Registration Guide: Undeclared
As an undeclared student, you have yet to decide on a major to pursue – and that’s great! The undeclared major is one of the largest majors for incoming CAS students. CAS offers many undergraduate major options, so we applaud your wisdom and thoughtfulness in taking the time to explore different academic pathways and gather more information before making a decision. CAS Advising will provide you with a variety of resources to explore your academic options, ranging from individual advising appointments to specialized first-year seminars and programs.
A typical first semester Undeclared schedule looks like:
- Major exploration course
- Major exploration course
- Language course or Course of interest
- Writing course
- Optional add-on: CAS FY 101 First-Year Seminar or CAS FY 102 First-Year Career Development (spring semester only)
Please see below for further information about suggested courses for an undeclared major:
Course #1: Major Exploration Course
This course should be an introductory course (usually 100-level) in a subject of interest to you. It could offer further exploration of a subject you’ve enjoyed studying in the past, or it could cover an area that is completely new but sparks your curiosity.
- The Bulletin is a great place to see the course requirements for different CAS majors; click the “BA” link for the corresponding major you are interested in to see its specific course requirements.
- You can review other Major Guides for suggested first-semester courses in subjects of interest to you.
- You can also explore Hub opportunities to find courses with interdisciplinary subjects and pathways. This may not correlate directly to a major, but it can introduce you to new subjects and help you identify areas of interest.
- Make sure that you do not register for a course that you have, or will have, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or other external credit for. The only exception to this is if you are pre-health; refer to the Pre-Health section of this website for more information.
Course #2: Major Exploration Course
This course should be an introductory course (usually 100-level) in a subject of interest to you. It could offer further exploration of a subject you’ve enjoyed studying in the past, or it could cover an area that is completely new but sparks your curiosity.
- The Bulletin is a great place to see the course requirements for different CAS majors; click the “BA” link for the corresponding major you are interested in to see its specific course requirements.
- You can review other Major Guides for suggested first-semester courses in subjects of interest to you.
- You can also explore Hub opportunities to find courses with interdisciplinary subjects and pathways. This may not correlate directly to a major, but it can introduce you to new subjects and help you identify areas of interest.
- Make sure that you do not register for a course that you have, or will have, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or other external credit for. The only exception to this is if you are pre-health; refer to the Pre-Health section of this website for more information.
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 – 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 (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 one of the following courses in place of a language course/course of interest. (Talk to your advisor to discuss these adjustments in more detail!)
- CAS CC 111: Core Natural Science 1: Origins—of the Big Bang, Earth, Life and Humanity (offered fall only): The origins of the physical world, a scientific parallel to CC 101. Explores how the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, and anthropology help us to understand our place in the cosmos from a scientific perspective. Topics include the Big Bang, evolution of the stars and earth, evolution of life, and the origins of human life and society. Assignments include computer-based and experimental laboratory work as well as team-based investigation and original research.
- This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
- This course will fulfill the CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory requirement.
- CAS CC 212: Core Natural Science 2: Reality, Science, and the Modern World (offered spring only): Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of “junk science.” Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st century context.
- This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
- This course will fulfill the CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory requirement.
If you are interested in the humanities-based Core courses, we encourage you to consider CAS CC 101 (see the ‘Writing Course’ drop-down above).
**PLEASE NOTE: Students in the Core Program who are interested in majors within the natural sciences (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience, Physics, etc.) and are taking at least one laboratory course this semester should NOT enroll in CAS CC 111 or 212.
Find out more about the Core Curriculum, the Hub, and registration here.
Ready to register? Let’s go – click here!