Registration Guide: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

As your first course, you will choose a chemistry course. Most BMB majors take CAS CH 109 General and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry (offered fall only), however, it is appropriate to take CAS CH 101 General Chemistry instead, if you have not had the proper high school preparation or if you are starting in the spring semester. Please review further information below before registering for a chemistry course:

• CAS CH 109 General and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry 1 (offered fall semester)
  • Students in CAS CH 109 are expected to have taken at least one full year of high school chemistry. CAS CH 109 starts where high school chemistry leaves off, so students will be expected to recall their high school material. Many students registering for CAS CH 109 have taken more than one year of chemistry in high school. Additionally, students in CAS CH 109 are expected to have strong math and algebra skills.

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• CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1 (offered either semester) or CH 102 General Chemistry 2 (prerequisite CAS CH 101, offered either semester) 
  • These courses assume little prior knowledge of chemistry, so they are appropriate for someone who has not taken chemistry in high school or who is not confident in their recall of the material. Students in CH 101 are expected to have a firm grasp of algebra and general physical science concepts from high school.
  • Important note: BMB majors who complete the CH 101/102 sequence are also required to complete CAS CH 201 Quantitative Analytical Chemistry Laboratory.

You may view the Chemistry Department’s General Chemistry Advising page for more information about chemistry levels and recommendations.

Please note: if you are entering in the spring semester, you won’t be able to take CAS CH 109 General and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry (offered in the fall only), which means you also won’t be able to take CAS CH 110 General and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry 2 (since CH 109 is the pre-requisite course for that). We recommend you take CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1 (or CAS CH 102 General Chemistry 2 if you have CAS CH 101 course equivalency through advanced credit).

• If taken at BU, CAS CH 109 fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, and Critical Thinking.
• If taken at BU, CAS CH 101 fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
• If taken at BU, CAS CH 102 fulfills a single Hub requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry I and Quantitative Reasoning I.
  • You must already have credit for CAS CH 101 (or its equivalent) to take CAS CH 102.

If you’re starting in the fall semester, your second course should be a math course. The BMB major requires two mathematics or computer science courses, and one of these must be calculus or statistics. You can consider taking:

• Calculus 1: CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123
• Statistics 1: CAS MA 115
• Calculus 2: CAS MA 122 (prerequisite: CAS MA 121) or CAS MA 124 (prerequisite: CAS MA 123)
• Statistics 2: CAS MA 116 (prerequisite: CAS MA 115)
• Computer Science: CAS CS 105, CAS CS 108, or CAS CS 111
  • If you have AP, IB, or other external credit for one of the above mathematics courses, you can register for another mathematics course or a computer science course.
  • If you have advanced credit for two mathematics, or a mathematics and computer science course, you have fulfilled this requirement. In this case, you should consider a course of interest, as explained below.
  • Please note, students cannot take more than one Calculus 1 course (CAS MA 121 and MA 123) for units toward graduation.

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If you’re starting in the spring semester, your second course should be CAS BI 108 General Biology 2 (spring semester). If you have advanced credit (such as AP or IB scores) equivalent to CAS BI 108, you can instead take a math course, as explained above.

If taken at BU, CAS BI 108 fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. If taken through AP, IB, or A-Levels, CAS BI 108 will only fulfill the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry II.

Please note: You should not take chemistry, biology, and mathematics in one semester.

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 will fulfill this requirement through coursework at BU, then your next course should be a language. If you’re new to the language, you’ll start with the first-semester level (usually coded as 111 – for example, Spanish 1 is LS 111, Arabic 1 is 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, LS 112 Spanish 2, LY 211 Arabic 3, LK 212 Korean 4, etc.). Please review the CAS Language Requirement page for detailed information about placement tests and appropriate levels.

If you will fulfill your 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).

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Course of Interest: Select a course that interests you – perhaps based on subjects you’ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you’re excited to try for the first time! If you’re not sure where to start, you can review our Registration Instructions for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement.

Please note: if you are taking both chemistry and biology as your first and second course, and you are done with your language requirement, we advise that you do not take a mathematics or computer science course as your course of interest. The nature of these courses, along with two science courses in your first semester, is a heavy course load that is not advisable for your first semester.

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: Ancient Worlds (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 – fulfills 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.)

First-Year Seminar: FY 101 (offered fall only, 1 unit) – Optional

FY101 is a one-unit course that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. Each section is co-taught by a BU staff member alongside a BU student.  You will meet with a small community of other incoming students who will serve as conversation partners as together you learn how to leverage BU’s resources to create a more successful and meaningful college experience. Through discussions, activities, class field trips and program-wide events, you will make immediate connections with the BU community. Specialty sections are available for natural science majors, social science majors, computer science and math majors, undeclared students and first-generation college students. There are many sections available for all CAS students, too.

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First-Year Career Development Seminar: FY 102 (offered spring only, 1 unit) – Optional

FY102 will help first-year students get started on utilizing the Career Development Cycle to maximize their time at BU. During this course students will create a plan of action towards choosing a major, creating a resume, finding an internship, and preparing for a career that they will love. Seminars are offered in various fields of interest and include guest speakers from different industries.