Bachelor of Arts Degree Overview

The University confers the degree of bachelor of arts (BA) on candidates recommended by the faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences and approved by the Trustees of Boston University.

The following regulations are in addition to the general University regulations governing undergraduates that are stated in this website. Further information and assistance is available in the Dean Ralph W. Taylor Academic Advising Center, CAS Room 105 (hereafter referred to as CAS Room 105), or in the CAS Student Records Office, CAS Room B3 (hereafter referred to as CAS Room B3).

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the bachelor of arts in the College of Arts & Sciences must satisfy requirements in writing, foreign language, mathematics, general education, the selected major, and electives. Each requirement is outlined below. All College of Arts & Sciences students must complete a minimum of 32 4-credit courses (128 credits). The student is also advised to review Academic Progress and Graduation.

The BA program must be completed within seven years after a student first matriculates, whether at Boston University or at another institution.

Course Credits

In computing requirements for the degree in the College of Arts & Sciences, the unit employed is the semester course. A total of 32 different courses is required for the degree. Most CAS courses carry 4 credits; a few carry half or variable credit. A 3-credit course taken in another college at Boston University or elsewhere, or a 5-credit course taken in a quarter-hour system, is not equivalent to a 4-credit semester course in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Course Load

Students are expected to be enrolled on a full-time basis. Students ordinarily are expected to proceed at the rate of four courses per semester. To be considered a full-time degree candidate, a student must be registered in a minimum of three 4-credit courses (12 credits).

Students wishing to register for 19 or 20 credits, but not more than 20, may do so without prior College approval if they are in good academic standing and their faculty advisor approves; however, first-semester freshmen and first-semester transfers may not take five 4-credit courses. Additional tuition will be charged for all credits in excess of 18, except to students with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher, or students in their senior year who have accumulated at least 88 credits. Additional tuition will be charged to all students for credits in excess of 20. Course overload fee waiver forms should be submitted to CAS Room B3.

Enrollment in fewer than three courses (12 credits) in any semester requires advance approval. Petitions for course overload fee waiver and part-time status, along with guidelines explaining these procedures, are available in CAS Room 105 and CAS Room B3.

Residence Requirement

During the junior and senior years, a candidate for the BA is required to take at least 12 courses while registered as a full-time student in the College of Arts & Sciences. In addition, the student must be in residence in a full-time program (registered in the College of Arts & Sciences) for the two consecutive semesters preceding graduation. This requirement cannot be waived without an approved petition, for which forms and guidelines are available in CAS Room 105. Transfer students with 20 courses of credit toward the degree cannot be excused from this requirement. Neither advanced placement credit nor credit for work done in absentia (including in Summer Term and at Metropolitan College) counts toward meeting the residence requirement. Further, a candidate must complete at least four principal courses for the major at the College of Arts & Sciences; some departments may require more.

Requirement for Satisfactory Record

A GPA of at least 2.0 in academic coursework is required for graduation. Students may offer for the degree no more than four courses with a grade of D. Courses taken to satisfy major requirements must receive a grade of at least C.

College Program for Liberal Arts

All candidates for the College of Arts & Sciences degree must satisfy the requirements of the College Program, described below. Of the total 32 courses (excluding PDP and ROTC courses) required for the degree, courses used to satisfy specific College requirements and major requirements must either be taken within the College of Arts & Sciences or be completed at another accredited college or university prior to matriculation at Boston University and accepted for transfer credit by the College of Arts & Sciences. Continuing College of General Studies students will be credited with having satisfied certain CAS requirements; full information is available from CGS or in CAS Room 105. The remaining elective courses may be taken within the College of Arts & Sciences or in any other school or college of Boston University.

The College Program offers the student the broad base of knowledge that is the mark of a liberally educated person and the in-depth study of a major suited to the student’s interests, abilities, and goals. Degree candidates must satisfy requirements in (1) foundations (English writing, a foreign language, and mathematics); (2) general education (introduction to the humanities, mathematics and computer science, social sciences, and natural sciences); and (3) a major. These requirements are detailed below.

