The first--year doctoral seminar is a required two--semester cohort--based course (4 credits) that must be taken during the first full academic year that a student enrolls in the PhD program in CDS. It is divided into two parts, each providing 2 credits. "CDS Research Initiation Seminar" is offered in the fall semester, and "CDS Research Development Seminar" is offered in the spring semester. The seminar serves three key purposes: 1. It introduces students to the scholarship of (and the rich set of research projects pursued by) the CDS faculty and their guests through colloquia pitched to a multidisciplinary audience. 2. It guides students through the challenging transition into the graduate program in CDS by introducing them to the variety of skills and capacities that are needed to succeed as a scholar. 3. It engenders a sense of community amongst the group of students entering the program as a cohort. 4 cr. Either sem.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.