Registration Guide: Biology

Your first course will be CAS BI 107 Biology 1 (offered in fall) or CAS BI 108 Biology 2 (offered in spring). CAS BI 107 is not the pre-requisite of CAS BI 108, so if you entering BU in the spring semester, you should register for CAS BI 108.

• If taken at BU, CAS BI 107 fulfills a single Hub requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, and Research and Information Literacy.
• If taken at BU, CAS BI 108 fulfills a single HUB requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork/Collaboration.
• If you have AP, IB, or A-Level credit for BI 107, it will fulfill a single Hub requirement in Scientific Inquiry I. You are advised to apply that credit and then take BI 108 here at Boston University (in the spring).

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If you plan to have Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or other external credit awarded for BI 107, take a mathematics or computer science course instead:

The Biology 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 courses, or a mathematics and computer science course, you have fulfilled this requirement. Please 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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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.

Typically Biology majors (and pre-health track students) take CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1 (offered in either semester).  If you have an extensive high school chemistry background, you may take a higher-level chemistry course; please review General Chemistry Advising for more information about chemistry levels and recommendations.

• 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 you have AP, IB, or A-Level credit for CAS CH 101, you may explore taking the next course: CAS CH 102 General Chemistry 2 (offered in either semester). However, the Chemistry department encourages you to repeat your CH 101 credit by taking the first year of chemistry at BU, perhaps at a more advanced level. You can review General Chemistry Advising to look into higher-level tracks.
• If taken at BU, CAS CH 102 fulfills a single Hub requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry I and Quantitative Reasoning I.

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, we do not recommend taking mathematics or computer science as a course of interest. This 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.