What is BU First Class

An online noncredit pre-arrival course designed to prepare incoming international students for the transition to BU and the American classroom. First launched by Global Programs in 2016, BU First Class is delivered on the edX platform Edge and is comprised of short videos, polls, and self-checks designed to be completed from anywhere on any device.

Below is a summary of each Section and a sample video.

 

Section 1. The BU Classroom

This section asks students to think critically about the education system or systems they grew up in and compare it with what will be asked of them at BU. After completing this section, students should have a better idea of what to expect in a variety of classroom settings and should be more comfortable interacting with BU professors and understanding how they will be assessed.

Watch: The American Way of Learning

Section 2. Academic Integrity and Expectations

This section is primarily composed of a series of videos and self-checks introducing Boston University’s Academic Conduct Code, discussing academic integrity, what plagiarism is and how to use BU Libraries for research.

Watch: Introduction to Academic Integrity

Section 3. Transition to Campus

This section is broken into separate sections for Undergraduates and Graduate students, with content unique to each population. Information included in this section that is common to both populations is information on how to prepare for arrival in the U.S. before you leave home, Health and Wellness, and an introduction to the Compass, a great tool to help you navigate to resources while at BU.

Watch: What to Expect at the Port of Entry

 

To Experience the Course:

1. Email Kamelia Turcotte at kameliat@bu.edu to be registered in the course
2. Go to edge.edx.org
3. Create an account using the same email address you provided Kamelia
4. The course should then show up on your dashboard under “My Courses” as “BU First Class”
5. Click on the course name
6. Once you are in the course, click the “Course” tab