{"id":3851,"date":"2021-05-24T17:54:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T21:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/?page_id=3851"},"modified":"2025-05-28T16:29:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T20:29:05","slug":"registration-guide-physics-computer-science-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/registration-guide-physics-computer-science-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Registration Guide: Physics &#038; Computer Science"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Students majoring in Physics &amp; Computer Science will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Quantitative Reasoning 1 and 2, Scientific Inquiry 1 and 2, two units of Critical Thinking, two units of Teamwork and Collaboration, and one unit of Digital Literacy. 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.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>A typical first semester Physics &amp; Computer Science schedule looks like:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Calculus course\u00a0<\/strong><em>or<\/em>\u00a0<strong>Physics course<\/strong><em><\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Computer Science course<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Language course <\/strong><em>or<\/em>\u00a0<strong>Course of interest<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><b>Writing course<\/b><\/li>\n<li><em>Optional add-on:<\/em><span>\u00a0<strong>First-Year Seminar<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Please see below for more detailed suggestions on each course:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Course #1: Calculus or Physics Course<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Calculus Course: <\/strong>Physics &amp; Computer Science majors are required to complete two levels of calculus: <strong>CAS MA 123 Calculus 1<\/strong> and <strong>CAS MA 124 Calculus 2<\/strong>. As your first course, you should choose the appropriate level calculus course. The course you choose depends on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/admissions\/apply\/faqs-helpful-forms\/advanced-credit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AP, IB, or other advanced credit<\/a> you already have as well as the level you wish to take. You should select one course based on the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you have no advanced credit for calculus, take<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>CAS MA 123 Calculus 1<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>If you have advanced credit that fulfills CAS MA 123, take the next course in the sequence,<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>CAS MA 124 Calculus 2<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you have potential advanced credit in calculus, but<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>don\u2019t have the scores back yet,<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>register with cautious optimism. If you feel confident you did well on the exams, register as if you will receive the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/admissions\/apply\/faqs-helpful-forms\/advanced-credit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">corresponding credit<\/a>. Once you know your scores, you can revise your schedule, if need be.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>-OR-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Physics Course: <\/strong>If you have already fulfilled both CAS MA 123 and CAS MA 124, you can move on to your physics requirement by selecting one of the following courses:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CAS PY 251 Principles of Physics<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>(offered fall only)\u2013 This is our most advanced physics course, and we often recommend it for physics majors. In order to take PY 251, you must already have credit for CAS MA 123 Calculus 1, <em>and<\/em> you must take CAS MA 124 Calculus 2 before or in the same semester as PY 251.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>-OR-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CAS PY 211 General Physics<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>(offered either semester) \u2013 If you are starting in the spring semester, or if PY 251 is full or doesn&#8217;t fit into your schedule, you can instead register for PY 211. In order to take PY 211, you must already have credit for CAS MA 123 Calculus 1, <em>and<\/em> you must take CAS MA 124 Calculus 2 before or in the same semester as PY 251.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Course #2: Computer Science Course<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Computer Science Course:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If do <em>not<\/em> have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/admissions\/apply\/faqs-helpful-forms\/advanced-credit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AP, IB, or other advanced credit<\/a>, take<strong> CAS CS 111 Introduction to Computer Science 1.<\/strong> This course is a rigorous introduction that develops computational problem-solving skills by programming in the Python language, and exposes students to a variety of other topics from computer science and its applications.<em><\/em><\/li>\n<li>If you have advanced for CAS CS 111 you should instead register for<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>CAS CS 112 Introduction to Computer Science 2<\/strong>. <span>CS 112 covers advanced programming techniques and data structures. Topics include recursion, algorithm analysis, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, tables, searching, and sorting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>If you have advanced credit for CAS CS 111 <em>and<\/em> CS 112, you should register for<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>CAS CS 131 Combinatoric<\/strong> Structures. CS 131 covers representation, analysis, techniques, and principles for manipulation of basic combinatoric structures used in computer science. Rigorous reasoning is emphasized.<em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Course #3: Language course or Course of Interest<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b>CAS Language Course<\/b><span>: 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<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/cas\/programs\/second-language-requirement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <span>full language policy here<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>If you plan to fulfill this language requirement through coursework at BU, then your next course should be a language course:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>If you\u2019re <\/span><b>new to the language<\/b><span>, you\u2019ll start with the first-semester level (usually coded as 111 \u2013 for example, Spanish 1 is CAS LS 111, Arabic 1 is CAS LY 111, etc.).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>If you have <\/span><b>previously studied the language<\/b><span>, 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.). <\/span><b>Please review the<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/academics\/undergraduate-education\/academic-advising\/advising\/language-advising\/foreign-language-requirement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <b>CAS Language Requirement page<\/b><\/a><b> for detailed information about placement tests and appropriate levels.