Registration Guide: Marine Science

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 are an incoming student for a spring semester, begin with CAS BI 108. Please note it is strongly recommended that you have some background in Chemistry/take CH101 prior to BI108.

• If taken at BU, CAS BI 107 fulfills a single Hub requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry 1, Quantitative Reasoning 1, 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 2, Quantitative Reasoning 2, 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 use advanced credit (such as AP or IB scores) for CAS BI 107, take a mathematics course to replace it. Your marine science major requires three mathematics courses, so you can pick one of the following:

• Calculus 1: CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123
• Statistics 1: CAS MA 115 or CAS MA 213
• Calculus 2 or Computer Science: CAS MA 122 (prerequisite: CAS MA 121), CAS MA 124 (prerequisite: CAS MA 123), CAS CS 105, CAS CS 108, or CAS CS 111
  • Take MA 122, MA 124, or a CS course only if you have advanced credit for calculus and/or statistics already.

**If through AP, IB or external credit you have completed BI 107, BI 108, and three mathematics courses (Calculus 1, Calculus 2, and Statistics 1), you have fulfilled your requirement and should instead take CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1.

Your second course will be Introduction to Oceanography (offered in the fall semester only). You must register for CAS EE144 (the lecture) AND CAS MR144 (the discussion section, 0 unit) in order to fulfill your Oceanography requirement.

• If taken at BU, CAS EE 144 fulfills one single Hub requirement in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry I and Ethical Reasoning.

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CAS BI 260 Marine Biology (offered in the spring semester only):

• You must already have credit for CAS BI 107 Biology 1 in order to take CAS BI 260.
• CAS BI 260 fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Scientific Inquiry 1, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
• If you do not already have credit for CAS BI 107, you may not take BI 260 at this time; instead, you can take CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1.

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.

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.