All of the XCC courses follow the naming convention HUB XC 4XX and fulfill 4 BU units and 4 Hub requirements satisfying the Intellectual Toolkit in Creativity/Innovation (CRI), Research and Information Literacy (RIL), and Teamwork/Collaboration (TWC). The fourth Hub requirement addresses Communication in either written (WIN), oral (OSC), or digital (DME) forms, and varies by course number.
Policies
The Cross-College Challenge (XCC) is designed as a signature Hub elective for juniors and seniors however limited seats in some sections are reserved for rising sophomores. Others may petition to enroll in an XCC course at the discretion of the instructors.
Cross-College Challenge course (HUB XC) cannot be completed on a Pass/Fail basis by any student, regardless of entering year. More info at: https://www.bu.edu/academics/hub/policies/cross-college-challenge/
Individual XCC course numbers (XC 410, 420, 433, etc.) are not repeatable for credit so students should plan their degree progress accordingly. There are several new course numbers available beginning with Spring 2025 registration that will allow students to take courses of different numbers and fulfill Hub requirements for each however, students are not permitted to take more than one HUB XC course in the same semester.
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Spring 2026 Courses
HUB XC 420 A1
Information Literacy in an Era of Content Confusion
Michelle Amazeen (COM) and Rob Martinelle (WED)
This initiative is grounded in the context of the pressing global risks identified by the World Economic Forum, which highlights mis- and disinformation as two of the greatest threats to global stability. In an era where news outlets produce advertisements for fossil fuel and tobacco companies, influencers promote unregulated health products, and evidence-based science faces unprecedented attacks, generative artificial intelligence further complicates discerning the provenance of content. This course prepares students to navigate this rapidly evolving media landscape by reviewing historical factors shaping today’s media environment, exploring the nature and scope of information integrity issues, and examining theoretical frameworks that explain the social and psychological drivers of susceptibility to mis- and disinformation. Students will investigate a variety of information literacy intervention strategies, understanding their pitfalls and promises, and will be empowered to critically evaluate, discuss, create, and distribute media content that helps others resist misinformation.
Additionally, students will harness digital multimedia tools to develop theory-based strategies that address issues pertaining to mis- and disinformation relevant to community partners. Through participation in the XCC, students will apply these insights in collaborative, interdisciplinary projects with tangible community impact.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Digital Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy.
Wednesdays 2:30PM – 5:15PM
HUB XC 420 B1
Music and Dance of Boston’s Brazilian and Caribbean Communities
Carmen Torre Perez (CAS)
This course will take students on a journey through the music and dance cultures of Brazilian and Caribbean communities in the greater Boston area. In this class, students will learn about and engage with the culturally rich and racially diverse histories of the Spanish and Portuguese speaking world through four of its most salient music and dance genres: reggaeton, bachata, forró and capoeira.
Students will be introduced to important debates concerned with the aesthetic, political, cultural, and economic dimensions of the genres studied, paying close attention to how they are being experienced and (re)created locally. In-class conversations will provide students with the theoretical framework to critically examine some of the defining aspects of these genres, such as gender and sexuality in reggaeton or community in capoeira. Outside the classroom, students will become ethnographers and work with the music/dance scene of their choosing. Alongside Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Brazilian local artists, students will participate in immersive learning experiences, such as live performances as well as dance and music workshops. By the end of the semester, students will share their knowledge and experiences with the larger BU community through the creation of their own podcast.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Digital Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy.
Tuesdays 12:30PM – 3:15PM
HUB XC 421
Unheard Voices: Deconstructing the Dominant Narratives by Inclusion
William Rodriguez (WED) and Kim Shuckra (CAS)
Given the racial injustice and the current pandemic challenges society faces today, it is imperative that higher education institutions create equitable spaces and opportunities to include the voices and experiences of marginalized communities that feel secondary and peripheral in a dominant discourse. Little attention has been paid over the years to exploring the lived experiences and expressed viewpoints of other ethnic communities. The feeling of invisibility and watered-downed identities are delegitimized further by the absence of presence and cultural compartmentalization by race and color, in a society that prides itself ironically enough, as one that values equity and democratic principles.
Our project is to create a series of podcasts that share knowledge and thoughts from communities that often feel marginalized and invisible in the national equity and democratic discourse. To bring together some of the unheard voices and intersectional groups (E.g. Asian, Latinx, LGBTQ and Deaf cultures) to talk about their experiences and how they feel about equity and democracy and how it impacts their daily lives and experiences. Under faculty supervision students will develop, facilitate and host a series of conversations that cover several topics on equity and democracy. Working with our community partners -Lawyers for Civil Rights and their impact areas, we will focus on bringing our partner outside of Boston University to share their experiences and perspectives with our student teams and to help the teams deconstruct the dominant narrative and make it more equitable and inclusive. Through these podcasts, students will continue to help Boston University cultivate an environment that fosters critical dialogue, social inquiry and ethical reasoning where communities feel respected, included and legitimized. More importantly, by sharing the knowledge and experiences of those often-marginalized communities, students can work at solutions that will provide a more effective legitimization of these voices into the conversations and narratives that are currently absent in our national discourse in American society.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Digital Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy.
