH 222 - Calculus for Technology II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    Scientific Ways of Knowing (3-15 CREDITS)

    • ASTR 101 - Solar System Astronomy CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ASTR 102 - Stellar and Galactic Astronomy CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • BIOL 100 - Human Biology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • BIOL 101 - Introductory Biology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • BIOL 105 - Biology I - Molecular and Cellular Processes CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • BIOL 107 - Biology II - Diversity of Life CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • BIOL 121 - General Biology I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • BIOL 122 - General Biology II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • BIOL 201 - General Microbiology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • BIOL 211 - Microbiology I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • BIOL 222 - Genetics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • BIOL 240 - Ecology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • CHEM 101 - Introductory Chemistry I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • CHEM 105 - General Chemistry I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • CHEM 106 - General Chemistry II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • CHEM 111 - Chemistry I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • CHEM 115 - Introduction to General Organic and Biological Chemistry CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • CHEM 211 - Organic Chemistry I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • CHEM 212 - Organic Chemistry II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • CHEM 215 - Quantitative Chemical Analysis CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PHYS 101 - Physics I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • PHYS 102 - Physics II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • PHYS 220 - Mechanics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • PHYS 221 - Heat Electricity and Optics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 5
    • SCIN 100 - Earth Science CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • SCIN 111 - Physical Science CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing (3-15 CREDITS)

    • ANTH 154 - Cultural Anthropology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • COMM 201 - Introduction to Mass Communication CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • COMM 202 - Small Group Communication CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • COMM 212 - Culture and Communication CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ECON 101 - Economics Fundamentals CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ECON 201 - Principles of Macroeconomics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ECON 202 - Principles of Microeconomics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • GEOG 207 - World Geography CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HIST 101 - Survey of American History I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HIST 102 - Survey of American History II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HIST 111 - World Civilization I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HIST 112 - World Civilization II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • POLS 101 - Introduction to American Government and Politics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • POLS 211 - Introduction to World Politics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 201 - Lifespan Development CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 205 - Abnormal Psychology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 240 - Human Sexuality CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 253 - Introduction to Social Psychology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PSYC 260 - Health Psychology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SOCI 111 - Introduction to Sociology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SOCI 164 - Multicultural Studies CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SOCI 245 - Cultural Diversity CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SOCI 252 - Social Problems CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SOCI 253 - Introduction to Social Psychology CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing (3-15 CREDITS)

    • ARTH 101 - Survey of Art and Culture I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ARTH 102 - Survey of Art and Culture II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ARTH 110 - Art Appreciation CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 202 - Creative Writing CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 206 - Introduction to Literature CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 214 - Introduction to Poetry CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 220 - World Literature I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 221 - World Literature II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 222 - American Literature To 1865 CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • ENGL 223 - American Literature After 1865 CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • FREN 101 - French Level I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • FREN 102 - French Level II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • FREN 201 - French Level III CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • FREN 202 - French Level IV CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • GERM 101 - German Level I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • GERM 102 - German Level II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • GERM 201 - German Level III CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • GERM 202 - German Level IV CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HUMA 100 - Theatre Appreciation CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • HUMA 118 - Music Appreciation CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PHIL 102 - Introduction to Ethics CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • PHIL 220 - Philosophy of Religion CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SPAN 101 - Spanish Level I CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • SPAN 102 - Spanish Level II CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
    • SPAN 201 - Spanish Level III CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
    • SPAN 202 - Spanish Level IV CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3

    TOTAL CREDITS: 30

  • Completion Guide

    The Indiana College Core completion guide provides the recommended path to graduation, broken out into eight-week terms. Typical path to completion is one year. Courses are numbered to show an overall quantity for students taking fewer classes at a time. Consult with your advisor to determine which classes are the best option for you to take.

    DOWNLOAD COMPLETION GUIDE

HOW TO GET STARTED

Apply to Ivy Tech

To get started, simply apply to Ivy Tech! You'll soon be on your way to saving thousands of dollars on you first year of classes before you transfer to a four-year university to complete your bachelor's degree.

Contact Us with Questions

If you have questions or need assistance we’re available 24/7 via phone at 888-IVY-LINE (888-489-5463) or online chat.

APPLY NOW

TRANSFERRING CREDITS IS GUARANTEED, BUT ACCEPTANCE IS NOT

It's important to remember that transfer admission is not guaranteed just by enrolling in the Start as a Sophomore pathway and completing the Indiana College Core. Once you complete your year at Ivy Tech, you will need to be admitted to the institution you intend to transfer to.

The Indiana College Core does mean that if you are admitted, your coursework will be fully transferable towards meeting the general education requirements at any state-supported institution within Indiana. Many private Indiana institutions will also accept the Indiana College Core towards their degree requirements.

If you are interested in securing automatic acceptance, our Guaranteed Admissions pathway may be right for you.

Learn More about Guaranteed Admissions

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Open Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. during the following dates:
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574-830-0375, ext. 5303
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22531 County Road 18
Goshen, IN 46528

Jed Duvick - Assistant Director of Enrollment

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574-289-7001 ext. 5379

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Gary, IN 46409

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Logansport, IN 46947

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261 Commerce Drive
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2024-2025 Office Hours

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574-289-7001, ext 6858
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South Bend Admissions Office
220 Dean Johnson Blvd.
South Bend, IN 46601

Jed Duvick - Assist Director of Enrollment

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574-289-7001 ext. 5379

 

Katie Batie - South Bend Recruiter

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574-289-7001 ext. 026858

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Tell City Career and Technology Center
1034 31st Street
Tell City, IN 47586

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Terre Haute Admissions
8000 S Education Drive
Terre Haute, IN 47802

For High School Students:
Kim Grayless
Director of K-14
812-298-2285
kgrayless2@ivytech.edu

For Adults:
Michael Fisher
Director of Admissions
812-298-2300
mfisher@ivytech.edu 

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STUDENT PROGRESS CHECKLIST

Use this handy checklist to monitor student progress toward fulfilling the Indiana College Core. You can check off completed courses, add subtotals for each competency area, and tally total completed credits.

PRINT CHECKLIST