Undergraduate FAQ

The Undergraduate Office is part of Pardee Student Services. We are located on the first floor of 156 Bay State Road in suite 102. 

Contact your advisor. If we’re not the right person, we’ll connect you with someone who is.

Students can talk to their academic advisor, faculty mentor, alumni via BU Connects, or the Center for Career Development located at 100 Bay State Road, 6th floor. 

Students should first consult with their academic advisor to discuss whether BU will accept credit from other universities for a particular course. As a reminder, the BU Hub must be completed with BU courses only. After talking with their advisor, students should set-up an account with Transferology to identify which institutions BU will accept credit from and for what courses. Once you have identified an approved transfer course, submit the College of Arts and Sciences Transfer Course Pre-Screen Form so that CAS has a record of your plans. After completing the course, it is your responsibility to have your transcript sent to CAS Advising at casadv@bu.edu or 100 Bay State Road, Room 401, Boston, MA 02215. 

If an International Relations course or courses you are interested in taking have not been approved for BU credit, you will need to fill out and submit a transfer equivalency form and submit it along with a course syllabus to your Academic Advisor at the Pardee School. If it is not an International Relation’s course, then you will need to submit the transfer equivalency form to the department that best corresponds with the course material (for example, you should submit a calculus course to the Mathematics and Statistics Department). The department will review and equate that course for you. Once the course has been equated, the completed, approved form can be submitted to CAS Advising. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Pardee Academic Advisor or CAS Advising at casadv@bu.edu.

If you are currently a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) student, you may simply declare your major or change your major via the CAS Major Declaration Form.

If you are NOT currently a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) student, you must pursue the Intra-University Transfer (IUT) process.

For full information on academic advising, visit our Undergraduate Academic Advising page.

Your professional academic advisors are located on the first floor of 156 Bay State Road. They are there to help you pick your classes each semester during pre-registration and to help you understand your major, minor, and general education requirements in the Division of International Studies and Division of Regional Studies programs. Academic advisors will answer any questions you have regarding AP/IB/transfer credits, studying abroad, the Honors Program, double-majoring and minoring, and much more. They are also there as a resource if you ever have questions or concerns about your classes or degree program. You should feel free to talk with your advisor about how to make the most of your BU experience, including getting involved, finding community, or issues impacting your health and well-being.

Faculty mentors are there to be another resource for students. Our surveys of graduating seniors show that students who have relationships with faculty tend to be the most satisfied with their overall experience. Incoming students and new majors are typically assigned a Faculty Mentors during your first semester as a Pardee student. To get to know your mentor, students should reach out  via email or visit your mentor’s office hours. Students are encouraged to talk with mentors about how to be a successful student, opportunities for undergraduate research, possible career paths, and more. Mentors welcome the chance to share their knowledge and experience as professionals and academics with decades of experience in a student’s chosen fields of study.

For full information on academic advising and to find you advisor, visit our Undergraduate Academic Advising page.

For the purpose of consistency we ask that you always meet with the same academic advisor.

Please visit handshake or call the Pardee School Undergraduate Office at 617-353-6342 to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor. Please note, the undergraduate office does not book same day appointments. 

Pardee School academic advisors reserve their appointment times for current Pardee School majors only. However, non-majors and minors with questions about Pardee School programs are encouraged to email psgsugrad@bu.edu or call 617-353-6342. Our Student Services Assistants may be able to assist you. If not, they will work to put you in touch with an advisor who can help. 

Students who are worried about failing a class should first talk with the course instructor. Students may also want to meet with their academic advisor to discuss the situation and any possible options.  

There is the possibility that some courses may be taken “Pass/Fail.” Courses that satisfy BU Hub, language, writing, IUT gateway, or major/minor program requirements may not be designated as Pass/Fail. The deadline to designate a course Pass/Fail is always the same as the last day to drop a course with a W. Additional requirements and restrictions for Pass/Fail can be found here. Pardee students considering Pass/Fail should discuss the pros/cons with their academic advisor.

• Utilize the Education Resources Center (ERC)! They provide a range of free services from tutoring and writing assistance to study skills and time management strategies.
• Go to your professor’s office hours. Discuss your performance and clarify what you need to do to be successful in the course.
• Meet with your advisor to discuss your options.

You need 128 credits to graduate. Students in the Dual Degree Program need 144 credits.

Students may not graduate until you have earned all the required credits and have completed all BU academic requirements. You are encouraged to frequently review your Degree Advice report in Student Link as a way to keep track of your progress toward completing all requirements and earning all the required credits. Just before the start of your senior year, students are required to complete the Intent to Graduate Form. Upon submitting this form, your College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Advisor will do a thorough review of your academic record and will email you about your remaining requirements.

Complete a major/minor declaration form. Be sure to include any major(s)/minor(s) you want to keep (including your tracks).

Yes. For a list of minors open to CAS undergraduate students visit this link.

If you are majoring in two College of Arts and Sciences majors you can double count five classes between the two majors. You can double count two classes between a major and a minor, or between two minors.

No. But, you can choose which track you would like the course to count towards.

Students interested in the Dual Degree Program (DDP) should attend an information session or schedule a meeting with the CAS Dual Degree coordinator.

Students must also meet with their Pardee School advisor to discuss their academic plan and ensure they’re registered for the necessary pre-requisites. Most schools have gateway courses that students must complete before they can apply for the DDP. These are explained in the link above.

All students within the College of Arts and Science are required to complete through 4th semester (212-level) of a foreign language. Certain regional studies majors have additional language requirements:

• Asian Studies requires study of one language (Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Urdu, or, where appropriate, another Asian language) through at least the fifth-semester level.
• European Studies requires through at least the sixth-semester level of a European language (other than English).
• Latin American Studies requires completion of a fifth-semester course in either Spanish or Portuguese.
• Middle East & North Africa Studies requires at least six semesters of Middle Eastern (ME) language courses. All majors must demonstrate fourth-semester proficiency in one ME language, as well as taking at least two ME language courses past 212 or in a different language. Students who are certified bilingual in one ME language must complete two semesters of courses in a different ME language or languages.
• Additionally, some study abroad programs may require some level of proficiency in the local language. Please visit the study abroad website for more information.

All students should meet with their advisor before applying to study abroad to ensure their program will fit with their plan of study. Prior to registering for courses abroad, students should review their courses with their advisor to ensure they will count towards the major. More information about how study abroad courses may be applicable to Pardee majors is available on our website.

Declaration of major forms can be found here.

If you are an IR major but have not yet declared your tracks, you may want to consult with your academic advisor about which tracks are best for you. It may also be helpful to review functional and regional track descriptions. You may officially declare your tracks here.

Your academic advisor in the Pardee School signs your study abroad approval form. You must meet with your advisor to discuss the study abroad program you are considering before an approval can be granted. Faculty mentors do not sign these forms.

When you receive an email announcing the start of the “Pre-Registration Period” while you are abroad, review the attached schedule of classes then email your academic advisor with the courses you are currently enrolled in while studying abroad as well as a tentative schedule for the upcoming semester. Your advisor will then email you your registration code and any additional comments or reminders. You do not need to fill out a return registration form before leaving for study abroad, but you are encouraged to meet with your advisor prior to departure to discuss your remaining program requirements.