Registration Guide: Earth & Environmental Sciences

Your first course should be one of the following introductory environmental science courses. You will eventually need one course from the Earth & Environmental Sciences category and one course from the Environmental Social Science and Policy category, but for your first semester, please pick one.

They can be taken in any order, so pick whichever one you prefer:

Earth and Environmental Sciences (select one):

• CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science (preferred) (offered both semesters)
• CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth (offered fall semester)
• CAS EE 142 Introduction to Beach an Shoreline Processes (offered spring semester)
• CAS EE 144 Introduction to Oceanography (offered fall semester)

-OR-

Environmental Social Science and Policy (select one):

• CAS EE 100 Environmental Change and Sustainability (offered both semesters)
• CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society, and Environment (offered spring semester)
• CAS EE 250 The Fate of Nations: Climate, Resources, and Institutions (offered fall semester)

**If you have AP, IB, or other advanced credit for CAS EE 100, make sure you do not register for this course again in the upcoming semester!

Biology course: If you are registering in the fall semester, we recommend taking CAS BI 107 General Biology 1 as your next course. This is a requirement for the major and is only offered in the fall, so we strongly encourage students register for this course in the fall.

-OR-

Calculus course: If you are registering in the spring, when BI 107 is not offered, or if you already have AP/IB credit for BI 107, you can instead take a calculus course. Earth & Environmental Sciences majors are expected to complete two calculus courses: CAS MA 123 Calculus 1 and CAS MA 124 Calculus 2. You should begin with CAS MA 123 unless:

• You have AP, IB or other advanced credit for CA MA 123. In this case, register for CAS MA 124.
• You have advanced credit for both CAS MA 123 and CAS MA 124. In this case, you are done with your calculus requirement for the major and can consider a chemistry course (below).

-OR-

CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1: If you are registering in the spring, when BI 107 is not offered, or if you already have AP/IB credit for both BI 107 and MA 123/124, you can consider taking CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1. (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.)

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 plan to fulfill this language requirement through coursework at BU, then your next course should be a language course:

• If you’re new to the language, you’ll start with the first-semester level (usually coded as 111 – for example, Spanish 1 is CAS LS 111, Arabic 1 is CAS 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, CAS LS 112 Spanish 2, CAS LY 211 Arabic 3, CAS LK 212 Korean 4, etc.). Please review the CAS Language Requirement page for detailed information about placement tests and appropriate levels.

If you’ll fulfill the 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).

-OR-

Calculus course: Earth & Environmental Sciences majors are expected to complete two calculus courses: CAS MA 123 Calculus 1 and CAS MA 124 Calculus 2. You should begin with CAS MA 123 unless:

• You have AP, IB or other advanced credit for CA MA 123. In this case, register for CAS MA 124.
• You have advanced credit for both CAS MA 123 and CAS MA 124. In this case, you are done with your calculus requirement for the major and can consider a chemistry course (below).

 -OR-

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 (1 credit) – Optional

FY101 is a one-unit, low stress, non-academic class that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. FY101 helps you get a head start on making connections at BU. Each section is taught by a student peer mentor and a staff instructor.

• FY101 classes are small and are for new students only, so they provide a great way to get to know other first-years!
• Your peer mentor and instructor will provide resources to create a more successful and meaningful college experience and help you get ahead in your first semester here.
• FY101 includes free, optional trips around Boston.
• There are specialty sections based on major and identity (e.g., Natural Sciences, First Generation, etc) so be sure to choose the one that’s right for you!

If you are interested in the Core Curriculum, we recommend registering for CAS CC 101 for your writing course (see above in Course #4). There are additional natural science Core courses offered; however, we do not typically recommend these for natural science majors who are already taking a lab course this semester. If you have questions about completing additional Core courses beyond CAS CC 101, please talk about this with your academic advisor!

Find out more about the Core Curriculum, the Hub, and registration here.