Indiana University Columbus: A Hub of Education and Opportunity in South Central Indiana
Indiana University Columbus (IU Columbus) stands as a public university committed to serving the educational needs of south central Indiana. As a regional campus of Indiana University, IU Columbus offers a diverse range of academic programs and opportunities for students to thrive. This article explores the history, academic offerings, and unique aspects of IU Columbus, highlighting its role in shaping the future of its students and the surrounding community.
A History of Growth and Adaptation
Founded in 1970, IU Columbus began as an extension of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), initially known as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis at Columbus. In its early years, the extension operated without a centralized campus, conducting classes in various locations throughout Columbus. The conversion of an old airport building into a centralized campus in 1985 marked a significant step in the institution's development.
The leadership of IU Columbus has seen several transitions over the years. Paul Bippen served as the first vice-chancellor from 1977 to 2003, followed by Nasser Paydar. In 2007, Jay Howard was appointed as interim vice-chancellor. Marwan Wafa took on the role of vice-chancellor in 2009. The most-senior executive title at IUPUC is vice-chancellor.
A significant turning point arrived on August 12, 2022, when the boards of trustees of both Purdue and IU announced the separation of IUPUI into two distinct universities. In July 12, 2023, IUPUC announced that it would transition to IU Columbus by July 1, 2024. This transformation signifies a new chapter for the institution, reinforcing its commitment to providing accessible and high-quality education under the Indiana University banner.
Academic Programs and Opportunities
IU Columbus offers a variety of Indiana University (IU) bachelor's and master's degrees that students can complete entirely at the Columbus campus. For students interested in programs not fully offered at IU Columbus, they can complete a substantial number of classes at the Columbus campus before transferring to IU Indianapolis or another IU campus to finish their degrees. This flexibility allows students to begin their studies close to home while still accessing the full range of IU's academic resources.
Read also: Navigating Accreditation
The university primarily serves students from Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Ripley, and Shelby counties, as well as other areas in the largely rural south central and southeastern portion of Indiana.
Experiential Learning
Indiana University Columbus offers degrees focused on providing students with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to be successful in their chosen careers.
With experiential learning opportunities including internships, clinicals, student teaching, research, work-study, and study abroad, students can get hands-on experience outside of the classroom to prepare for the job that awaits after graduation.
Transfer Opportunities
You can complete a substantial portion of prerequisite, general education, and/or required courses for the major at IU Columbus then transfer to IU Indianapolis or another IU campus to complete the bachelor's degree. Note that the health science majors are only offered at IU Indianapolis.
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Clinical Laboratory Science
- Criminal Justice
- Cytotechnology
- Dental Hygiene
- Health Information Administration
- History
- Nuclear Medicine Technology
- Radiation Therapy
- Radiography
- Respiratory Therapy
- Secondary Education
- Tourism, Conventions & Event Management
You can also earn an appropriate bachelor's degree at IU Columbus that will prepare you for graduate study at IU Indianapolis, another IU campus, or another university. Before you can apply for admission to graduate programs in these fields (see list below), you nearly always are required to have a bachelor's degree. As long as you complete specific courses as part of your undergraduate studies, your bachelor's degree can generally be in one of several disciplines.
Read also: Comprehensive Ranking: Indiana Colleges
Resources for Students
Considering changing your major? We can help.
About 30% of college students in the United States change their major at least once, and 10% change their major more than once! In fact, more than 70 IU Columbus students declare Exploratory as their major every semester, and in a recent poll of over 100 IU Columbus undergraduates, 45% said they have changed their major at least once. On top of that, the average American will change their career path three to seven times and have 12-15 jobs in their lifetime.
In other words, it’s normal to change your mind. Changing your major can be scary, but it is also exciting.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Find the advisor who works with the major you’d like to declare! (You can scroll to the bottom of this page or click here to find the advisors.)
- It is possible! The great thing about the general education core is that many of those 30 credits could count toward lots of majors. You can start to figure this out by looking at the Degree Map for the major(s) you’re considering.
- After looking at the Degree Map, meet with the advisor who works with that major. They will be able to tell you exactly what you still need to complete and approximately how long it will take you to graduate. (You can scroll to the bottom of this page or click here to find the advisors.)
- First, check out the list of minors IU Columbus offers. Then, click on that minor’s name and follow the directions on how to add the minor to your degree plan.
- First, you’ll need to find a university that offers that major. They should be able to tell you which of your credits will transfer.
- It’s totally normal to feel stressed out about this! You can access free counseling at the Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center at IU Columbus. They will work with you on career counseling as well as any anxiety, depression, and stress you may be feeling.
General Education Courses
As an undergraduate student at IU Columbus, you will complete two types of coursework: (1) general education courses and (2) required courses for your major area of study. Both work together to form a synergistic framework that prepares you for a career, graduate study beyond a bachelor’s degree, and local and global citizenship.
- General education core 30
- The 30-hour statewide transferable general education core does not add to, subtract from, or change any requirements for a specific major. As a student, you will work closely with your academic advisor to determine the relationship, if any, between requirements for core and your particular major.
