Welcome! You are starting on the path to complete your bachelor’s degree in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). As your interests develop, you may decide to pursue additional academic or co-curricular options. There is a wealth of opportunities at Boston University. However, for now you are selecting courses only for your first semester.

Please be sure and read through all the information below.

Summary of CAS Degree Requirements

By the time you graduate, you will need to have completed at least the requirements listed below. All degree requirements are laid out in the BU Bulletin

  1. Your general education requirements (BU Hub for freshmen or divisional studies for transfers)
  2. Your second language requirement
  3. Your major requirements (For freshmen, some of these courses may also meet Hub requirements.)
  4. 128 credits (typically 4 courses per semester for 4 years)

Course Planning Recommendations:

    • A typical semester schedule is comprised of four academic courses.
    • You should take a Writing course as one of your four courses:
      • WR 120, CC 102, or EN 120 are excellent options for you if English is your first language.
      • If English is your second language, you’ve received information about the online Writing Placement Test. You’ll start in either WR 111, 112, or 120 as determined by the test.
      • If you are enrolled in the Kilachand Honors College, your required KHC courses will cover this writing requirement.
    • If you have not yet fulfilled your second language requirement, you will want to take a language class as one of your four courses. If you have fulfilled the requirement, you may want to continue studying that language, or you may want to try a new language.
    • You should take the major course(s) or prerequisites recommended for students pursuing your major. Once you are registered, we will connect you with an academic advisor in your major department, who you will be able to consult with regarding future courses.
    • If you are undeclared and have not yet decided your major, we recommend reading through the requirements of the majors you may be considering. You should also browse the Hub courses (if you are a freshman) or the divisional courses (if you are a transfer) by subjects of interest.
    • If planning to pursue the pre-health track, please read the information in the Pre-Health Planning Guide. It is also important that you attend the Pre-Health Perspectives presentation at Orientation.
    • If you are a transfer student, you may want to include a CAS FY 101 First-Year Seminar into your course schedule.  This course is a unique, seminar-style course (1 non-academic credit) that provides the opportunity to explore issues relevant to new transfer students at Boston University and form deep connections with your fellow peers, an upperclassman mentor, and a staff or faculty member. Please note that in the Spring semester, FY101 is open only to transfer students.

Pre-Registration Form

Once you have reviewed all the information above, please click on the Pre-Registration Form to select your classes.