Distribution Requirements

<p>can someone tell me about them? much appreciated.</p>

<p>Do you mean to get your financial aid?</p>

<p>no, i mean required classes.</p>

<p>For which school?</p>

<p>CAS…my b.</p>

<p>Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts & Sciences must satisfy requirements in writing, foreign language, mathematics, general education, the selected concentration, and electives.</p>

<p>Students are expected to be enrolled on a full-time basis. Students ordinarily are expected to proceed at the rate of four courses per semester. To be considered a full-time degree candidate, a student must be registered in a minimum of three 4-credit courses (12 credits).</p>

<p>[College</a> of Arts & Sciences - BU 2009-10 Undergraduate Bulletin](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/bulletins/und/item12.html]College”>http://www.bu.edu/bulletins/und/item12.html)</p>

<p>First off, you need to fill a writing requirement. You need to take WR100 and WR150. You need to fill a foreign language requirement that you can test out of with an AP score, SAT II score, or just testing at BU. There is a math requirement you can test out of by getting at least a 580 on the math section of the SAT, AP score of 3, ACT score of 23. After that comes the General Requirements where they make you take classes in certain subjects like Humanities, Science (with lab credit I believe), Social Science, etc. You can also fill general requirements by taking the Core Curriculum instead.</p>

<p>Does anyone know if it is difficult to double major in CAS? As well, how bout triple major?</p>

<p>It’s easier when your majors are similar. Five courses can be counted towards more than one major. It depends on what you’re trying to double major in, but it’s not that hard. A double major can be finished without summer courses.</p>

<p>thanks a lot, nickel. so, i assume we’re going to meet with a class adviser to plan out our courses, at some point? i get kind of nervous when it comes to this kind of thing : P</p>

<p>The first time you choose classes, you’ll do it at orientation and they will give you an entire day to plan out your schedule (it should only take an hour or two, but they give you the entire day) and you will have a student adviser helping you. FYI, go to one of the first orientation sessions if you want all the classes to still be open.</p>

<p>And every successive semester after the first one, you’ll be assigned a faculty adviser who will help you build your schedule.</p>

<p>As for required classes, it pretty much boils down to:
2 semesters Social Sciences
2 semesters Natural Sciences (1 with a lab)
2 Semesters Math/Computer Science
2 Semesters Humanities
Writing (WR100 and WR150 usually)
And complete a language at the 4th semester level</p>

<p>But it’s not nearly as daunting as it looks. You can discount whatever area your major is in, so for example if you’re an IR major like me you don’t have to worry about the social sciences classes (since IR is a social science). You can also use AP and SATII scores to get exempted from taking certain things. And you can take a placement exam to place out of the language requirement (or at least place into a higher level of language class so you finish sooner).</p>

<p>I came into BU with AP credits in US History, Psychology, Calculus AB. The US History and Psych credits didn’t do much besides give me some extra credits because my major is in the social sciences anyway. However, AP Calc exempted me from one semester of math. I then took a placement exam for Latin and placed into a 3rd semester class.</p>

<p>You can get out of General Requirements and opt to take the Core instead, but you still need to fill a language requirement even if you take the Core and if you don’t take all the classes you don’t complete the General Requirements. But yes, during orientation an advisor will help you with your schedule.</p>

<p>but there is only a slight difference between the core & general requirements, correct?</p>

<p>“AP Calc exempted me from one semester of math.”</p>

<p>i thought the link [above] stated that a certain ap test score or sat/act math score would exempt u from the math requirement…?</p>

<p>“And complete a language at the 4th semester level”</p>

<p>i’m not sure what this means. on the link, it states:
“Satisfactory completion of one of the following courses:”, [assuming we have no language credits going in],
then goes on to list a bunch of different languages. but next to some of them is written 212 or 212/216…are these just different levels? [1 per semester?]</p>

<p>also, are the student advisers usually good with providing help on an individual basis? assuming hundreds of students would be at each orientation, it all seems a bit overwhelming D:</p>

<p>If you decide to take Divisional Studies you can basically take any course you like to fill the credit. However, in Core, you don’t get to pick. You take two classes per semester starting Freshman year that correspond to the Core. You finish Core at the end of your 2nd year. Some people find Core a bit intensive because it’s a lot of reading.</p>

<p>“i thought the link [above] stated that a certain ap test score or sat/act math score would exempt u from the math requirement…?”</p>

<p>That’s my fault for not being clear. They will explain everything to you at orientation, but basically you have to take 2 semesters of math but also complete a certain level of math class (so that you don’t just take the 2 easiest math courses available). The SAT/ACT scores can exempt you from having to take the harder math classes, but you still have to do 2 semesters. However, when you bring in AP credits, they give you actual credits for having taken an equivalent college course. So, let’s say you get 4 credits for AP Calc, that is equivalent to a one-semester math course, so when you get to BU you only have to take one more semester of math to fulfill your requirement.</p>

<p>I hope that’s a little clearer, but again, they will tell you everything at orientation.</p>

<p>“i’m not sure what this means. on the link, it states:
“Satisfactory completion of one of the following courses:”, [assuming we have no language credits going in],
then goes on to list a bunch of different languages. but next to some of them is written 212 or 212/216…are these just different levels? [1 per semester?]”</p>

<p>Yes, the numbers at the end of foreign language courses are different than other courses. If I recall correctly, 111 means a first-semester course, 112 is a second-semester course, 211 is third-semester, and 212 is fourth. So when I say I placed into 3rd semester Latin, I mean that I placed into CL211, and I’m currently in CL212 this semester (which will complete the language requirement for me).</p>

<p>And there’s also the Core Curriculum as an alternative to Distribution Requirements, but I hear it’s harder, and distribution requirements give you more freedom for choosing classes. You also have the option of doing half of Core, either the science part or the humanities part.</p>

<p>If I am international, do I sitll have to take the language requirement?</p>

<p>When you get to BU, you can take a proficiency exam to test out of language credits. So you can request they test your proficiency in your native tongue. From what I hear, they just have you translate something although it might not be the same for all languages.</p>

<p>thanks a lot for the information, guys :]</p>