About CGS
At CGS, you’re not just learning, you’re doing.
Picture yourself working with professors on research, completing a capstone project that solves real-world problems, and having the opportunity to study in London or Boston the summer after your first semester. Here, you’ll sharpen the skills top employers want—thinking bigger, communicating powerfully, teaming up with people from every background. And with the support of a community where professors and your peers will know your name, you get the best of both—a small, tight-knit college and a global university.
A seamless transition into any BU college
After two years, you’re guaranteed a seamless transition into any BU college, ready to jump into your chosen major knowing that the skills and knowledge you’ve gained will set you up for success and keep you on track for a four-year graduation.
Whether you know exactly what you’ll pursue at BU or are eager to explore, CGS is how you’ll launch your future: building in-demand skills and a globally-minded perspective to prepare for a changing world.
Why CGS?
CGS is a launchpad for the intellectually curious, offering a distinctive, interdisciplinary curriculum that connects the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and rhetoric.
Academics
With a strong liberal arts foundation beneath you, you’ll have the skills and habits of learning to help you succeed in any major—and career—you choose.
CGS Experiences
From the gap semester to the capstone project, CGS builds a community of globally-minded scholars, prepared for a rapidly changing, interconnected world.
CGS Milestones
- 1952: The College is founded with a focus on providing general education to World War II and Korean War veterans taking advantage of the GI Bill’s free tuition
- 1966: The College moves from Copley Square to 871 Commonwealth Avenue, a building designed around CGS’ unique team system
- 1977: The Capstone project becomes an integral part of the CGS curriculum
- 1992: The College changes its name from the College of Basic Studies to the College of General Studies
- 2011: CGS founds the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning to offer interdisciplinary and general education experiences to faculty, students, alumni, and educators around the world
- 2013: CGS launches the Boston-London program, welcoming its first class of Boston-London students in January 2014
Today, CGS continues its legacy of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Its two-year program fulfills most of the University’s BU Hub general education requirements, inspiring students to make connections among disciplines and to connect their knowledge to real-world problems. It continues to offer a challenging and comprehensive liberal arts foundation while guiding students on a unique pathway through BU, teaching them how to apply broad learning, how to think critically and creatively, and how to communicate effectively. With its unique first-year experience—a spring semester start date followed by a summer semester in London—CGS offers the only program at Boston University where study abroad is integrated into the first year of college.
Our faculty and leadership still pioneer best practices in interdisciplinary and general education around the globe. And our alumni continue to change the world in every industry and profession they choose—from entertainment to education to business to the medical fields.
Explore the College of General Studies and schedule a visit to campus.
Admissions