Undergraduate Academic Advising

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Academic Advising provides professional academic advising and mentoring to CAS undergraduate students. We are a group of advising generalists who help guide students in a multitude of ways throughout their college experience. We can assist a student in identifying their academic advisor, provide guidance in choosing a major or planning a degree program, help a student interpret College regulations, standards, and policies, and help a student navigate academic concerns. We can assist with navigating external credit and transfer course evaluations, help a student plan for degree completion and we certify all CAS undergraduates for graduation. We also assist students with individualized referrals to our campus partners for assistance in academic, personal, and career counseling; academic skills development; and financial aid.

If you have a declared major, you will be assigned an advisor who specializes in that academic department. Major advisors will guide you toward academically relevant experiences such as research, study abroad, and/or co-curricular activities.

Please contact your academic advisor or the department of your major directly to inquire about setting up an appointment.

As an undeclared student at Boston University, you have yet to decide on a major to pursue – and that’s okay! Boston University’s College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) offers many undergraduate major options, so we applaud your wisdom and thoughtfulness in taking the time to explore different academic pathways and gathering more information before making a decision.

Please follow the instructions below to schedule an Undeclared Advising Appointment:

• Log into Handshake using your BU credentials.
• From the Career Center drop-down menu, select “Appointments.”
• Select “Schedule New Appointment” then choose the “CAS Academic Advising” Category.
• Choose the “CAS Undeclared Advising” Appointment Type, and then choose a date and time that is available with your assigned advisor’s name only.

Any CAS undergraduate with a class year of sophomore or higher may make an appointment to talk to a “generalist” advisor to answer questions regarding:

• CAS Policy and Procedure
• External credits and the transfer credit process
• General education requirements
• Dual Degree Program overview
• How to use and understand your degree advice or “What if” report when thinking about adding a major or minor
• Academic standing or academic concern

Please follow the directions below to schedule a General Advising Appointment:

1. Log in to Handshake using your BU credentials.
2. From the Career Center drop-down menu, select “Appointments.”
3. Select “Schedule New Appointment” then choose the “CAS Academic Advising” Category.
4. Choose the “CAS General Advising” Appointment Type, and then choose a date and time that is available that works for you.

All incoming freshmen CAS students will be assigned a First-Year Academic Advisor. This advisor may be from your major’s academic department or a professional advisor in CAS Advising.  You will be contacted by this advisor to initiate your registration with the College during your first summer or semester with us, and they will also be assigned in your MyBU Student Portal.

First-Year Academic Advisors help students learn to make the most of their college years, not merely by completing requirements toward a degree but also by growing intellectually and developing all aspects of their identity. These First Year Advisors serve a critical role in the transition and success of first year students. The advising relationship first-year students have with this advisor is a key factor in the College’s ability to help students persist to the sophomore year. 

Please contact your academic advisor directly to inquire about setting up an appointment.

Graduation advising begins once a student submits the Intent to Graduate Form (also found on the CAS Forms and Procedures page). Ideally, a student is able to submit this form one calendar year before their intended graduation date. Once CAS Advising receives this form, the student is assigned a graduation advisor from CAS Advising, who will continue to work with the student in their final year as a BU undergraduate student to ensure that all degree requirements are met, and a feasible degree completion plan is in place. Boston University has three graduation cycles in which University degrees are conferred: May, August, and January. Students must have all course and credit requirements complete prior to each graduation cycle in order to officially graduate. Students graduating in January and August are eligible to participate in the May graduation ceremony of the same calendar year as their official graduation date.

Follow the instructions below to schedule a Graduation Advising Appointment:

1. Log into Handshake using your BU credentials.
2. From the Career Center drop-down menu, select “Appointments.”
3. Select “Schedule New Appointment” then choose the “CAS Academic Advising” Category.
4. Choose the “CAS Graduation Advising” Appointment Type, and then choose a date and time that is available with your assigned advisor’s name only.

If you make an appointment with the incorrect Graduation Advisor, your appointment may be canceled.  Make sure to look for your advisor’s name when viewing the available dates and times.  If you don’t find availability for your assigned advisor, email them directly to let them know so that an alternative meeting time may be arranged.

Drop-in advising is available during the fall and spring semesters on weekdays from 1:00pm-4:00pm when classes are in session. Drop-in advising is not held during the summer or over winter break. You do not need an appointment to visit drop-in advising.

Drop-in advising is available:

• Mondays: virtual via Zoom from 1-4pm
• Tuesdays: virtual via Zoom from 1-4pm
• Wednesdays: in person at 100 Bay State Rd., Room 401
• Thursdays: in person at 100 Bay State Rd., Room 401
• Fridays: in person at 100 Bay State Rd., Room 401

Drop-in advising is available to any CAS undergraduate student. You will have approximately 10 minutes to meet with an an on-call CAS advisor. If you think you may need more than 10 minutes to discuss your questions, please schedule an advising appointment with your academic advisor.

Common Drop-in advising questions may be about:

• Non-major graduation requirements
• University policy & procedures
• Transfer credit process
• Procedure to add or drop courses
• Schedule adjustments for the current semester
  • For Spring 2025 classes, you can also review the full/closed procedures document
• If you have an issue and aren’t sure where to go for support/consultation
• Designating a course as Pass/Fail (if you are unable to attend one of our Pass/Fail Info sessions)

Drop-in Advising is NOT for:

• Long-term Hub or major planning
• Planning for adding a second major, a minor, or the Dual Degree Program
• Study Abroad inquiries

If you are not sure if your inquiry would be appropriate for Drop-in Advising, contact casadv@bu.edu and we will guide you on the best action to take and with whom you should speak regarding your question(s).

CAS students interested in designating a course as Pass/Fail, must attend a CAS Pass/Fail Zoom Session. These sessions are brief (15-20 minutes). In this session, an advisor will walk you through the Pass/Fail policy & process and answer general questions. After the session, you will receive the Pass/Fail form link, which you must submit by 5pm on the same date as the last day to drop a course with a “W” grade. If you are a non-CAS student, please contact your home school/college to discuss Pass/Fail.

We encourage you to attend a Zoom session even if you are still deciding whether Pass/Fail is right for you – these sessions are non-committal and designed to help you make an educated decision.

Note, if you designate a class Pass/Fail, it may not fulfill major, minor, or CAS language requirements and will only count as elective credit. Courses designated Pass/Fail may fulfill Hub requirements. You may designate only one class Pass/Fail per semester, and a total of two courses for the entirety of your undergraduate career at BU. The official pass/fail policy can be found here.