The University
Programs of StudyThe City of Boston
Boston University, the fourth-largest independent university in the United States, is a hub of intellectual, scientific, and cultural activity. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 32,000 students, it follows the ideal of a research university—that knowledge is best acquired in the pursuit of new knowledge, and that undergraduate and graduate students benefit by learning from those who are actively engaged in original research.
The University traces its roots to a school founded in Vermont in 1839, which moved to Boston in 1867, becoming the first American university to be modeled on the European system. Today, the University retains its dual character: Yankee independence combined with a cosmopolitan outlook. Within the University, 17 schools and colleges offer a total of more than 250 degree programs. Academic departments and research institutes serve as small communities for students and scholars, who also participate fully in the excitement and variety of the larger university community.
BU is coeducational and nonsectarian. Its campus stretches over 71 acres from the historic Back Bay section of Boston westward along the south bank of the Charles River. From the townhouses of Bay State Road to state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, and from peaceful parks and esplanades to the city life of Commonwealth Avenue, the University offers a clean, safe, and attractive environment to live and study. A separate medical campus in the South End of Boston is home to world-renowned medical researchers and teaching physicians.
Founded by a group of Methodist lay leaders, BU has always been strongly committed to equality in opportunity, without regard to race, color, creed, sex, or national origin. It was the first institution of higher education in Massachusetts to grant degrees to women, and it graduated the first African-American woman MD and the first woman PhD. It stood nearly alone in its early years when it opened its doors to African Americans and international students. That commitment continues today within the student body and the faculty.
The University is a progressive, recognized innovator in health care, science, engineering, communications, management, and education. The two-year College of General Studies introduced the first college program in the country organized around a team method of instruction. The University has also initiated accelerated programs in liberal arts/medical education and liberal arts/dental education. Numerous interdisciplinary programs offer broad possibilities for combining career goals and personal interests.
BU is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Individual schools and programs are also accredited by other professional associations. Please see school bulletins to find out more.
An urban institution from the start, BU has always recognized that its future is linked with the future of its city. The University supports programs that promote the well-being of Boston’s citizens and improve its environment. Major undertakings such as the Chelsea Schools initiative illustrate the University’s commitment to the community.
Programs of Study
This bulletin describes the undergraduate programs of Boston University. (For a list of the University’s degree and certificate programs, both undergraduate and graduate, see page 4.) Two other sources of information about courses and programs of study are the bulletins for Metropolitan College and Summer Term. Although students enter only one of the University’s divisions, they may draw on the others for such opportunities as courses in related fields of study, dual degree programs, lectures by visiting speakers, books in a specialized library, or summer courses.
In pursuing a degree, students must fulfill the requirements of the University as well as those of their particular division. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with these requirements. General information about the University is detailed in the first sections of this bulletin, followed by information about the individual schools, colleges, and programs.
Boston University offers many educational opportunities within or in addition to its regular baccalaureate programs. A few are highlighted below; most of these are explained more fully elsewhere in the bulletin. The individual schools and colleges can provide information about other opportunities.
Dual and Accelerated Degrees Dual bachelor’s degrees may be pursued simultaneously in different schools and colleges of the University through the Boston University Collaborative Degree Program (BUCOP). Details are available from the school or college of enrollment. Many departments of the College of Arts & Sciences offer five-year BA/MA programs, which can be completed in four years if accelerated by advanced placement and summer study. A seven-year liberal arts/medical education program offers the BA and MD; and a seven-year liberal arts/dental education program offers the BA and DMD. The College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Medicine jointly offer the eight-year Modular Medical Integrated Curriculum (MMEDIC) program leading to the BA and MD and enabling qualified undergraduates to combine liberal arts with the medical science studies ordinarily taken in the first year of medical school.
Graduate Study may be undertaken in all schools and colleges of the University except the two-year College of General Studies. Consult the appropriate bulletin for information about a particular area of study. See the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Bulletin for information about arts and sciences studies.
SEA Semester, sponsored by the Sea Education Association (SEA), is a rigorous academic, scientific, and practical experience leading to a thorough understanding of the oceans. Courses are held at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and aboard a sailing oceanographic research vessel.