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>If you\u2019ll fulfill the language requirement through <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/admissions\/apply\/faqs-helpful-forms\/advanced-credit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>advanced credit (such as AP\/IB scores)<\/b><\/a><b> or through native proficiency of another language<\/b><span>, you have fulfilled your language requirement and can instead take a course of interest (as seen below). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>-OR-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>Course of Interest<\/b>: Select a course that interests you \u2013 perhaps based on subjects you\u2019ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you\u2019re excited to try for the first time! If you\u2019re not sure where to start, you can review our <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/registration-instructions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Registration Instructions<\/a>\u00a0for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement.<em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><\/em>Course #4: Writing Course<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your fourth course should be a writing course:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If you did not apply to BU with a TOEFL\/IELTS score,<\/strong> you can take either:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CAS WR 120<\/strong> First-Year Writing Seminar. Each section of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/writingprogram\/schedule\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WR 120 focuses on a specific topic\/theme<\/a>, so you should register for a section that pairs with your interests.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CAS CC 101<\/strong> 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/core\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Core Curriculum<\/a>. <em>This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, First-Year Writing Seminar, Creativity\/Innovation.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>If you applied to BU with a TOEFL\/IELTS score<\/b><span>, you should take the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/writingprogram\/writing-program-curriculum\/placement\/placement-faqs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>Multilingual Writer Placement<\/span><\/a><span> (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<\/span>:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CAS WR 111<\/strong> Academic Writing for ESL Students 1 &#8211; fulfills\u00a0<em>The Individual in Community\u00a0<\/em>Hub<\/li>\n<li><strong>CAS WR 112<\/strong> Academic Writing for ESL Students 2 \u2013 fulfills <em>Global Citizenship &amp; Intercultural Literacy <\/em>Hub<\/li>\n<li><strong>CAS WR 120<\/strong> First-Year Writing Seminar &#8211; fulfills <em>First-Year Writing Seminar<\/em> Hub (If you place into WR 120, you are welcome to take CC 101 Core Humanities 1 instead to fulfill your <em>FYW <\/em>Hub.) <em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Optional Course #5: First-Year Seminar<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/physics.bu.edu\/undergrad\/introductory_courses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CAS PY 195<\/strong><\/a><strong>: Freshman Seminar for Physicists <\/strong>(offered fall only, 1 unit) <strong>&#8211; Optional<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seminar where freshman physics majors learn successful strategies for studying physics and become familiar with BU&#8217;s policies, procedures, resources, and extracurricular activities. Exploration of research and career opportunities through invited speakers, book discussions, and laboratory tours.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>-OR-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>First-Year Seminar: FY 101<span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span>(1 unit)<\/span><b><span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 Optional<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/student-life\/undergraduate-students\/ospl\/the-first-year-experience\/fy101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>FY101<\/span><\/a><span> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>FY101 classes are small and are for new students only, so they provide a great way to get to know other first-years!<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>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.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>FY101 includes free, optional trips around Boston.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span>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\u2019s right for you!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections-636x636.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"636\" height=\"636\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-8366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections-636x636.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/files\/2025\/05\/All-Sections.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b><i>\u00a0-OR-<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>First-Year Career Development Seminar: FY 102<span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span>(offered spring only, 1 unit)\u00a0<\/span><b>\u2013 Optional<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/student-life\/undergraduate-students\/ospl\/the-first-year-experience\/fy102\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>FY102<\/span><\/a><span> 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. <\/span><span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h5 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Interested in Pursuing the Core?<\/h5><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you are interested in the <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/the-core-program\/\"><span class=\"s2\">Core Curriculum<\/span><\/a>, 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!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Find out more about the Core Curriculum, the Hub, and registration <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/the-core-program\/\"><span class=\"s2\">here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Ready to register?\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/registration-instructions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>Let\u2019s go \u2013 click here!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For more information about your specific major requirements click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/cas\/programs\/physics\/ba-in-physics-computer-science\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Students majoring in Physics &amp; Computer Science will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Quantitative Reasoning 1 and 2, Scientific Inquiry 1 and 2, two units of Critical Thinking, two units of Teamwork and Collaboration, and one unit of Digital Literacy. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4971,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":132,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3851"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4971"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3851"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8450,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3851\/revisions\/8450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/casreg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}