FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Find here the answers to frequently asked questions about the Hub. Further details may also be found in the Hub Policies & Procedures.
What is a Hub unit?
The Hub measures learning experiences in units, not credits. This alternative “currency” is needed to accommodate the various options students have to fulfill BU Hub requirements. A unit is not the same as a course or a credit. A four-credit course can carry several Hub units. A zero-credit Hub cocurricular experience can also carry a unit.
How many units do I need to graduate?
If you entered BU as a first-year student in fall 2018 or later, you need 26 Hub units to graduate.
If you entered BU as a transfer student in fall 2020 or later, you need 10 Hub units to graduate.
The Hub Requirements section provides details on each of these particular sets of general education requirements.
Who can advise me on my BU Hub requirements?
Every student at BU has a network of advisors, and these advisors offer guidance on different aspects of life at and beyond BU. To see your advising network, and to identify who should advise you on Hub requirements, click here.
Do AP, IB, or other Advanced Credit Exams count for Hub units?
Can I transfer in Hub units from another university?
No. The BU Hub is offered only at Boston University and is an essential component of the BU undergraduate experience. While courses often may be transferred from other universities for major, minor, or elective credits, they may not be used to fulfill Hub requirements.
Do summer courses count for the BU Hub?
Beginning in summer 2019, courses taken at Boston University during Summer Term can be used to fulfill Hub requirements if the course(s) carry Hub units. The course description will indicate which units, if any, are met by the course. BU offers several online summer courses that carry Hub units.
Can I earn Hub units while studying abroad?
Yes. There are a number of courses within BU’s many study abroad programs that carry Hub units, and if you choose to study abroad in one of these programs, it can be helpful to consult with your academic advisor and with a study abroad advisor in determining how you will earn Hub units while you are away. Courses offered in study abroad programs that are not affiliated with BU, however, will not fulfill Hub requirements.
Can I take courses in BU schools and colleges other than my home school or college to fulfill Hub requirements?
Yes, the BU Hub encourages such exploration.
Can a course I am using to fulfill Hub requirements also fulfill major requirements?
Can a course I am using to fulfill Hub requirements also fulfill minor requirements and/or degree requirements?
Do I need to complete my Hub requirements within my first two years?
No, the Hub will be interwoven throughout your entire undergraduate degree program.
Do I need to fulfill all of my Hub requirements in order to graduate?
Yes. If you have questions about meeting your requirements, please consult with your academic advisor.
What happens if a course I take is later approved to carry BU Hub units?
Hub units are not applied retroactively. To determine when a course began carrying Hub units, look for the “effective” date in the course description.
How do I know when a course will begin carrying Hub units?
When a course is approved for the BU Hub, its course description is updated to include the Hub units the course will carry and an “effective” date.
Are exceptions ever made for Hub requirements for students?
Exceptions to Hub requirements are rarely made. In truly unusual circumstances, a student’s school or college will work with the Hub Exceptions Committee to determine whether any adjustments are warranted. Students should address questions regarding exceptions to their school’s advising office or student services office. For a list of school/college liaisons to the Hub Exceptions Committee, please visit the BU Undergraduate Advising website.
Can I receive Hub units for a course I designate P*/F*?
No, you cannot receive Hub units for a course you designate P*/F*.
Do I need to take my First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 120) before I can take Writing-Intensive courses?
Do I need to take Writing, Research, and Inquiry (e.g. CAS WR 150) before I can take Writing-Intensive courses?
Does Quantitative Reasoning I need to be taken before Quantitative Reasoning II?
No. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Quantitative Reasoning I and Quantitative Reasoning II in sequence.
Can two Quantitative Reasoning II courses meet the requirements for Quantitative Reasoning I and Quantitative Reasoning II?
Can I take a Quantitative Reasoning II course before I take a Quantitative Reasoning I course?
Yes, as long as you have met any prerequisite(s) for the Quantitative Reasoning II course, you can take it at any time. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Quantitative Reasoning I and Quantitative Reasoning II in sequence.
Does Scientific Inquiry I need to be taken before Scientific Inquiry II?
No. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Scientific Inquiry I and Scientific Inquiry II in sequence.
Can two Scientific Inquiry II courses meet the requirements for Scientific Inquiry I and Scientific Inquiry II?
Can I take a Scientific Inquiry II course before I take a Scientific Inquiry I course?
Yes, as long as you have met any prerequisite(s) for the Scientific Inquiry II course, you can take it at any time. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Scientific Inquiry I and Scientific Inquiry II in sequence.
Does Social Inquiry I need to be taken before Social Inquiry II?
No. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Social Inquiry I and Social Inquiry II in sequence.
Can two Social Inquiry II courses meet the requirements for Social Inquiry I and Social Inquiry II?
Can I take a Social Inquiry II course before I take a Social Inquiry I course?
Yes, as long as you have met any prerequisite(s) for the Social Inquiry II course, you can take it at any time. However, for many students, it will make sense to take Social Inquiry I and Social Inquiry II in sequence.
What are BU Hub Pathways?
BU Hub Pathways are an optional way for undergraduates to fulfill some or many of their general education requirements by taking Hub courses from across the University that are focused on an interdisciplinary topic of global significance. There are currently two Hub Pathways: Social & Racial Justice, and Environment & Society. Hub Pathways are fully elective, and students can choose to incorporate as many courses within a particular Hub Pathway as they wish. To learn more about and explore these Hub Pathways, please visit the BU Hub Pathways section of the Hub website.
Can I earn a credential for taking courses in a Hub Pathway?
No. Hub Pathway coursework is not tracked on a student’s record and does not come with an additional credential.
Can the Cross-College Challenge count as my senior capstone experience?
The Cross-College Challenge (XCC) is a 4-credit course that carries four Hub units. Different colleges consider the XCC differently when it comes to major or program requirements, so you should speak to an advisor in your school or college for an answer to this question.
Can a Hub cocurricular experience fulfill a Hub requirement?
A Hub cocurricular experience carries one Hub unit. Entering first-year students can earn up to 2 Hub units of their total Hub requirements through Hub cocurriculars. Transfer students can earn up to 1 Hub unit of their total Hub requirements through Hub cocurriculars. For the current roster of Hub cocurriculars, click here. While you are welcome to enroll in multiple Hub cocurriculars (i.e., Hub cocurriculars with different course numbers), Hub cocurriculars are not repeatable for additional Hub units. To earn a Hub unit through a cocurricular experience, you must register for the experience. Most course numbers for Hub cocurriculars begin with “HUB CC.”
My Hub cocurricular experience has a course number and I have to register for it--will I receive a grade?
Hub Cocurriculars are 0-credit, ungraded experiences that will appear on your transcript. If you successfully complete the required activities and assignments for your Hub cocurricular experience, you will earn the Hub unit associated with that experience and receive a “P” on the transcript.
If you choose not to complete the experience, you can drop it or withdraw from it, depending on where we are in the academic calendar for the semester.
What if I change my mind about which Hub unit or units I want to earn through Hub cocurriculars?
If you earn a Hub unit or units through Hub cocurriculars, and then you later participate in a different Hub cocurricular experience and you want to earn that Hub unit instead, please email thehub@bu.edu.
Do I need to earn any units in Life Skills?
You do not need to earn units in Life Skills. However, we encourage you to make the most of the opportunities available to you in this area. Explore the current roster of Life Skills offerings.
Does the Hub apply to me?
First-year students who matriculate in fall 2018 or later will follow the BU Hub for their general education requirements. Transfer students entering in fall 2020 or later will also have Hub requirements. Students who entered the University before these dates, as well as students who entered from Wheelock College, do not fall under the Hub.
