Welcome to the Department of Chemistry at Boston University! We\u2019re so happy you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n
The Chemistry department offers four Bachelor\u2019s degree options<\/a>: Chemistry, Chemistry with a specialization in Chemical Biology, Chemistry with a specialization in Materials & Nanoscience, and Chemistry & Physics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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 <\/strong>CH195: Freshman Seminar in the Chemical Sciences!<\/strong>\u00a0This 2-unit course will connect with BU\u2019s 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\u2019s 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!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Please review the CAS First-Year Registration Checklist<\/a> for more guidance on selecting your first-semester courses. If a course you hope to register for is full, please review the\u00a0<\/span>Fall 2026\u00a0Full\/Closed<\/span>\u00a0class procedures<\/u><\/a><\/span> (BU login required) list that outlines the procedures for all BU departments.<\/span><\/p>\n Review the Chemistry Department’s ’26-’27 Advanced Credit Guide<\/a> to understand how AP\/IB\/GCE A-Level and other international exams can contribute to Chemistry major requirements.<\/p>\n 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<\/strong>. We offer two distinct, year-long sequences of courses that satisfy the General Chemistry requirement for Chemistry Majors and Minors.<\/p>\n Recommended for Chemistry, BMB, and other molecular science majors with a strong high school foundation, such AP\/IB course work in chemistry and calculus.<\/em><\/p>\n 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.<\/em><\/p>\n Confused about the different General Chemistry offerings? Go here<\/a> to get more information! Or reach out to our Director of General Chemistry, Prof. Binyomin Abrams<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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:\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Please note:<\/em>\u00a0if you have potential advanced credit in calculus, but<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t have the scores back yet,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>register with cautious optimism. If you feel confident you did well on the exams, register as if you will receive the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>corresponding credit<\/a>. Once you know your scores, you can revise your schedule, if need be.<\/span><\/p>\n Your fourth course should be a writing course:<\/p>\n CAS Language Course<\/b>: 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<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>full language policy here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n If you plan to fulfill this language requirement through coursework at BU, then your next course should be a language course:<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019ll fulfill the language requirement through\u00a0<\/span><\/b>advanced credit (such as AP\/IB scores)<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>or through native proficiency of another language<\/b>, you have fulfilled your language requirement and can instead take a course of interest (as seen below).<\/span><\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 <\/span>Detailed advice on the Pre-health and Hub requirements is below.<\/p>\n CAS CH 195<\/a>:\u00a0<\/span>Freshman Seminar in the Chemical Sciences\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>(Offered Fall only, 2 units)\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 Optional<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n -OR-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n First-Year Seminar: FY 101\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(1 unit)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 Optional<\/b><\/p>\n FY101<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is 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.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are interested in entering a\u00a0<\/span>health profession<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(medicine, dentistry, pharmaceuticals, etc) after graduating from BU, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the\u00a0<\/span>pre-health curriculum<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>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<\/a>. Students should also consider joining the Pre-Health Seminar section of FY103 in fall of their sophomore year.<\/p>\n Pre-Health Coursework for Chemistry majors:<\/p>\n If you are not taking a language<\/u> in your first semester, and you are considering the pre-health pathway, you can select a Psychology or Sociology course as your fourth course!<\/p>\n Learn more about Pre-Health Advising<\/a><\/p>\n As you know, all students at Boston University are required to complete the BU Hub General Education requirements<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Important Note: <\/strong>All Chemistry majors will satisfy all<\/u> of the Scientific Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning, and Intellectual Toolkit Hub requirements, and most of the \u201cCommunication\u201d Hub requirements within their major<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 <\/span>As a result, most <\/em><\/strong>BU Hub requirements will be satisfied just by being a Chemistry major.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n All of this is just to say: please do not worry about satisfying these requirements, and do not<\/em><\/strong> take any courses in your first semester just to satisfy the BU Hub (except for a first-year writing seminar).\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n If you are not taking a language<\/u> 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<\/span>, Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, The Individual in Community<\/span>, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy<\/span>, or Ethical Reasoning.<\/p>\n Note:<\/em><\/span> 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<\/span>, Oral and\/or Signed Communication, and Writing-Intensive Course Hub requirements.<\/p>\n The focus right now must be on your first semester.\u00a0Students who declare their Chemistry major during or before the fall semester will be invited to a group advising information session in October<\/strong> 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\u2019ll be assigned a faculty advisor<\/strong> in the spring semester to support your long-term goals.<\/span><\/p>\n In general, the spring semester is usually comprised of Chemistry (CH110), Calculus (MA124, MA225, or CH225), Language, and Writing\/Hub.\u00a0 <\/span>Pre-health students will take BI108 during the second semester instead of writing, math, or the language.\u00a0 <\/span>You will plan your spring in detail with your advisor during the fall semester.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll be supported by:<\/p>\n First Year Chemistry Advising Welcome to the Department of Chemistry at Boston University! We\u2019re so happy you\u2019re 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17041,"featured_media":0,"parent":21112,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21114"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17041"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21114"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25962,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21114\/revisions\/25962"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}First-Year Students: Getting Started<\/h3>\n
Course #1: Chemistry<\/em><\/h3>\n
Sequence 1: 2 courses, 8 units<\/h3>\n
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Sequence 2: 3 courses, 10 units<\/h3>\n
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Course #2: Calculus<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Course #3: CAS Writing Course<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Course #4: Language<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Course #4 for students who have completed their language requirement<\/em><\/h3>\n
Optional<\/strong> Course #5: First year seminar<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Chemistry and the Pre-Health Curriculum<\/h3>\n
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Chemistry and BU Hub<\/h3>\n
Second Semester Planning<\/h3>\n
Questions?<\/h3>\n
Advising Support for First-Year Students<\/h3>\n
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