Registration Guide: Marine Science

Students majoring in Marine Science will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Scientific Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning, Ethical Reasoning, Oral and Signed Communication, and in 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, cocurricular experiences.

A typical first semester Marine Science schedule looks like:

Biology course
Environmental Science course
Language course or Course of interest
Writing course
Optional add-on: First-Year Seminar

Please see below for more detailed suggestions on each course:

Course #1: Biology Course

Biology Course: Your first course will be CAS BI 107 Biology 1 (offered in fall) or CAS BI 108 Biology 2 (offered in spring). BI 107 and 108 can be taken in any order, so register for whichever one is offered in the semester you’re registering. Please note it is strongly recommended that you have some background in Chemistry/take CH101 prior to BI108.

Please note: if you have AP, IB, or other advanced credit for one Biology course, you are advised to apply that credit towards BI 107 and then take BI 108 here at Boston University (in the spring). If you are registering in the fall semester, please see below for an alternative course you can take in the meantime.

If you have advanced credit for two Biology courses (both BI 107 and 108), you have fulfilled the Biology requirements. Please see below for an alternative course you can take this semester.

-OR-

Mathematics Course: If you are not taking a biology course this semester (as outlined above), you can instead take a mathematics course. Your marine science major requires three mathematics courses, so 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.

Course #2: Marine Science Introductory Course

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.

-OR-

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.
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.

Course #3: Language Course or Course of Interest

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-

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 #4: Writing Course

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 – 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 (1 unit) – 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., Undeclared, Natural Sciences, First Generation, etc ) so be sure to choose the one that’s right for you!

-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 they will love. Seminars are offered in various fields of interest and include guest speakers from different industries.

Interested in Pursuing the Core?

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.

Ready to register? Let’s go – click here!

For more information about your specific major requirements click here!