Academics

The College of General Studies was founded around two ideas: to be a teaching-oriented college where students have the best possible undergraduate educational experience; and to emphasize the importance of the general education, liberal arts component of every college degree program.

Every student enrolled in the College of General Studies is a fully matriculated Boston University degree candidate who—upon completion of the two-year program—will have earned 54-semester-credit hours within the core curriculum and 8–12 elective credit hours in the other undergraduate programs of the University, for a total of 62–66 credit hours. Completion of these credit hours places a student approximately halfway through the 128-credit-hour requirement for nearly all of the University’s baccalaureate degree programs, having satisfied most or all of the general education requirements for BU’s other schools and colleges. CGS students do not “graduate” from CGS, nor do they earn an associates degree, nor do they have to apply for intra-university transfer. They simply continue to their choice of any of the liberal arts and professional degree programs in Boston University’s nine other undergraduate schools and colleges, from which they will earn their bachelor’s degree.

Taught in a Team system that was pioneered by CGS, the liberal arts core curriculum is a comprehensive, coherent program of study organized around four divisions over two years. The CGS experience is enhanced by a choice of Undergraduate Research opportunities and Study Abroad programs tailored to the curriculum.