Foundations

All candidates for the BA are required (1) to complete two semesters of instruction in academic reading, writing, and research; (2) to attain intermediate proficiency in a foreign language; and (3) to demonstrate competence in mathematics.

General Education

To provide students with a breadth of context and command of intellectual tools helpful in advanced study, all degree candidates are required to satisfy the requirement for general education either by completing the Core Curriculum or by satisfying the requirements of the Divisional Studies Program.

Students who do not complete the entire Core Curriculum will receive credit in the pertinent division of the Divisional Studies Program (humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences) for each Core course successfully completed.

Majors

A major program, required of degree candidates, is planned to provide significant understanding and skills in an area of the student’s choice. This requirement is normally fulfilled through one of the existing departmental or interdepartmental major programs. In certain cases, it may be met by an independent major planned in consultation with two advisors and approved by the independent major and minor advisor in CAS Room 105.

Departmental and interdepartmental majors may be elected as early as the first semester of freshman year or as late as registration for junior year. Early election of a major permits maximum coherence between a major and those courses related to it, and ordinarily does not seriously restrict a student who wishes to change his or her major within the first two years. Later election of a major permits a broader base in the various fields of knowledge from among which a major may be chosen. A student must complete at least four principal courses in his or her major in the College of Arts & Sciences; some departments may require more.

Students should study carefully the programs and requirements of the majors in which they are interested and consult with their faculty advisor in planning their overall program. Students expecting to major in a foreign language, mathematics, or a science are advised to elect a major as early as possible. To declare a major, the student must file a Declaration or Change of Major/Minor Form in CAS Room B3.

To qualify for a double major, a student may use no more than five principal or required related courses from a given major toward another major. A student wishing to take a minor may use no more than two courses from a major to fulfill the requirements for a minor. Also, no more than two courses from one minor may count toward the fulfillment of a second minor. These restrictions on the number of courses that may be counted toward two majors or minors do not apply to prerequisite courses.

Departmental and Interdepartmental Majors

Majors available in the College of Arts & Sciences are listed below, along with the divisions to which each major corresponds: HU, humanities; MCS, mathematics and computer science; NS, natural sciences; SS, social sciences. Requirements are given in the Programs sections of this site. Students expecting to teach in elementary or secondary schools should refer to the School of Education.

• American Studies (see American & New England Studies) (SS)
• Ancient Greek (HU)
• Ancient Greek & Latin (HU)
• Anthropology (SS)
• Anthropology & Religion (SS or HU)
• Archaeology (SS)
• Architectural Studies (HU)
• Astronomy (NS)
• Astronomy & Physics (NS)
• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (NS)
• Biology (NS)
• Biology with Specialization in Behavioral Biology (NS)
• Biology with Specialization in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics (NS)
• Biology with Specialization in Ecology & Conservation Biology (NS)
• Biology with Specialization in Neurobiology (NS)
• Biology with Specialization in Quantitative Biology (NS)
• Chemistry A (intensive) (NS)
• Chemistry B (NS)
• Chemistry: Biochemistry (NS)
• Chemistry: Teaching (NS)
• Chinese Language & Literature (HU)
• Classical Civilization (HU)
• Classics & Philosophy (HU)
• Classics & Religion (HU)
• Comparative Literature (HU)
• Computer Science (MCS)
• Earth Sciences (NS)
• East Asian Studies (SS)
• Economics (SS)
• Economics & Mathematics (SS or MCS)
• English (HU)
• Environmental Analysis & Policy (SS)
• Environmental Earth Sciences (NS)
• Environmental Science (NS)
• European Studies (SS or HU)
• French Language & Literature (HU)
• Geography with Specialization in Human Geography (SS)
• Geography with Specialization in Physical Geography (NS)
• Geophysics & Planetary Sciences (NS)
• German Language & Literature (HU)
• Hispanic Language & Literatures (HU)
• History (SS)
• History of Art & Architecture (HU)
• Independent Major
• International Relations (SS)
• Italian Studies (HU)
• Japanese Language & Literature (HU)
• Latin (HU)
• Latin American Studies (SS)
• Linguistics (HU)
• Linguistics & Philosophy (HU)
• Marine Science (NS)
• Mathematics (including Statistics) (MCS)
• Mathematics & Computer Science (MCS)
• Mathematics & Philosophy (MCS or HU)
• Medical Science (Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program) (NS)
• Music (nonperformance) (HU)
• Neuroscience (NS)
• Philosophy (HU)
• Philosophy & Physics (HU or NS)
• Philosophy & Political Science (HU or SS)
• Philosophy & Psychology (HU or SS)
• Philosophy & Religion (HU)
• Physics (NS)
• Political Science (SS)
• Psychology (SS)
• Religion (HU)
• Russian Language & Literature (HU)
• Sociology (SS)

