First Year Chemistry Advising
Welcome to the Department of Chemistry at Boston University! 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 four Bachelor’s degree options: Chemistry, Chemistry with a specialization in Chemical Biology, Chemistry with a specialization in Materials & Nanoscience, and Chemistry & Physics.
First-Year Students: Getting Started
Your first semester will build a strong foundation in chemistry, math, and writing while connecting you with the support resources available. To get off on the right start as a Chemistry major, we highly recommend that you register for CAS CH195: Freshman Seminar in the Chemical Sciences! This 2-unit course will connect with BU’s chemistry community, build foundational skills that will help you in your chemistry courses, and learn how chemists tackle real-world problems by getting a chance to hear faculty talk about their lab’s research. If you want to get involved in research during your first two years at BU, this is a great way to connect with faculty, learn about their research and how to join their lab. You can also consider registering for FY101!
Please review the CAS First-Year Registration Checklist for more guidance on selecting your first-semester courses. If a course you hope to register for is full, please review the Fall 2026 Full/Closed class procedures (BU login required) list that outlines the procedures for all BU departments.
Review the Chemistry Department’s ’26-’27 Advanced Credit Guide to understand how AP/IB/GCE A-Level and other international exams can contribute to Chemistry major requirements.
Course #1: Chemistry
All Chemistry majors, including specializations and the Chemistry & Physics track, as well as the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Major, begin with a year of General Chemistry with Quantitative Analysis Lab. We offer two distinct, year-long sequences of courses that satisfy the General Chemistry requirement for Chemistry Majors and Minors.
Sequence 1: 2 courses, 8 units
Recommended for Chemistry, BMB, and other molecular science majors with a strong high school foundation, such AP/IB course work in chemistry and calculus.
- Fall: CAS CH109 – General Chemistry I with Quantitative Analysis Lab
- Spring: CAS CH110– General Chemistry II with Quantitative Analysis Lab
Sequence 2: 3 courses, 10 units
Recommended for students with limited chemistry and math preparation or students who are not sure if they want to declare a chemistry major or minor, or start out majoring in another area and change to a chemistry major later in their career at BU.
- Fall: CAS CH101 – General Chemistry I
- Spring: CAS CH102– General Chemistry II
- Later: CAS CH201 – Quantitative Analysis (taken in a future spring semester or summer)
Confused about the different General Chemistry offerings? Go here to get more information! Or reach out to our Director of General Chemistry, Prof. Binyomin Abrams.
Course #2: Calculus
Students majoring in Chemistry will complete a total of three semesters of math: CAS MA123 (Calculus 1), CAS MA124 (Calculus 2), and CAS CH225 (Mathematical Methods for Chemistry, offered fall semester only). Chemistry & Physics majors are required to complete CAS MA225 (Multivariate Calculus) instead of CAS CH225. Use the guidance below to select the appropriate course:
- If you have no external credit for calculus, take CAS MA 123 Calculus 1 (offered either semester).
- If you have advanced credit (such as AP or IB scores) that fulfills CAS MA 123, take the next course in the sequence, CAS MA 124 Calculus 2 (offered either semester).
- If you have already fulfilled both CAS MA 123 and CAS MA 124, you should take the final course in the sequence, CAS CH 225 Mathematical Methods for Chemistry, or CAS MA225 if you are a Chemistry & Physics major
Please note: if you have potential advanced credit in calculus, but don’t have the scores back yet, register with cautious optimism. If you feel confident you did well on the exams, register as if you will receive the corresponding credit. Once you know your scores, you can revise your schedule, if need be.
Course #3: CAS Writing Course
Your fourth course should be a writing course:
- If you did not apply to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you can take either:
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar. Each section of WR 120 focuses on a specific topic/theme, so you should register for a section that pairs with your interests.
- CAS CC 101 Core Humanities 1: The Ancient World: (offered Fall only): An interdisciplinary study of the origins of civilization, from Mesopotamia and the Hebrew Bible to the development of Greek civilization through Homer, Greek tragedy, and the philosophy of Plato. You should enroll in CAS CC 101 if you are considering the Core Curriculum. This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, First-Year Writing Seminar, Creativity/Innovation.
- If you applied to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you should take the Multilingual Writer Placement (instructions will be sent via email) before you register for a writing course. The writing placement is a suggestion, but it will help you make an informed decision about the most appropriate level for you. Depending on what level WR course you register for, you will fulfill the following Hub requirements:
- CAS WR 111 Academic Writing for ESL Students 1 – fulfills The Individual in Community Hub
- CAS WR 112 Academic Writing for ESL Students 2 – Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy Hub
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar – fulfills First-Year Writing Seminar Hub (If you place into WR 120, you are welcome to take CC 101 Core Humanities 1 instead to fulfill your FYW Hub.)
Course #4: Language
CAS Language Course: CAS students must exhibit proficiency through the fourth-semester level of a language other than English. If you have not already done so, please review the full language policy here.
