Registration Guide: Archaeological & Environmental Sciences
Students majoring in Archaeological & Environmental Sciences will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Historical Consciousness; Scientific Inquiry I & II; Social Inquiry I & II; Quantitative Reasoning I & II; Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy; Writing-Intensive Course; Digital/Media Expression; Critical Thinking; Research and Information Literacy; and Teamwork/Collaboration. 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 Archaeological & Environmental Sciences schedule looks like:
- Archaeology or Environmental Sciences course
- Biology or Chemistry course
- Language course or Chemistry 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: Archaeological & Environmental Sciences Course
Your first course should be an introductory archaeology or environmental sciences course. Depending on your schedule, preferences, and/or advanced credit, pick one of the following courses:
- CAS AR 190 Introduction to Archaeology (offered either semester): Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets. Relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe.
- CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science (offered either semester): Introduction to the Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change.
Course #2: Biology or Chemistry Course
Biology Course: Your second course should likely be CAS BI 107 General Biology 1. BI 107 is a required course for the major, and it’s also a pre-requisite for a number of other courses, but it is only offered in the fall semester. Therefore, if you are registering for the fall semester, you are strongly encouraged to pick this as your second course.
If you are registering in the spring, or if you have Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or other external credit awarded for BI 107, you should instead take a chemistry course this semester (see below):
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Chemistry 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 consider one of the following chemistry courses instead:
- CAS CH 171 Principles of General Chemistry (offered fall semester only)
- CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1 (offered either semester)
*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.
Course #3: Language Course or Chemistry 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).
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Chemistry Course: Archaeological & Environmental Sciences majors must take a semester of chemistry. If you have already fulfilled your language requirement and you did not select a chemistry course for Course #2, you may pick one of the following chemistry courses:
- CAS CH 171 Principles of General Chemistry (offered fall semester only)
- CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1 (offered either semester)
*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.
-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: CAS Writing Course
For your writing course, you will take one of the following:
- 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 – Optional
- 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!
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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.
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!