Registration Guide: Classics & Philosophy
Students majoring in Classics & Philosophy will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic & Historical Interpretation, as well as some requirements in Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, co-curricular experiences.
A typical first semester Classics & Philosophy schedule looks like:
- Ancient Greek language course or Greek history course
- Greek history course or Course of interest
- 100-level Philosophy course
- CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar* or CAS CC 101 Core Humanities 1 (fall semester)
- Optional add-on: CAS FY 101 First-Year Seminar (fall semester) or CAS FY 102 First-Year Career Development (spring semester)
*If you were previously instructed to take the Multilingual Writer Placement, please take this before registering for a course. Based on your placement, you can choose to register for one of the following courses: CAS WR 111 Academic Writing for ELL Students 1, CAS WR 112 Academic Writing for ELL Students 2, or CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar.
Please see below for more detailed suggestions on each course:
Course #1. Ancient Greek Language Course or Greek History Course
For your first class, you should begin or continue your study of ancient Greek:
- Students with no previous experience learning ancient Greek should take CAS CL161 Ancient Greek 1 (offered Fall only).
- Students with previous experience learning Ancient Greek should take a placement test to determine what level to register for.
-OR-
If the appropriate language course is not offered this semester, you should instead register for a Greek history course from one of the options below:
- CAS CL101 The World of Greece (offered either semester) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Historical Consciousness, and Critical Thinking
- CAS CG101 Greek Language, Culture, and Literature (offered Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 321 Greek History (offered either semester) This course should not be taken if CL 101 or CG101 has been taken. Students choose between CL 101, CG101, and CL 321. Greek History CL 321 fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
Course #2. Greek History Course or Course of Interest
Your second course should be a Greek history course. You can select one of the following classes:
- CAS CL101 The World of Greece (offered either semester): fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Historical Consciousness, and Critical Thinking
- CAS CG101 Greek Language, Culture, and Literature (offered Spring only) fulfills Hub requirements in the following areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy and Critical Thinking.
- CAS CL 321 Greek History (offered either semester) This course should not be taken if CL 101 or CG101 has been taken. Students choose between CL 101, CG101, and CL 321. Greek History CL 321 fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking
-OR-
If you already registered for a Greek history course above, you can instead pick a course of interest for your second course:
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.
Course #3. 100-Level Philosophy Course
Students may take any 100-level philosophy course from among the following:
- CAS PH 100 Introduction to Philosophy fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
- CAS PH110 Great Philosophers fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Historical Consciousness, and Critical Thinking.
- CAS PH 150, Introduction to Ethics fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
- CAS PH 155 Politics and Philosophy fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
- CAS PH 160 Reasoning & Argumentation fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings & Critical Thinking.
Course #4. CAS Writing Course or Core Humanities 1
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: The Ancient World (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. 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.)
Optional Course #5. First-Year Seminar
First-Year Seminar: FY 101 (offered fall only, 1 unit) – Optional
FY101 is an optional one-unit course that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. Each section is taught in combination by a BU administrator and a student peer mentor. You will meet with a small community of peers 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 investigate the social, academic and cultural dimensions of student life at Boston University, while making deep connections with your fellow students, your peer mentor, and a BU staff member.
-OR-
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.
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