Do you enjoy lively debates on topics like morality’s place in politics or the cultural impact of globalization? Perhaps you have an interest in the social role of comedy in society. Or you might want to delve into the evolution of the universe. Maybe you just love to read great books written by outstanding authors. If these ideas are intriguing, you will enjoy being a part of the College of Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum.

The Core combines the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences into a single structured curriculum. It consists of eight historically based courses that examine both Western and non-Western thought and literature. You could read anything from Aristotle and Confucius to Dostoyevsky, Jane Austen, or even Karl Marx. You could study subjects as wide-ranging as the Big Bang Theory, the fossil record or human genetics. You might ponder the music of Mozart or examine psychological and sociological models of human identity.

Regardless of where you go on your journey though the Core, it will be a springboard into lifelong learning and intellectual inquiry. Our courses consist of lectures taught by some of BU’s finest teachers and scholars, and then weekly small seminars where you can really interact with your professors and peers. You will learn to think critically, speak persuasively and write powerfully.

Approximately 500 freshmen choose to participate in the Core, which is one of two ways of fulfilling your general education requirement for the College of Arts & Sciences. Like the other option, a more traditional divisional studies program, the Core will account for about one-half of your courses during your freshman and sophomore years and will not preclude you from taking other courses as electives.

The College of Arts & Science’s independent study program, Honors in the Major, allows qualified students to go deeper into a topic within their major or minor concentration and graduate with honors. This two-semester research program is usually completed during senior year. It culminates in a thesis and an oral examination in front of a faculty committee. You’ll have a faculty supervisor for guidance, but most of your project will be independently conceived and self-directed. The program is designed to give you valuable research experience and independent study skills. By successfully completing it, you’ll demonstrate that you can manage a sustained research project similar to those in graduate school.