Congratulations and welcome to the College of Arts & Sciences at BU! We hope you all take a moment to recognize and celebrate this wonderful achievement. Our current students, faculty and staff are looking forward to meeting you at one of six on-campus orientation sessions this summer. We hope you take the time to learn all about the CAS Advantage and the opportunities that await you. We have organized some of the important resources and information for new students right on this page.
—Stan Sclaroff, Dean of Arts & Sciences
The Value of a Liberal Arts Education with Associate Dean of Student Academic Life, Steve Jarvi
Resources for Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science Students
Resources for Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science Students
Virtual Student Programming in the College of Arts & Sciences
We hosted a few virtual events for new students in Spring 2023. Please enjoy the recordings if you were unable to attend.
CAS Academic Insights
Monday, April 3rd 4:00 pm ET
Join us for a moderated panel featuring current College of Arts & Sciences students representing a variety of majors and experiences. There will be an opportunity to meet current BU students and other newly admitted students in breakout rooms.
First Year Experience in the College of Arts & Sciences
Sunday, April 9th 8:00 pm ET
Join us for a presentation and panel featuring current students in the College of Arts & Sciences. Staff from the CAS Student Programs & Leadership office will present a snapshot of co-curricular opportunities in the first-year. Topics include FY101 First Year Seminar; academic advising; academic clubs and organizations; community building; and leadership opportunities. There will be an opportunity to meet current BU students and other newly admitted students in breakout rooms.
Undergraduate students in the College of Arts & Sciences can choose from over 70 majors and special academic programs. By studying the humanities and natural, computational, and social sciences, our students develop the tools and lay the groundwork for success and fulfillment in life and career. Learn more about the College of Arts & Sciences majors and academic programs offered at our department and program listing.
Degree Requirements
To graduate, students must complete a minimum of 128 credits (excluding PDP, ROTC, and CAS FY and SY courses), the BU Hub requirements, major requirements, and the study of a second language to the intermediate level. Students must receive a minimum grade of C or higher in courses taken to satisfy major and minor requirements. All students must receive a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to graduate. For more information, visit the Boston University Undergraduate Programs Bulletin.
Additional Opportunities in the College of Arts & Sciences
Learn about some of our unique and engaging programming below. You can also visit The CAS Advantage page to learn about additional opportunities that the College offers for students to engage in the world outside of the classroom.
First-Year Seminar: FY101
FY101 is a one-credit class that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. Each section is taught in combination by a BU staff member and a student peer mentor. Learn more about FY101 here.
Hear from CAS students about why they took FY101:
Political Science major Maya Shrestha talks about why she took FY101 and how it helped her discover her academic interests.
Environmental Analysis and Policy major Keeley Bombardshares how FY101 helped her learn about and get more connect to the valuable resources available to students at BU.
The Core Curriculum
The Core Curriculum in the College of Arts & Sciences is a liberal arts learning community for students who love books, ideas, and intellectual discussion. Learn more about the Core Curriculum.
International Relations major Mark Marsden talks about his professors in the Core Curriculum and how the Core’s interdisciplinary approach piqued his interest.
Anthony Khoudary explains how the small, seminar-based classes in Core provided a small community within BU to connect with other students and faculty. Anthony studied Biology with a specialization in Neurobiology.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is one way students can get involved in research as early as their first year at BU. UROP facilitates undergraduate participation in faculty-mentored research projects. Learn more about UROP.
Stephanie Gonzalez explains how she first got involved with research at the Brain Plasticity and Neural Imaging Laboratory at Boston University School of Medicine. Stephanie double-majored in Neuroscience and Philosophy & Psychology.
Economics and International Relations major Akash Chopra first connected with Professor Elizabeth Bettini from the School of Education through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program during his sophomore year. Two years later, Akash continued to work with Professor Bettini and her team on two publications.
The Arts & Sciences Connector
The A&S Connector is your resource for finding Experiential Learning (EL) opportunities at BU. Looking for a hands-on course in a subject that interests you? Mentored research? An internship? A weekend volunteer project? The Connector is the place to start. Our goal is to connect you with the people and experiences that can help you make real-world connections to the subjects you study.
Undergraduate Internship Opportunities
Yawkey Non-Profit Internship Programprovides a living allowance stipend to support participation in unpaid internships at nonprofit organizations. CAS On-Campus Internship Program provides professional office internship experience for students while they earn one credit through a pass/fail class.
Political Science major Mary Cerkvenik talks about her experience working as a Congressional Intern in her home state of Minnesota. Mary acquired funding for this internship opportunity through the BU Center for Career Development.
Adia Armstrong took advantage of the Yawkey Non-Profit Internship Program and worked as a Community Outreach and Engagement intern in the Boston Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement. Adia majored in International Relations.
Diversity & Inclusion Resources
At CAS and BU, we strive to foster an academic environment that enables students from all backgrounds to flourish. In doing so, we are seeking to enhance and improve upon the university’s legacy of proactive inclusion and social justice. Part of creating an empowering and accessible learning environment is providing the resources for students from a wide range of backgrounds to find support, information, and community.
For a full listing of diversity & inclusion resources for current students, including university offices and student organizations, go here.
internship? A weekend volunteer project? The Connector is the place to start. Our goal is to connect you with the people and experiences that can help you make real-world connections to the subjects you study.
