CAS Program Requirements 2007/2008

The following is a summary of degree requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences. Further information may be obtained from the current edition of the B.U. Undergraduate Programs Bulletin. Specific questions should be directed to your faculty advisor or to an Academic Counselor in the Academic Advising Center (CAS Room 105).

College Writing Requirement

All candidates for the B.A. who entered the College of Arts and Sciences in September 2001 and after are required to complete a full year of formal instruction in writing based in the reading of enduring and exemplary works.  The two-course sequence CAS WR 100 Writing Seminar / WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar is the usual means of fulfilling this requirement.

Students who complete the first-year Humanities sequence of the Core Curriculum (CAS CC 101/102) satisfy the first semester of the requirement (WR 100).  Students who complete the second year of the Core Curriculum (either the Humanities sequence CAS 201/202 or the Social Science sequence CAS CC 203/204) satisfy the second semester of the requirement (WR 150).

Students continuing in CAS as juniors from the College of General Studies may use CGS RH 101 and RH 102 to meet the WR 100 / WR 150 requirement.

For students who entered the College of Arts and Sciences before September 2001, the writing requirement is satisfied by successful completion of CAS WR 100 (or, if taken before September 2001, CAS EN 104 or CAS EN 102).  For these students only, this requirement may be satisfied by SAT verbal score of 670 or above, or by an ACT verbal score of 28 or above or by a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement English Exam.  Any credit awarded through the Advanced Placement Exam is determined by the Office of Admissions.

Foreign Language Requirement

Successful completion of a foreign language at the advanced (fourth semester) level, unless satisfied by a score of 560 or above on the SAT-Foreign Language Subject Test, or by a score of 3, 4, or 5 on an Advanced Placement Foreign Language Exam (4 or 5 for Latin).  Any credit awarded through the Advanced Placement Exam is determined by the Office of Admissions.  Students continuing the study of a language must take a language placement exam to determine the appropriate level at which they should begin study at Boston University.  Students whose native language is not English or who have acquired substantial knowledge of a foreign language other than English may take a College-administered exam and meet the requirement by demonstrating appropriate proficiency, as determined by the College, in all skills relevant to the comprehension and production of that particular language.  Please consult the Foreign Language Advisor in CAS Room 105 for more information regarding this process.

Mathematics Requirements

Completion of one CAS mathematics course numbered CAS MA 113 or higher, unless satisfied by a SAT mathematics score of 580 or above, or an ACT math score of 23 or above, or a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the Calculus or Statistics AP exam.  Note: Satisfaction of the College mathematics requirement does not guarantee satisfaction of concentration (major) requirements or the mathematics / computer science divisional requirement.

General Education Requirement

Successful completion of the Core Curriculum or Divisional Studies program will satisfy this requirement. Students who do not complete the entire Core Curriculum will receive Divisional Studies credit in the pertinent division (humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences) for each Core course successfully completed.  Completion of the Core Natural Sciences sequence will satisfy the Divisional Studies laboratory component.

Divisional Studies Program

The following requirements are for those students who entered CAS in or after the Fall 1995 semester:

Students who entered the College of Arts and Sciences in September 2001 and after, regardless of the division of concentration, will satisfy the six-course Divisional Studies requirement by completing at least 2 one-semester divisional studies courses in each of the three divisions outside the division of concentration.  Further, one course completed in the division of natural sciences must include a laboratory component.

Students who entered the College of Arts and Sciences before September 2001, the Divisional Studies program requires 6 one-semester courses as follows: students concentrating in a discipline of the natural sciences are required to complete a total of six courses in the humanities and social sciences, with no fewer than two courses in each of those two divisions.  Concentrators in the humanities, in mathematics and computer science, and in the social sciences are required to complete at least two courses in each of the three divisions outside of the division of the concentration.  Further, at least one divisional course completed in the division of natural sciences must include a laboratory component.

For all students: Students may not apply courses from a single department toward fulfillment of the Divisional Studies requirement in more than one division, and courses offered by the department in which a student is pursuing a concentration do not count toward the Divisional Studies requirement for that concentration.  All courses taken to satisfy the Divisional Studies requirement must be from the following list of Divisional Studies courses.  NO OTHER COURSES WILL RECEIVE DIVISIONAL STUDIES CREDIT.