Tuesdays 3:30PM – 6:15PM
HUB XC 433 A1
Concept 2 Cart: Consumer Products Entrepreneurship
Debi Kleiman (QST) and Jules Pieri (QST)
Ever wondered what it takes to bring a physical product from idea to market? This isn’t a lecture course—it’s your launchpad into real-world consumer product entrepreneurship.
Build Something Real
Working in teams, you’ll conceive, prototype, and pitch an actual physical product while developing the complete entrepreneurial toolkit needed to launch a successful business. Every insight gets applied immediately to your venture as it evolves throughout the semester.
Master the Full Journey
Learn what makes consumer products businesses unique: prototyping and testing physical products, conducting consumer research, crafting marketing strategies, managing budgets, and analyzing competitive landscapes. Industry veterans and successful entrepreneurs will share insider strategies and hard-won lessons, complemented by case studies and hands-on team projects.
Pitch to Industry Vets
The course culminates in high-stakes presentations to a “Board of Advisors” of classmates and industry experts. You’ll pitch your venture’s progress and funding needs, then face a real “Go” or “No-Go” decision on your business.
Who Should Join?
Open to seniors and juniors in all majors (sophomores upon approval)—whether you’re dreaming up the next great product or curious about innovation and entrepreneurship. No product idea required to start, but you’ll join a team to fully experience this hands-on journey.
Ready to turn an idea into something you can hold in your hands? Welcome to C2C.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Oral and Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
Tuesdays 12:30PM – 3:15PM
HUB XC 438
The Art and Science of Technology Consulting
Abhi Sarid (QST)
The world is turning digital and the demand for technology consulting continues to grow as it enables this rapid transformation. An increasing number of BU graduates are taking roles as technology consultants, and this experiential course will prepare you for a career in technology consulting. It will allow students to understand the role and help prepare them to successfully interview for a technology consultant position upon graduation. Specifically, you will learn to convert customer problems into requirements; innovate with multiple solution options; and use data and analytics to inform recommendations. Even if you decide not to be a consultant, these are the skills that every company would love to see in employees.
This course introduces practical concepts of consulting using an experiential project which is developed and implemented in collaboration with course faculty, and mentors from Innovate@BU. Each inter-disciplinary student team will act as a consulting firm, that understands and solves a given customer problem and proposes a solution and creates a detailed Requirement Specification for the customer.
Course Objectives
The course expects to teach the following:
- To understand the role of consultant and skills required to be successful
- To understand value creation in a consulting engagement
- To learn how to work in an inter-disciplinary team.
- To learn about digital business transformation and typical consulting engagements.
- To understand how to use story-boarding to clarify and define a requirement and create a User Requirement Specification.
- To improve capabilities in presenting and communicating with a client.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
Thursdays 12:30PM – 3:15PM
BU Spark! XCC Courses
The BU Cross-College Challenge (XCC) is the Hub’s signature interdisciplinary project-based, 4-credit elective course open to juniors and seniors from all of BU’s undergraduate schools and colleges. The XCC engages students in team projects that address a real-world problem or an enduring human question. Students who are especially passionate about a particular subject matter and prepared to be active participants in a rigorous team-based experience are highly recommended to register early as seats are limited. Through the Cross-College Challenge (XCC), BU Spark! offers students in tech and relevant non-computing majors the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary practicum courses while fulfilling multiple BU Hub requirements.
HUB XC 473: Spark! Justice Media Co-Lab
Brooke Williams (COM) and Anthony Chamberas (CDS)
Fridays 11:15AM–2:00PM*
Wednesday 6:30PM–8:30PM*
If you have a background in computer and data science, statistics, computer engineering, or journalism-related disciplines, XC410 A1 will match you with computational journalism projects provided by external media partners (like the Boston Globe, CBS Boston, GBH, USA Today, and more). You will work on computational investigations focused on issues of justice and accountability, and be guided by veteran faculty practitioners in journalism and computer and data science. An application for registration to this course is required.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Writing Intensive, Research and Information Literacy.
HUB XC 475: Spark! Technology Innovation Fellowship
Ziba Cranmer (BU Spark!) and James Grady (CFA)
Mondays 2:30PM—5:15PM, including required events outside of class time*
Wednesday 6:30PM–8:30PM*
If you have a project you want to build or take to the next level but don’t know where to start, XC475 will help you take your project from an idea to a working prototype in one semester. If you don’t have an idea but want to join a student-driven innovation project, this course is for you too. You will work through Spark!’s structured product innovation process with technical support from Spark! experts and industry mentors. An application and interview for registration to this course are required.
This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration, Oral and Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.