The IU Columbus Core 30 courses include:
Read also: IU Bloomington Fall Semester
- All students must take one speech course (COMM-R 110) and one course in elementary composition (ENG-W 131).
- ENG-W 131 Reading, Writing, and Inquiry I (3 cr)
- COMM-R 110 Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3 cr)
- MATH-I 130 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I (3 cr)
- MATH-I 132 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers III (3 cr)
- MATH-I 153 Algebra and Trigonometry I (3 cr)
- MATH-I 154 Algebra and Trigonometry II (3 cr)
- MATH-I 165 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 cr)
- MATH-I 166 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (4 cr)
- MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr)
- MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus I (3 cr)
- CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis (3 cr)
- CSCI-N 201 Programming Concepts (3 cr)
- CSCI-N 207 Data Analysis Using Spreadsheets (3 cr)
- ECON-E 270 Introduction to Statistical Theory in Economics and Business (3 cr.)
- NURS-H 355 Data Analysis (3 cr)
- PSY-B 305 Statistics (3 cr)
- STAT-I301 Elementary Statistical Methods (3 cr)
- Note: Other courses may be available to meet this requirement. Check with your academic advisor for further information
- ANTH-A 104 Cultural Anthropology (3 cr)
- ASL-A 131 First Year American Sign Language I (4 cr)
- ASL-A 132 First Year American Sign Language II (4 cr)
- BUS-D 101 Introduction to International Relations (3cr)
- EDUC-E 201 Multicultural Education and Global Awareness (3 cr)
- PSY-B 203 Ethics and Diversity in Psychology (3 cr)
- SPAN-S 131 First Year Spanish I (4 cr)
- SPAN-S 132 First Year Spanish II (4 cr)
- TESM-T 208 Tourism Geography (3 cr)
- TESM-T 234 Cultural Heritage Tourism (3 cr)
- MUS-M 394 Survey of African-American Music (3 cr)
- Note: Other courses may be available to meet this requirement. Check with your academic advisor for further information.
- ANTH-A 103 Human Origins and Prehistory (3 cr)
- BIOL-K 101 Concepts of Biology I (5 cr)
- BIOL-K 103 Concepts of Biology II (5 cr)
- BIOL-N 100 Contemporary Biology (3 cr)
- BIOL-N 108 Plants, Animals, and the Environment (3 cr)
- BIOL-N 212 Human Biology I (3 cr)
- BIOL-N 217 Human Physiology (5 cr)
- BIOL-N 251 Microbiology (3 cr)
- BIOL-N 261 Human Anatomy (5 cr)
- CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I (3 cr)
- CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I (3 cr)
- CHEM-C 106 Principles of Chemistry II (3 cr)
- CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Lab I (2 cr)
- CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry I (2 cr)
- CHEM-C 126 Experimental Chemistry II (2 cr)
- GEOL-G 107 Earth and our Environment (3 cr)
- GEOL-G 109 Fundamentals of Earth History (3 cr)
- GEOL-G 110 Physical Geology (3 cr)
- GEOL-G 117 Environmental Geology Lab (1 cr.)
- GEOL-G 120 Physical Geology Lab (1 cr)
- PHYS-I 218 General Physics I (4 cr)
- PHYS-I 219 General Physics II (4 cr)
- Note: Other courses may be available to meet this requirement. Check with your academic advisor for further information.
- 9 credits in Arts/Humanities and Social/Historical, with a minimum of 3 in Arts/Humanities
- ENG-L105 Appreciation of Literature (3 cr)
- ENG-L115 Literature for Today (3 cr)
- ENG-L 202 Literary Interpretation (3 cr)
- ENG-L 203 Introduction to Drama (3 cr)
- ENG-L 204 Introduction to Fiction (3 cr)
- ENG-L 205 Introduction to Poetry (3 cr)
- ENG-L 207 Women and Literature (3 cr)
- ENG-L 213 Literary Masterpieces I (3 cr)
- ENG-L 214 Literary Masterpieces II (3 cr)
- ENG-W 206 Introduction to Creative Writing (3 cr)
- ENG-W 207 Introduction to Fiction Writing (3 cr)
- HER-E 101 Beginning Drawing I (3 cr)
- HER-E 105 Beginning Painting I (3 cr)
- HER-H 100 Art Appreciation (3 cr)
- MUS-E 241 Introduction to Music Fundamentals (3 cr)
- MUS-Z 201 History of Rock and Roll Music (3 cr)
- PHIL-P 110 Introduction to Philosophy (3 cr)
- PHIL-P 120 Ethics (3 cr)
- REL-R 173 American Religion (3 cr)
- REL-R 180 Introduction to Christianity (3 cr)
- REL-R 212 Comparative Religions (3 cr)
- Note: Other courses may be available to meet this requirement. Check with your academic advisor for further information.
- 9 credits in Arts/Humanities and Social/Historical, with a minimum of 3 in Social/Historical.
- BUS-F 151 Personal Finances of the College Student (1 cr)
- BUS-F 152 Basic Financial Planning and Investment (1 cr)
- BUS-F 251 Managing Personal and Financial Risk (1cr.)