Humanities Division

Archaeology (CAS AR 100, 230, 232)
Art History (CAS AH 111, 112, 205, 215, 220, 225, 284)
Classical Studies (CAS CL 101, 102, 213, 321, 322, 324)
English (CAS EN 121, 125, 127, 141, 142, 143, 163, 164;
   CAS HU 163, 164)
Modern Languages (CAS LL 250, 251; LX 240;
all 250 courses; all 350 courses)
Music (CAS MU 117, 118, 229, 242)
Philosophy (CAS PH 100, 110, 150, 155, 160)
Religion (CAS RN 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 201, 202)
Women’s Studies (CAS WS 114 only)

Mathematics and Computer Science Division

Computer Science (CAS CS 101, 103, 105, 107, 108, 111, 112)
Mathematics  (CAS MA 113, 115, 116, 120, 121, 122,
123, 124, 127, 129, 213, 214)

Natural Sciences Division
(*indicates a laboratory component)

Anthropology  (CAS AN 102 only)
Astronomy  (CAS AS 101*, 102*, 109, 117, 202*, 203*)
Biology  (CAS BI 105*, 106*, 107*, 108*, 111, 112,
114*, 117,  118*, 119)
Chemistry  (CAS CH 101*, 102*, 109*, 110*,
111*, 112*, 131*, 171*, 172*)
Earth Sciences  (CAS ES 101*, 105*, 140, 142, 144)
Geography  (CAS GE 101*, GE 104*, GE 110*)
Physics  (CAS PY 100, 103*, 105*, 106*, 132*, ,211*,
212*, 231*,  241*, 242*, 251*, 252*)

Social Sciences Division

Anthropology  (CAS AN 101, 240, 252, 260)
Archaeology  (CAS AR 101, 205)
Economics  (CAS EC 101, 102, 111, 112)
Geography  (CAS GE 100, 102, 103, 201, 226)
History  (CAS HI 101, 102, 151, 152, 176, 215, 291)
International Relations  (CAS IR 230, 271, 374)
Political Science  (CAS PO 101, 211, 241, 251, 271, 291)
Psychology  (CAS PS 101, 222, 231, 234, 241, 251, 261)
Sociology  (CAS SO 100, 104, 108, 115, 205, 242)
Women’s Studies  (CAS WS 113 only)

Concentration (Major) Requirement

Usually 9 to 15 required courses, with a minimum of eight courses in a single department or program plus a varying number of courses in other closely related departments. A minimum of four concentration courses must be taken at Boston University in the student's CAS major department. Some departments may require more. Contact your departmental advisor for more information.

Courses taken to satisfy concentration requirements must receive a minimum grade of C of higher.  This applies to all required and required related courses taken for the concentration.

Students must declare a concentration before registering for their junior year.  To declare or to change an already declared concentration, students must complete a "Declaration / Change of Major" form in the CAS Academic Advising Center, Room 105, or in the CAS Student Records Office, Room B3.

Elective Courses

Students must complete elective courses in sufficient numbers so that when combined with courses completed for College and concentration requirements, the total number equals the thirty-two four-credit (128 credit hours) courses required for the B.A. degree.  PDP and ROTC courses do not count toward the fulfillment of graduation requirements and are not included in CAS grade point average.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Students are required to maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in order to remain in good academic standing.

Graduation

All students must complete a “Declaration of Intent to Graduate” form for each major and minor concentration one-year prior to their expected date of graduation.  This procedure ensures that College and concentration requirements can be reviewed and verified.  Applications and deadline information are available in Student Records, CAS Room B3.  A 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation.  Students may be given credit for a maximum of four courses with a D grade.

Residence Requirement

During the junior and senior year, a candidate for the B.A. degree is required to complete at least twelve courses while registered as a full-time student in CAS. The candidate must also be enrolled as a full-time student in CAS for the two consecutive semesters preceding graduation. Students previously enrolled at another college at BU may petition to reduce the CAS residence requirement to two full-time semesters. Please see an advisor in the CAS Academic Advising Center, Room 105 for more specific information concerning the CAS residence requirement.

Seven-Year Rule

The B.A. degree must be completed within seven years from the date a student matriculates, whether at Boston University or at another institution.  Credits received seven or more years before a student’s expected date of graduation are not transferable.

Transfer Work