CAS: Chemistry

Sample Pathways

Below is an example of a four-year plan of a College of General Studies student pursuing a degree in chemistry. Students will work with their CGS academic advisors and the chemistry department to plan their own pathway to a chemistry degree.

Gap Semester Recommended external course: Calculus I (equivalent to CAS MA 123)* Note: Prior approval must be granted for external coursework. Students must consult with their CGS academic advisor before enrolling in classes.
  Semester I Semester II
Freshman Year CGS HU 103
CGS RH 103
CGS SS 103
CAS MA 124
CGS Required Courses (London or Boston-New England semester)
Sophomore Year CGS SS 201
Elective^
CAS CH 109
CAS PY 211
CGS HU 202
CAS CH 225
CAS CH110
CAS PY 212
Junior Year CAS CH 203
CAS CH 352
Elective^
CAS Second Language (if needed)
CAS CH 214
CAS CH 351
Elective^
CAS Second Language (if needed)
Senior Year CAS BB 421
CAS CH Advanced Course
CAS CH 301 or CAS CH 303
CAS Second Language (if needed)
CAS CH Advanced Course or Research
CAS CH 354 or CAS CH 524
CAS CH 232
CAS Second Language (if needed)

*Please note that the order of topics in chemistry courses depends strongly on the book, the professor, and the pace of the course. There are also other ways to fulfill the General Chemistry I and II sequence. For more information and suggestions, please consult with your CGS academic advisor.

^Choose your electives carefully to fulfill any remaining BU Hub requirements. You will find a list of all of the courses that carry Hub units on the University’s BU Hub website. External courses are not eligible for Hub general education credit.

College of General Studies Program Requirements

  • Two rhetoric courses: CGS RH 103 and CGS RH 104
    • CGS RH 104 is taken during the London semester
  • Two natural science courses: CGS NS 201 and CGS NS 202
    • Chemistry majors in good standing will be exempted from CGS NS 201 and CGS NS 202
  • Three social science courses:
    • CGS SS 104 is required and is taken during the London semester
    • Students select at least two additional SS courses and will work with their academic advisor to determine course selection
  • Three humanities courses:
    • CGS HU 104 is required and is taken during the London semester
    • Students select at least two additional HU courses and will work with their academic advisor to determine course selection

Note: Students who are exempt from CGS NS 202 must enroll in at least one CGS course in semester II of sophomore year.

Major Requirements

The Chemistry major requires a minimum of eleven 4-credit courses in chemistry, as well as three math and two physics 4-credit courses. All required chemistry courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher to count toward the major. For required courses, please see the CAS Bulletin.

For more information about the major, please see the Chemistry Department webpage

The Chemistry Department also offers a specialization in chemical biology. For more information, please see the CAS Chemistry Bulletin.

Please contact David Chapnick (chemuaa@bu.edu), Undergraduate Program Coordinator, in the chemistry department with any questions.

Continuation Requirements

  • Completion of the CGS required courses and appropriate electives
  • Cumulative GPA greater than or equal to 2.00

Graduation Requirements

Boston University students completing a degree in CAS must also complete the following requirements. 

  • BU Hub requirements
    • Students who take the specific CGS courses noted on the pathway above will fulfill all BU Hub requirements except the units listed below. These remaining Hub units will be fulfilled through the following courses:
    • Quantitative Reasoning I (1 unit) and Quantitative Reasoning II (1 unit) fulfilled by CAS PY 211 and CAS PY 212
    • Scientific Inquiry I (1 unit) fulfilled by CAS CH 203
    • Teamwork/Collaboration (2 units) fulfilled by CAS PY 211 and CAS PY 212
    • Writing-Intensive Course (1 unit) fulfilled by CAS CH 421
    • You will fulfill the remaining Hub units – Creativity/Innovation (1 unit) and Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy (1 unit) – through the courses you take for your CAS major and/or other electives
  • CAS requirements:
  • Chemsitry major requirements
  • CAS requires a minimum of 128 credits, excluding PDP, ROTC, and CAS FY and SY courses.

This is a sample pathway to be used in consultation with your CGS Academic Advisor.

It is subject to change according to course availability and individual circumstances.

Last revised: 03/25/2025