First Year Chemistry Advising
Welcome to the Chemistry and Chemistry: Biochemistry Major Freshman Advising Page! We’re so happy you’re here! Chemistry majors have a lot of opportunities to explore their interests as students before going into graduate school, medical school, industry, law school, or even business school! The choices are limitless! While there are several courses for you to choose from, all first-semester Chemistry students have a similar course load they have to take.
The Chemistry department offers three Bachelor’s degree options: Chemistry, Chemistry with a specialization in Chemical Biology, and Chemistry & Physics. The complete degree requirements can be found on the website at: https://www.bu.edu/chemistry/undergrad/requirements/
Registering for your first semester in Chemistry
Students at Boston University will take four, 4-credit courses in their first semester. Additionally, some students take a first-year seminar (CH195 or FY101). Below are the recommendations for students majoring in Chemistry or Chemistry:Biochemistry.
Course #1: Chemistry
First-year students majoring in chemistry (including the biochemistry and teaching focus) will take Chemistry CH109. This course is designed for biochemistry majors, chemistry majors, and anyone interested in the molecular sciences. Descriptions of the courses can be found on the General Chemistry website: https://www.bu.edu/chemistry/undergrad/general-chemistry/.
Course #2: Calculus
Students majoring in Chemistry will complete a total of three semesters of math: MA123 (calculus 1), MA124 (calculus 2), and CH225 (Mathematical Methods for Chemistry, offered spring semester only).
Chemistry majors are expected to take a calculus course in their first semester. Students without AP credit in calculus should start in MA123. Please note: MA121 (Calculus 1 for Life Sciences) will not count for chemistry majors.
Students with a 5 on AP Calculus AB may consider starting in MA124 (Calculus 2, also offered in the fall semester). Students with a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam may consider starting directly in multivariable calculus (MA225, which can be taken instead of CH225). Note: the department strongly recommends CH225 (not MA225), and so students may want to wait until spring so that they can take CH225.
Course #3: Writing or General Education
College writing (WR120) is a requirement of all first-year students at BU. Typically, this course is taken first-semester. Alternatively, many students benefit from taking the first-year Core humanities courses CC101 and CC102 in their first year instead of taking WR120. The two Core courses together will count for WR120 and three other important (non-chemistry) Hub units (see below for a discussion of Chemistry majors and the BU Hub). Details about Core and the Hub are located at: https://www.bu.edu/core/academics/
English as a Second Language (ESL) students will also take a writing course during this semester, but they will work with the writing program to determine the correct WR course for them to take.
Course #4: Language
All College of Arts and Sciences students must complete proficiency in a foreign language. Students can satisfy this requirement in three ways: (1) completing the 4th semester of a language at BU, (2) having AP or SAT credit for a language, or (3) being a fluent speaker of another language. Details about this requirement are posted at:http://www.bu.edu/wll/academics/cas-language-requirement/
First-year Chemistry majors who have not already completed their language requirement (#2 or #3 above) should take the appropriate language class during their first semester. If you want to start learning a new language, then you will take the first semester of a language. If you are continuing to learn a language, take the placement test (http://www.bu.edu/wll/academics/placement-tests-transfer-credit-ap/) to determine the right level for you.
Finally, students who are fluent in a language (and have demonstrated this to the language departments), have SAT language credit, or AP language credit will not take a language course (unless they want to). Alternatives for this class are listed below.
Course #4 for students who have completed their language requirement
Students who will not take a language course in their first semester should consider one of the following options: (1) Pre-health students may opt to take one of the pre-medical requirements; (2) A general education (BU Hub) course; or (3) a course towards a minor. Detailed advice on the Pre-health and Hub requirements is below.
Optional Course #5: First year seminar
The Chemistry department offers a first-year seminar (CH195) in the fall semester. This 2-credit course meets weekly for 1.5 hours and students get to interact with faculty, learn about some really cool research, get familiar with the department, and get the “Research and Information Literacy” Hub unit. This is a good way to meet new people, and get involved in the department.
Alternatively, the college offers FY101. Both of these are completely optional.
Chemistry and Pre-Health Students
Students who complete a Chemistry major will have the following additional requirements in order to satisfy the requirements for application to medical school: sociology (SO100), general psychology (PS101), statistics (MA113, MA115, or MA213), and first-year molecular and cell biology (BI108). Additionally, very few health programs may want a course in evolution and ecology (BI107) – our recommendation is that first-year students should not take BI107 in their first semester.
If you are not taking a language in your first semester, and you are considering medical school, SO100 and PS101 are good choices to consider.
Chemistry and BU Hub
As you know, all students at Boston University are required to complete the BU Hub General Education requirements.
Important Note: All Chemistry majors will satisfy all of the “Intellectual Toolkit” and all of the “Communication” (except WR120 and possibly WR150) units within the major. As a result, most BU Hub requirements will be satisfied just by being a Chemistry major.
All of this is just to say: please do not worry about satisfying these requirements, and do not take any courses in your first semester just to satisfy the BU Hub (except for WR120).
The only exception to this is: if you have already completed your language requirement, and you are not pre-health, then you should consider taking a BU Hub course that satisfies one or more of the following units: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, or Ethical Reasoning.
Note: Core Curriculum first-year humanities (CC101 and CC102) satisfy WR120, Aesthetic Exploration, The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, and two toolkits.
Second Semester
The focus right now must be on your first semester. You will meet with an academic advisor during the fall semester to come up with a detailed plan for the spring. Honestly, you should skip the rest of this section.
In general, the spring semester is usually comprised of Chemistry (CH112 or CH110), Calculus (MA124, MA225, or CH225), Language, and Writing/Hub.
Pre-health students will take BI108 during the second semester instead of writing, math, or the language. You will plan your spring in detail with your advisor during the fall semester.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the courses that you should be registering for in your first semester as a Chemistry or Chemistry:Biochemistry major, start by reading through the Frequently-Asked Questions.