The Independent Major

The independent major allows the student to design a course of study more suited to his or her interests and goals than those regularly offered. The student plans, with the consultation and approval of two faculty members of the student’s choice, a program of related courses focusing on a central theme or area of concern. If the proposal is approved, the independent program of study becomes the student’s major and appears as such on his or her diploma. Students may not apply for this program before the end of the first semester of their freshman year. They should apply before registration for the junior year, although transfer students entering at that time may also apply. In no case may a student pursue an independent major without approval from the independent major advisor. Information and applications are available in CAS Room 105.

Minors

A minor is not required for the BA but is available for students desiring a systematic introduction to a field in addition to the major. A minimum of two courses toward any minor offered by a CAS department or program must be taken in the College; some departments may require more. Requirements for minors are given under Programs. Minor programs exist in undergraduate professional schools as well. Requirements for these are also found under Departments and Programs. Students should consult the department’s minor advisor or, for an independent minor, the independent minor advisor in CAS Room 105. To declare a minor, a student must obtain the necessary signature on a CAS Declaration or Change of Major/Minor Form, available in CAS Room B3. The following minors are offered:

• African Languages & Literature
• African Studies
• African American Studies
• American Studies
• Ancient Greek
• Anthropology
• Arabic
• Archaeology
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Business Administration & Management
• Chemistry
• Chinese
• Classical Civilization
• Communication
• Comparative Literature
• Computer Science
• Dance
• Deaf Studies
• Earth Sciences
• East Asian Studies
• Economics
• Education
• Engineering Science
• English
• Environmental Analysis & Policy
• Environmental Remote Sensing & Geographic Information Systems
• Environmental Science
• European Studies
• Film & Television
• French
• Geography
• German
• Greek Language & Literature
• Hebrew
• History
• History of Art & Architecture
• Hospitality Administration
• Human Physiology
• Independent minor
• International Relations
• Italian
• Japanese
• Journalism
• Judaic Studies
• Latin
• Latin American Studies
• Linguistics
• Marine Science
• Mathematics
• Medieval Studies
• Modern Greek Studies
• Music (nonperformance)
• Music Performance
• Muslim Cultures
• Muslim Societies
• Myth Studies
• Nutritional Science
• Philosophy
• Physical Education, Health Education & Coaching
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Public Health
• Religion
• Russian
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
• Statistics
• Theatre Arts
• Visual Arts
• Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies

Elective Courses

Degree programs are planned so that students have a reasonable opportunity to elect a number of courses not necessary to meet specified requirements. The number of such electives depends on the major, the courses chosen to meet College program requirements, and the extent to which earlier preparation in language and mathematics satisfies specified requirements. Electives constitute a very important part of the total educational program, and students should consult their advisors in planning elective coursework consistent with their interests and aims.

Directed Study

Directed study allows the advanced undergraduate student to pursue independent research under the guidance of a faculty specialist. Ordinarily, directed study proposals are developed in consultation with a faculty advisor and are submitted for approval not later than the week preceding early registration to the Directed Study Committee in CAS Room 105. Directed study projects may be undertaken for variable credit (1–6 credits) and are well suited for internships that have an academic foundation. Students may complete a maximum of 12 credits of directed study while at the College of Arts & Sciences. Further information and applications are available in CAS Room 105.