- BUS-X 100 Introduction to Business Administration (3 cr)
- CJUS-P 100 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 cr)
- COMM-C 180 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3 cr)
- COMM-M 150 Mass Media and Contemporary Society (3 cr)
- ECON-E 201 Introduction to Microeconomics (3 cr)
- ECON-E 202 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr)
- PSY-B 110 Introduction to Psychology (3 cr)
- SOC-R 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)
- SOC-R 121 Social Problems (3 cr)
- WOST-W 105 Intro to Women’s Studies (3 cr)
- GEOG-G 110 Human Geography in a Changing World (3 cr)
- HIST-H 105 American History I (3 cr)
- HIST-H 106 American History II (3 cr)
- HIST-H 108 World History I (3 cr)
- HIST-H 109 World History II (3 cr)
- Note: Other courses may be available to meet this requirement. Check with your academic advisor for further information.
Common Baccalaureate Competencies
The core 30 courses address a portion, but not all, of the IU Columbus's baccalaureate competencies. These competencies are a promise to you, your family, and future employers that as an IU Columbus graduate you will meet and demonstrate proficiency in a set of shared skills and competencies, including:
- Foundational skills in written and oral communication and mathematical modeling
- Breadth of knowledge acquired from (1) arts and humanities, (2) natural, quantitative and information sciences, and (3) social and historical studies
- Modes of inquiry developed through cross-cultural study, research, and advanced writing competencies
- Commitment to a life of learning reflected in internships, study abroad, and other forms of personal and professional engagement
The Academic Affairs Committee of IU Columbus's Faculty Senate is responsible for oversight of the general education curriculum and monitoring performance of Profiles of Learning for Undergraduate Success (PLUS). IU Columbus prepares all students to communicate, innovate, and engage local and global communities to solve the problems of the 21st century. Along this journey, students have many opportunities to reflect upon their classroom and co-curricular learning, develop expertise in their chosen field(s), and grow as human beings. Programs are assessed using the model outlined in IU Indianapolis's strategic PLUS+ initiative.
Athletics: The Crimson Pride
The IU Columbus athletic teams are known as the Crimson Pride, embodying the university's spirit and determination.
On Friday, October 17, 2025, the Crimson Pride swept Shawnee State University in three tightly contested sets (26-24, 26-24, 25-20) during the annual Dig Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Night. historic night. Despite the close scores, IU Columbus maintained composure and delivered under pressure. Freshman setter Bailey Stevens led the offense with 20 assists, while Sadie Egan contributed 23 assists along with 5 kills. Senior outside hitter Ruthie Bingham posted a team-high 17 kills on 49 swings, hitting .224.
The Crimson Pride carried their momentum into Saturday, October 18, with another sweep-this time over Kentucky Christian University (25-17, 25-7, 25-17). The match showcased the team's depth and efficiency. Baker shined with a .500 hitting percentage, recording 10 kills on 15 attempts with only one error. Senior Olivia Embry matched the .500 efficiency with 7 kills on 12 attempts. Stevens and Egan combined for 37 assists, while defensive specialists Alyvia Luce, Adelynn Anderson, Maria Otero, and Mika Salinas delivered a flawless serve-receive performance with zero errors.
Following the historic weekend, Head Coach Jose Olivo spoke about the significance of achieving the first winning regular season record in IU Columbus athletics history:"The 2025 season came with clear and ambitious goals for our volleyball program. The two main objectives were: to finish the season with a winning record and to qualify for the conference tournament by ranking in the top 8. For a program in just its third year of existence, these goals were not easy to achieve. Yet, as of today, we're proud to say we've already accomplished the first one.
Coach Olivo also discussed the team's current standing and postseason outlook:"As for our second goal-qualifying for the conference tournament-we're getting closer. We currently sit 5th in the conference with a 7-4 record. He credited the team's success to preparation, health, and strong recruiting, highlighting the impact of the incoming class and the strength at every position:"These results are the outcome of months of hard work, which began early in the year with a focused and well-structured conditioning program led by Coach David Granson. "This year's success also comes from a strong recruiting class that brought in impactful players at every position. "We also added Bailey Stevens, a top-tier freshman setter from Yorktown. She has been instrumental in balancing the setting duties with Sadie Egan, allowing Sadie to focus more on her offensive game.
He also reflected on the development of leadership and culture:"We set a third goal this season-one that may be less measurable but equally important: building a team culture. One of my personal missions has been to establish a culture where every player feels a sense of family and belonging… I've been incredibly proud of the way our upperclassmen have stepped up to welcome and guide the freshmen.
Finally, Coach Olivo emphasized the importance of his staff and the broader athletic department:"None of this would be possible without the incredible support from our Athletic Department, our university, and of course, the coaching staff. Coaches Leah Thompson, Rilee Jessee, Kathy Cox, and Colvin Iorio have worked tirelessly to help us grow, improve, and succeed.
With a current record of 16-7 and five matches remaining, the Crimson Pride are not only celebrating a historic milestone-they are continuing the winning legacy being built at IU Columbus. Next Up: The team returns to RSC action Saturday (Oct. 25) as they travel to IU Southeast.
The university's colors, cream and crimson, are integral to its identity and traditions.
tags: #Indiana #University #Columbus #history #and #programs
