Spring 2020 Registration Guidelines

College of General Studies Program Requirements

The College of General Studies’ innovative, integrated, interdisciplinary, team-based program inspires students to make connections between disciplines and to connect their knowledge to real-world problems. Required CGS program courses include two writing courses in the first year and two natural science courses in the second year. To complete the CGS program, students select at least three additional CGS humanities courses and at least three additional CGS social sciences courses. For more information, see the College of General Studies Program requirements.

All BU students will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, a general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements are flexible and can be satisfied in many different ways, through coursework in and beyond the major and, in some cases, through co-curricular activities. The CGS program fulfills most of the BU Hub University-wide general education requirements, and all CGS courses carry BU Hub units.

Students will determine the most appropriate course selection in consultation with their academic advisor.

Advanced Credit

Students who wish to apply an Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or any other examination scores should consult with their CGS academic advisor.  Please refer to Boston University’s Admissions website for further information.

To have your test scores reviewed for college credit, an official score report must be sent to Boston University. All Advanced Placement reports should be sent to the Admissions Office directly from College Board; all other score reports should be sent to the International Admissions Office at intadmis@bu.edu.

The following AP/IB scores award credit for the noted CGS courses and HUB units:

Note: BU does not award credit for IB English A: Language and Literature.

Choosing an Elective

In addition to the College of General Studies Program requirements, you will take one or more electives. The school and college pages below outline elective options. If an elective is unavailable at the time of registration, you can select an alternative elective.

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Communication
• College of Engineering
• Questrom School of Business
• Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
• Wheelock College of Education & Human Development
• School of Hospitality Administration
• Pre-Law track
• Pre-Medical track

For more information about the four-year pathways to a degree, check out this helpful tool.

You must make a phone appointment with your CGS academic advisor to review your academic plans and class schedules. You will not be able to register for classes until you have spoken with your advisor.

During your appointment, your advisor will give you your Academic Advising Code, which you will use to unlock the registration tool on the Student Link. We recommend unlocking the registration tool as soon as you receive your Academic Advising Code from your CGS Academic Advisor. See registration instructions for guidance on unlocking the registration tool.

Your team for spring 2020 determines where and when you will study during the summer. Summer term 2020 dates are below.  

• Team A will study in Boston during summer session I (May 20-July 1)
• Teams B, C, and D will study in London during summer session I (May 19-June 26)
• Teams E, F, and G will study in London during summer session II (June 30-August 7) 

Note: Availability on these teams is determined by your registration time assigned by the BU Registrar’s Office. See Step Five for details.

Further information on the Boston-London and Boston-New England experience options is available here.

Use the Planner Tool

If you use the StudentLink Planner to plan your spring 2020 classes, you will have a mock-up of your spring 2020 class schedule and you’ll be ready for registration. Refer to the registration instructions for guidance on using the Planner tool.

Plan Your Required CGS Courses

Your class numbers for spring 2020 CGS courses are listed below.

• Humanities: CGS HU 103
• Rhetoric: CGS RH 103
• Social Sciences: CGS SS 103

Remember:

• All of your CGS course sections must start with the same letter. This indicates that all of your CGS courses are on the same team.

• Remember to hit the “Continue Search from” button at the bottom of the page to view all sections being offered.
• Remember to plan multiple options! Your first choices may not be open. Choosing multiple options will save you from having to search multiple times on registration day.

Plan Your Electives

Remember, no time conflicts! Make sure the times of your electives and CGS courses do not overlap.

Remember:

• Be sure to hit the “Continue Search from” button at the bottom of your search results to view all sections being offered.
• Note that some courses will require multiple sections(i.e. a lecture plus a discussion). If more than one is needed, the Student Link will note this next to a blue push-pin at the beginning of the course listing. Make sure to write down available times for all required sections.
• Remember to plan multiple options! The first class you choose may not work with your CGS required courses, and choosing multiple options will save you from having to search multiple times on registration day. Use the Planner option in the Student Link to create a draft of your schedule. Refer to the registration instructions for guidance on using the Planner tool.

Check the Student Link to confirm you are in compliance for registration. Upon logging in, go to the Personal tab, followed by selecting Compliance Status; failure to meet the following requirements will prevent you from registering for future semesters.

Registration for first-year students opens on Sunday, November 17, 2019. The University Registrar assigns your registration time, which is determined by the last digit of your BUID number.  See below for your assigned time. 

If you’ve used the Planner option, you can simply add the classes from your planner to your schedule when registration opens for you. Refer to the registration instructions for guidance if you need it.

If the class(es) on your Planner are full or closed, you should register for your back-up options. Note: If the course is flagged, then open seats shown are not available.