Honors in the Major

Qualified CAS students may apply to pursue a course of study leading to graduation with honors in their chosen major or minor. Each department faculty has designed one or more honors options to reflect the challenges, opportunities, and measures of excellence most centrally associated with that academic discipline. All honors options require at least 8 credits of specially designated honors courses, seminars, and/or directed studies, including a substantial research project conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Required related activities foster connections among honors program students, with experts in the field, and with the world beyond academia. In some relevant cases, preparation for honors projects can be undertaken through study abroad or summer fieldwork.

Specific criteria for admission to departmental honors programs vary by department, as do application processes and deadlines. In no case do students apply earlier than the second semester of their freshman year or later than the second semester of their junior year. Interested students should consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Honors Program Director in their major department or program. Successful completion of a departmental honors program, as determined by the department faculty, signifies outstanding achievement in undergraduate scholarship. Graduation with honors in the major is a factor in election to Phi Beta Kappa and is noted on the student’s transcript and diploma.

Freshman Course Selection

Freshmen normally are guided in the selection of courses in their first semester by a special registration and orientation process that takes place over the summer. Freshmen who offer advanced placement or other special qualifications may register for more advanced courses with the permission of the appropriate departments.

Freshmen and sophomores are advised to complete requirements, including writing, mathematics, foreign language, and general education, in the first two years.

Advanced Placement

Students entering the College of Arts & Sciences who offer satisfactory scores in advanced placement examinations may receive advanced placement and credit. No advanced standing is granted to seven-year medical or dental students. However, advanced placement exam results may be used to meet non-science departmental requirements if approved by the department.

For additional information about advanced placement or credit by examination, inquire in the Admissions Office or see the Advanced Credit Guide.

Special Students

Except for Summer Term, a CAS student wishing to spend a semester at another institution as an unmatriculated student should first inquire in CAS Room 105 for information on the appropriate procedure. A student from another college or university wishing to spend a semester or two as an unmatriculated student in CAS should contact the Admissions Office for guidelines and applications.

Transfer Students and Courses

Credits and coursework of incoming transfer students are evaluated by the Admissions Office. Prior to matriculation, the Admissions Office answers questions about transfer and credit evaluation.

It is the policy of the College of Arts & Sciences that credits received seven or more years before a student’s expected date of graduation are not transferable.

Ordinarily, credit for courses taken at another accredited college or university will be allowed at the rate of eight CAS semester courses (32 credits) for each full year’s (30 to 32 credit hours) transferable courses taken at another university. Only courses equivalent to those offered by the undergraduate schools and colleges of Boston University will be accepted for transfer. Courses taken at other institutions must carry at least 2.5 Boston University credits in order to be equated to Boston University courses. No correspondence or distance learning courses will be accepted, and no credit will be awarded for courses taken during the academic year at the Harvard University Extension Program. The maximum number of courses allowed in transfer is 20; a total of 32 courses are required for graduation.

Approval of transfer credit toward major (or minor) requirements for courses taken at another accredited college or university must be obtained from the department of the major after initial approval by the Admissions Office. Transfer students should make every effort to attend the special transfer registration program held during the summer (or in January for January matriculants). Registration information will be sent to all incoming students.

Except under a cooperative arrangement, no matriculated student may carry courses concurrently in another institution. Grades from courses taken at external colleges and universities (except coursework undertaken as part of the College’s consortium agreement) will not be included in the student’s grade point average (GPA) or appear on the student’s Boston University transcript.

See also Cross-Registration found in the Policies section.

Intra-University Transfer

Students in other schools and colleges within the University wishing to transfer into the College of Arts & Sciences may obtain information in CAS Room 105 or B3 (where applications are submitted). College of Arts & Sciences students wishing to transfer to another school or college within the University must consult that particular school or college.