Degree and Certificate Programs
Boston University has seventeen schools and colleges and one independent program and offers the degree and certificate programs listed below.
College of General Studies
A two-year general education program, with preparation for continuation in the undergraduate programs listed below.
College of Arts & Sciences
BA
College of Communication
BS, MFA, MS
School of Education
BS, MAT, EdM, CAGS, EdD
College of Engineering
BS, MS, PhD
College of Fine Arts
BFA, MusB, MFA, MusM, MusAD, Performance Diploma, Artist Diploma, Certificate of Opera Performance, Certificate in Theatre Crafts and Technical Production
Goldman School of Dental Medicine
MS, DMD, CAGS, MSD, DSc, PhD
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
MA, PhD
School of Hospitality Administration
BS
School of Law
JD, LLM
School of Management
BSBA, MBA, MSIM, MSMBA, MSMIS, DBA
School of Medicine
MA, MS, MD, DSc, PhD
Metropolitan College & Extended Education
BLS, BS, MCJ, MCP, MLA, MS, MSM, MUA
School of Public Health
MA, MPH, MSc, DSc, PhD
College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College)
BS, MS, MSOT, DPT, CAGS, PhD, ScD
School of Social Work
MSW
School of Theology
MDiv, MSM, MTS, STM, DMin, ThD
University Professors Program
BA, MA, PhD
Boston University also offers a number of dual degree programs. Please refer to individual school and college bulletins for information.
The City of Boston
Boston is rich in history, old-world charm, and modern vitality. Home to more than 60 colleges and universities, it is an intellectual and cultural center diverse in its people and stimulating in its opportunities, yet relaxed and accessible.
Boston is the largest city in New England and the site of many significant events in early American Colonial and Revolutionary history. Much of that early flavor remains today in the cobbled streets, historic landmarks that bring alive Paul Revere’s ride and the Boston Tea Party, and in the Federalist row houses on Beacon Hill. A historic seaport that grew to prominence in the days of trade with China and the whaling industry, the city maintains a thriving and picturesque waterfront. The New England Aquarium, one of the foremost in the world, shares the harborside with sightseeing cruise ships, New England fishermen unloading their catches, international cargo traffic, and the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides.” Here, historic treasures mix with contemporary skyscrapers, evidence of the city’s thriving business and financial community and its leading role in research and technology.
Boston University is perfectly situated to enjoy both the charm and beauty of the city, and its cultural and recreational attractions. The campus stretches along the banks of the Charles River, bringing boating, canoeing, sunbathing, and jogging to its doorstep; yet it is only minutes from the downtown theatre, shopping, government, and financial districts. A short ride on the streetcar brings you to the elegant shops of Copley Square, the sporting events at the TD Banknorth Garden, or the endless diversions of the restored Faneuil Hall Market Place.
The city’s rich cultural and ethnic mix can be seen in its varied neighborhoods. The North End boasts superb Italian cuisine, Chinatown has a wealth of restaurants, and smaller enclaves offer Portuguese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Jewish, and soul food. These are, of course, in addition to world-class pizzas, tacos, and other fast foods necessary to student survival.
Boston is the home of the world-famous Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, and a wealth of music from opera and rock, to jazz and reggae. Many dance and theatre groups perform regularly, and students can take special advantage of the many performances at the Boston University College of Fine Arts and the highly acclaimed resident Huntington Theatre Company. Dozens of museums include the world-renowned Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Institute of Contemporary Art. Galleries intermingle with elegant boutiques on Newbury Street, while visitors can get hands-on in a variety of interactive exhibits at the Museum of Science.
Famously enthusiastic about its professional sports teams, Boston supports the Red Sox, the New England Patriots, the Celtics, and the Bruins. Each April, the Boston Marathon passes through the Boston University campus.
Beaches to the north and south, including the famous shores of Cape Cod, are within easy reach by car or bus. For the hiker or skier, the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont are a few hours away by car, as are the picturesque shores of Maine.
A great place to study, work, or just relax, Boston is consistently voted one of the most desirable U.S. cities to live. Few cities in the world can offer you so much.
Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215
16 October 2009
Boston University
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