If you plan to fulfill this language requirement through coursework at BU, then your next course should be a language course:
- If you’re new to the language, you’ll start with the first-semester level (usually coded as 111 – for example, Spanish 1 is CAS LS 111, Arabic 1 is CAS LY 111, etc.).
- If you have previously studied the language, you will need to take a placement test to determine what level to start with (for instance, CAS LS 112 Spanish 2, CAS LY 211 Arabic 3, CAS LK 212 Korean 4, etc.). Please review the CAS Language Requirement page for detailed information about placement tests and appropriate levels.
If you’ll fulfill the language requirement through advanced credit (such as AP/IB scores) or through native proficiency of another language, you have fulfilled your language requirement and can instead take a course of interest (as seen 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 coursework; (2) A general education (BU Hub) course; (3) a course towards a minor; or (4) a course of interest. Detailed advice on the Pre-health and Hub requirements is below.
Optional Course #5: First year seminar
CAS CH 195: Freshman Seminar in the Chemical Sciences (Offered Fall only, 2 units) – Optional
Seminar for first semester freshmen interested in the molecular sciences. Explores the role of the chemical sciences in society, becoming familiar with a research-oriented approach to problem solving. Students will get the opportunity to meet faculty, learn about research opportunities, and build connections with fellow Chemistry majors. Workshops train students with the tools used to attain research and information literacy.
- If taken at BU, CAS CH 195 fulfills a single requirement in the following BU Hub area: Research and Information Literacy
-OR-
First-Year Seminar: FY 101 (1 unit) – Optional
FY101 is a one-unit, low stress, non-academic class that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. FY101 helps you get a head start on making connections at BU. Each section is taught by a student peer mentor and a staff instructor.
- FY101 classes are small and are for new students only, so they provide a great way to get to know other first-years!
- Your peer mentor and instructor will provide resources to create a more successful and meaningful college experience and help you get ahead in your first semester here.
- FY101 includes free, optional trips around Boston.
- There are specialty sections based on major and identity (e.g., Undeclared, Natural Sciences, First Generation, etc ) so be sure to choose the one that’s right for you!
- Your academic advisor, Michelle Njoroge, teaches the CAS FY101 N1 (natural science) section!
Chemistry and the Pre-Health Curriculum
If you are interested in entering a health profession (medicine, dentistry, pharmaceuticals, etc) after graduating from BU, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the pre-health curriculum and connect with pre-health advisors. Prior to requesting an appointment, all students are required to self-enroll and complete their Blackboard Pre-Health 101 course. Students should also consider joining the Pre-Health Seminar section of FY103 in fall of their sophomore year.
Pre-Health Coursework for Chemistry majors:
- Biology Courses: CAS BI 107 General Biology 1 (fall semester only), CAS BI 108 General Biology 2 (spring semester only), and one Advanced Biology course selected from BI203/213/206/216/315
- Some students may elect to skip BI107, and instead complete BI108 and two Advanced Biology courses
- Biochemistry Courses: CAS BB 421 Biochemistry 1 (fall semester only) & CAS BB 422 Biochemistry 2 (spring semester only)
- Additional Courses: CAS PS 101 General Psychology or PS261 Social Psychology, CAS SO 100 Principles of Sociology or SO215 Sociology of Health Care, and CAS MA 113, 115, or 213 Statistics 1
If you are not taking a language in your first semester, and you are considering the pre-health pathway, you can select a Psychology or Sociology course as your fourth course!
Learn more about Pre-Health Advising
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 Scientific Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning, and Intellectual Toolkit Hub requirements, and most of the “Communication” Hub requirements within their 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 a first-year writing seminar).
If you are not taking a language in your first semester, and you are not pre-health, then you should consider taking a BU Hub course that satisfies one or more of the following units as your fourth course: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, or Ethical Reasoning.
Note: If you decide to explore the Core Curriculum this fall, CAS CC101: Core Humanities 1: Ancient Worlds will satisfy Aesthetic Exploration, First-Year Writing Seminar, and Creativity/Innovation Hub requirements. Their spring semester Humanities course, CAS CC102: Core Humanities 2: The Way: Antiquity and the Medieval World, will satisfy Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Oral and/or Signed Communication, and Writing-Intensive Course Hub requirements.
Second Semester Planning
The focus right now must be on your first semester. Students who declare their Chemistry major during or before the fall semester will be invited to a group advising information session in October to plan their spring schedule. You will be required to meet 1:1 with your academic advisor during the fall semester to come up with a detailed plan for the spring! You’ll be assigned a faculty advisor in the spring semester to support your long-term goals.
In general, the spring semester is usually comprised of Chemistry (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 major, start by reading through the Frequently-Asked Questions.
Advising Support for First-Year Students
You’ll be supported by:
- Michelle Njoroge, Assistant Director in CAS Academic Advising (mnjoroge@bu.edu)
- The Chemistry Undergraduate Academic Program Specialist (chemuaa@bu.edu)
- Your Assistant Director for First-Year Success (listed in myBUStudent)
- The Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry