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The University: Policies and Procedures
office of student services
Table of Contents
Undergraduate Admission
Admission Information
Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1863, Boston College is dedicated to intellectual excellence and to its Jesuit, Catholic heritage. Boston College recognizes the essential contribution a diverse community of students, faculty and staff makes to the advancement of its goals and ideals in an atmosphere of respect for one another and for the University's mission and heritage. Accordingly, Boston College commits itself to maintaining a welcoming environment for all people and extends its welcome in particular to those who may be vulnerable to discrimination on the basis of their race, ethnic or national origin, religion, color, age, gender, marital or parental status, veteran status, disabilities or sexual orientation.
Boston College seeks to maintain an undergraduate student body that represents a broad variety of abilities, backgrounds, and interests. Therefore, in selecting students, the Committee on Admission looks for demonstrated evidence of academic ability, intellectual curiosity, strength of character, motivation, energy and promise for personal growth and development. Requests for financial aid do not affect decisions on admission. The Undergraduate Admission website provides further details on the application requirements and deadlines.
Admission from Secondary School
While specific courses are not required, the Office of Undergraduate Admission recommends that students pursue a strong college preparatory program that includes four units of English, mathematics, social studies, and foreign language, as well as four units of a natural science. Such a program provides a solid foundation for high quality college work, as well as a stronger application in a highly selective admission process.
Standardized Testing
- The SAT (writing section is optional) or
- The American College Test (ACT) (writing section is optional)
- The submission of SAT subject exams is optional
All standardized test results are used in the admission process. Applicants are required to take all standardized tests no later than the October administration date of their senior year for Early Action and by December of their senior year for Regular Decision.
The Committee on Admission will select the best combination of individual section scores when evaluating an application. International students for whom English is not their primary native language are required to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) results or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Students who score 600 or above in the SAT EBRW or 27 or better on the ACT English section may have this requirement waived.
Application Procedures
Regular Freshman Admission
Students applying to Boston College should submit the Common Application, the Boston College Writing Supplement and a $80 application fee no later than January 1. Both the Common Application and Boston College Writing Supplement are available on the Common Application website. Candidates are notified of action taken on their applications no later than April 1.
Early Action
Early Action is a nonbinding program for candidates who view Boston College as one of their top choices. If admitted to Boston College through Early Action, these candidates have until May 1 to make their enrollment decision. Candidates applying to binding Early Decision I or Early Decision II programs may apply through Early Action to Boston College.
Academically outstanding candidates who view Boston College as a top choice for their undergraduate education and who wish to learn of their admission early in their senior year may consider applying Early Action. Because it is impossible to gauge the size and quality of the applicant pool at this early stage, admission is more selective at Early Action than during Regular Decision. Students must submit the Boston College Writing Supplement and the Common Application on or before November 1. At Early Action, students may be admitted, deferred to the Regular Decision applicant pool, or denied admission. Candidates will learn of the Admission Committee's decision prior to December 25. Candidates admitted to Boston College under Early Action have until May 1 to reserve their places in the next freshman class.
International Student Admission
International students are expected to submit the same credentials (transcripts, recommendations, standardized tests, etc.) as domestic applicants. All documents should be submitted in English. If the credentials must be translated, the original must be submitted along with the translation. All international students whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the internet-based exam is recommended. A minimum IELTS score of 7.5 is recommended. Students applying from British systems must be enrolled in an A Level program to be considered.
Transfer admission applications are available to students who have successfully completed three or more transferable courses (9 credits minimally) at a regionally accredited college or university. Transfer students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to be considered for admission. Competitive applicants typically have a 3.4 to 3.7 cumulative grade point average. Students are encouraged to finish one full year of studies before seeking admission-in-transfer. Because a record of college achievement would not be available at the time of consideration, first semester freshmen may not apply for admission to the term beginning in January.
All candidates for transfer admission should submit the Transfer Common Application, the Boston College Writing Supplement, and all other required forms along with the $80 application fee. All portions of the Transfer Application can be found on the transfer website at www.bc.edu/transfer.
NOTE: A College Report must be submitted for every undergraduate institution attended full-time by the applicant. Additional copies of this form may be obtained from the Common Application website.
All supporting documents must be sent directly to the Boston College Undergraduate Processing Center, PO Box 67485, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 by the sending institution. Transcripts issued to students and photocopies will not be accepted. The deadline for submitting applications is March 15 for the fall and November 1 for the spring. Fall candidates will be notified of action taken on their applications between May 1 and June 15. Spring candidates will be notified between November 30 and December 25.
Please consult the transfer admission website for additional information about admission-in-transfer.
Transfer of Credit
Boston College transfer credit policies are established by the Deans and Faculty of each undergraduate division. Course evaluations are completed by the Office of Transfer Admission. Any questions regarding the evaluation of courses, either before or after enrollment, should be directed to the Office of Transfer Admission.
At Boston College, transfer credit is established on a course-by-course basis. Transferable courses must have been completed at regionally accredited colleges or universities and must be similar in content, depth, and breadth to courses taught at Boston College. In addition, a minimum grade of C- must have been earned. BC students must complete the following number of credit hours for graduation: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences—120, Carroll School of Management—120, Lynch School of Education and Human Development—120, and Connell School of Nursing—117. A maximum of 60 credit hours will be allowed in transfer. The unit of credit at Boston College is the semester hour. Most courses earn 3 semester hours of credit. Lab sciences usually earn 4 semester hours of credit. In order to be eligible for Boston College transfer credit, courses must have earned at least 3 semester hours or an equivalent number of credits (e.g., four quarter hours).
No credit will be granted for internships, field experiences, practica, or independent study.
Applicants seeking to have online courses accepted in transfer by Boston College should submit a syllabus for each course, including information about contact hours and exam requirements.
Grade point averages do not transfer with students. A new grade point average begins with the commencement of a student's career at the University and reflects only work completed as a full-time undergraduate at Boston College.
For transfer students, courses taken during the summer prior to enrollment at Boston College should be approved in advance by the Office of Transfer Admission to avoid difficulty in the transfer of credits. For all incoming freshmen and currently enrolled students, all summer courses must be approved in advance by the appropriate deans.
College credit courses taken in high school with high school teachers and other high school students cannot be used for credit. These courses may be assigned advanced placement units only if a corresponding College Board AP exam is taken and a qualifying score is earned.
Date of Graduation
All undergraduate students are expected to spend four years enrolled as full-time students in order to earn a bachelor's degree.
Students generally may not accelerate the date of graduation stated in the acceptance letter, with the following exception: students who enter Boston College after three or four semesters at a school where the normal credit requirements are less than those at Boston College and who experience a loss of one semester in their status as a result. If students have attended only one school prior to Boston College and the loss of status is due solely to differences between academic systems, students will be allowed to make up their status and graduate with their class.
A transfer student's date of graduation is determined by the number of credits accepted in transfer and the number of Boston College semesters these satisfy. The normal academic load for undergraduates is five 3- or 4-credit courses per semester. Thus, students are expected to have completed 30 credits at the end of one year, 45 at the end of a year and a half, and 60 credits at the end of two years. In determining a transfer student's date of graduation, leeway of 6 credits is allowed without loss of status. For example, students completing 24–30 credits are accepted as first-semester sophomores.
Residency Requirement
The requirements for the bachelor's degree generally include a minimum of eight semesters of full‑time enrollment, at least four semesters of which must be at Boston College.
Transfer students may need more than eight semesters in total in order to complete all the university's degree requirements. As long as transfer students abide by all relevant University academic regulations, including at least four semesters at Boston College, they may seek to regain their original graduation-year status through course overloads and summer courses. In such cases, transfer students will not incur additional tuition charges for course overloads. Transfer students who seek to regain their original graduation date should consult with their associate dean to confirm that they are eligible to do so.
Special Students
Only those persons who wish to be enrolled as full-time day students are admitted by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. All other students wishing to attend Boston College on a part-time basis, for either day or evening classes, should contact the Dean of the James A. Woods, S.J., College of Advancing Studies, St. Mary's Hall South, Ground Floor, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
Advanced Placement Units
There are a number of ways to earn advanced placement units at Boston College including qualifying scores on College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams, International Baccalaureate exams, British A Level exams, French Baccalaureate exams, as well as results from the German Abitur, and the Swiss Maturité and Italian Maturità. Official results from all testing should be sent to the Office of Transfer Admission for evaluation. Qualifying scores will be assigned advanced placement units as outlined briefly below and detailed at www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
|Advanced Placement Exam
|Requirements Fulfilled
|Art History
|Fine Arts Core
|2 Natural Science Core
|Calculus AB (or AB sub score)
|1 Math Core
|Calculus BC
|1 Math Core/1 Math Elective
|Capstone Seminar
|2 Natural Science Core
|Chinese Language and Culture
|2 Slavic Language Electives
and Language Proficiency,
Demonstrates Language Proficiency
|Computer Science (AB or A)
|1 Computer Science Elective.
Must consult with the
department to determine
if any placement toward
major is appropriate.
|Economics (Micro)
|1 Social Science Core
(except Lynch)
|Economics (Macro)
|1 Social Science Core
(except Lynch)
|English Language
|Writing Core
|English Literature
|Literature Core
|Environmental Science
|1 Natural Science Core
|European History
|2 Modern History Core
|French Language/Literature
|Demonstrates Language Proficiency
2 Romance Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|Demonstrates Language Proficiency,
2 German Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|U.S. Government and Politics
|1 Social Science Core
(MCAS or CSON only)
|Comparative Government and Politics
|1 Social Science Core
(MCAS or CSON only)
|Human Geography
|No BC equivalent
|Italian Language and Culture
|Demonstrates Language Proficiency
2 Romance Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|Japanese Language and Culture
|2 Slavic Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|Latin: Virgil/Literature
|2 Classical Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|Music Theory
|1 Fine Arts Core
|Physics 1
|1 Natural Science Core
|Physics 2
|1 Natural Science Core
|Physics C Mechanics
Physics C E+M
|1 Natural Science Core
1 Natural Science Core
|1 Social Science Core
|Spanish Language/Literature
|Demonstrates Language Proficiency
2 Romance Language Electives
and Language Proficiency
|Fulfills Statistics Requirement
(CSOM and MCAS Psychology
majors only)
|Studio Art
|1 Fine Arts Core
|U.S. History
|2 History Electives
|World History
|2 Modern European History Core
International Baccalaureate
Each score of 6 or 7 on Higher Level exams will earn 6 advanced placement units and will generally satisfy a corresponding Core requirement. For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
British A Levels
Advanced placement units will be assigned and may be used to fulfill Core or major requirements using the following guidelines:
6 units for grades of A or B
3 units for grades of C
Grades lower than C do not qualify
3 units will be assigned for AS levels with grades of A or B (nothing for C and lower)
Units may be used to fulfill corresponding Core or major requirements
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
French Baccalaureate
For all subjects with a coefficient of 5 or higher, AP units will be assigned as follows:
6 units for scores of 13 or higher
3 units for scores of 10–12
Scores below 10 do not qualify.
Units may be used to fulfill corresponding Core or major requirements.
No advanced placement will be awarded for English.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
Italian Maturità
For students who earn an exam score of 70 or higher on the final exam, advanced placement units will be awarded only for subjects in which the written exam was taken (no placement for oral exams) and the average score for the final exam over the last two years is 7 or higher. No advanced placement units can be earned for English.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
German Abitur
Placement will be considered for the four subjects scored in the Abitur final exams. In the two subjects listed, the "main subject" with scores of 10 or higher, 6 advanced placement units will be awarded in corresponding subject areas. For two additional "basic course" with scores of 10 or higher, 3 advanced placement units will be earned in corresponding subject areas. No advanced placement units can be earned for English.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
Swiss Maturité
Advanced placement units can be earned for exam scores of 4 or better. No advanced placement units can be earned for English.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
College Courses Taken During High School
Advanced placement units can be earned for college courses taken during high school according to the following guidelines:
Courses Taken at a High School:
Students enrolled in courses designated as "college courses" that are taken at the high school with a high school teacher may only earn advanced placement units if corresponding College Board AP exams are taken and qualifying scores are earned. A college transcript alone cannot be used to earn advanced placement units for these courses.
Courses Taken on a College Campus:
College coursework taken on a college campus with a college professor and with other college students either during the academic year or over the summer may be evaluated for advanced placement units. Each 3- or 4-credit course with a grade of B or better will earn three advanced placement units. College transcripts for these courses should be submitted to the Office of Transfer Admission by August 1.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
Language Proficiency Requirement
All students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and the Carroll School of Management* must demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in a foreign or classical language in order to graduate from Boston College. The Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the Connell School of Nursing do not have a language requirement.
The SAT II Subject and AP test scores below demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency at Boston College.
|Subject Test
|SAT Score
|AP Score
|Modern Hebrew
*Note: Beginning with the class of 2022, Carroll School will no longer have a language requirement.
Other Exams and Exam Score Minimums
- British A levels: Languages other than English A/B/C levels
- International Baccalaureate: Higher level foreign or modern classical language 6 or 7
- General Certificate of Education: German A level
- Successful completion of one of Boston College's language tests (for languages other than French, Italian, and Spanish)
- Successful demonstration of native proficiency by documentation or testing by one of Boston College's language departments
Testing is not available for all languages.
Fulfillment of the proficiency requirement by the examinations listed above does not confer course credit.
Course Work Meeting Language Proficiency Requirement
- Successful completion of the second semester of an intermediate-level Boston College modern or classical language course
- Successful completion of one Boston College modern or classical language course beyond the intermediate level
- Carroll School of Management only: Successful completion of four years of high school language study (need not be the same language, e.g., two years of Latin and two years of French)
- Carroll School of Management only: Successful completion of one year of a new language for students who enter Boston College with three years of high school foreign language
Students may not take foreign language courses on a pass/fail basis until they have completed the university's language proficiency requirement. Language courses will count as Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences electives. Students with documented learning disabilities may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement and should consult with the Associate Dean.
Financial Aid
Boston College offers a variety of assistance programs to help students finance their education. The Office of Student Services administers federal Title IV financial aid programs that include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Teach Grants, Federal Direct Loans (Stafford and PLUS), and Federal Work-Study, as well as Nursing Loans. In addition, the office administers need-based institutional undergraduate grant and undergraduate scholarship programs, and undergraduate state scholarship and loan programs.
Financial aid application materials generally become available on the Student Services website (www.bc.edu/finaid) each December for the following academic year. Students wishing to be considered for assistance from federal, state, or institutional sources must complete all required forms.
Most forms of assistance at Boston College, whether institutional, federal, or state, are awarded on the basis of financial need. Need is defined as the difference between the total expenses of attending Boston College and the family's calculated ability to contribute towards those expenses. Students with the greatest financial need are given preference for most financial aid programs, and thus, tend to receive larger financial aid awards.
For more complete information on financial aid at Boston College, visit the Student Services website at www.bc.edu/finaid.
General Information
It is the student's responsibility to know and comply with all requirements and regulations of the financial aid programs in which they participate. Financial aid awards may be reduced or cancelled if the requirements of the award are not met. Students receiving any Federal Loans are expected to accept responsibility for the promissory note and all other agreements that they sign. Students must comply with all Federal Work-Study dates and deadlines.
All financial aid awards are made under the assumption that the student status (full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, and less than half-time enrollment in the Woods College of Advancing Studies) has not changed. Any change in the student's status must be reported, in writing, to the Office of Student Services as it can affect the financial aid award.
A student's enrollment in a study abroad program approved for credit by the home institution may be considered enrollment at the home institution for the purpose of applying for assistance under the Title IV, HEOA programs. Students receiving Federal Title IV funds are subject to the following withdrawal/refund process for those funds: The University is required to return to the federal aid programs the amount of aid received that was in excess of the aid "earned" for the time period the student remained enrolled. Students who remain enrolled through at least 60% of the payment period (semester) are considered to have earned 100% of the aid received. If the University is required to return funds to Title IV aid programs, those funds must be returned in the following order: Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans (Stafford), Federal Subsidized Direct Loans (Stafford), Federal Direct PLUS, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Federal TEACH Grants.
Financial aid from Massachusetts also follows the above Federal refund policy. Nursing Loans as well as Pennsylvania and Vermont State Scholarships follow the University's refund policy.
Returning funds to these programs could result in a balance coming due to the University on the student's account.
In addition, federal regulations require that schools monitor the academic progress of each applicant for federal financial assistance and that the school certify that the applicant is making satisfactory academic progress toward earning his/her degree. Please refer to Boston College's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for detailed information.
Financial aid recipients have the right to appeal their financial aid award. However, the student should understand that Boston College has already awarded the best financial aid package possible based on the information supplied. Therefore, any appeal made should be based on new, additional information not already included in the student's original application material. An appeal should be made by letter to the student's Financial Aid Counselor.
When applying for financial aid, the student has the right to ask the following:
- what the cost of attending is, and what the policies are on refunds to students who drop out.
- what financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial aid programs.
- what the procedures and deadlines are for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
- what criteria the institution uses to select financial aid recipients.
- how the institution determines financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc., are considered in the student's budget. It also includes what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, student assets, etc.) are considered in the calculation of need.
- how much of the student's financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met. Students also have the right to request an explanation of each type of aid, and the amount of each, in their financial aid award package.
- students receiving loans have the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount that must be repaid, the length of time given to repay the loan, when repayment must start, and any cancellation and deferment provisions that apply. Students offered a Work-Study job have the right to know what kind of job it is, what hours are expected, what the duties will be, what the rate of pay will be, and how and when they will be paid.
A student also has the responsibility to:
- pay special attention to his or her application for student financial aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the right place. Errors can delay the receipt of the financial aid package.
- provide all additional information requested by either the Office of Student Services or the agency to which the application was submitted.
- read and understand all forms he or she is asked to sign, and keep copies of them.
- perform in a satisfactory manner, as determined by the employer, the work that is agreed upon in accepting a Federal Work-Study job.
- know and comply with the deadlines for applications or reapplications for financial aid.
- know and comply with the College's refund procedures.
- notify the Office of Student Services and the lender of a loan (e.g., Federal Direct Loan (Stafford)) of any change in name, address, or school status.
- complete the Entrance Interview process if he or she is a new loan borrower.
- complete the Exit Interview process prior to withdrawal or graduation.
First Year Experience
Research has strongly indicated that the initial experience and the first months of a student's matriculation are pivotal to overall success in college. The Office of First Year Experience at Boston College has a dual focus. First, to introduce the new students to the resources of the University so that they might maximize the integration of their gifts and skills with the opportunity afforded them at Boston College. Second, to assist in the inculturation process whereby these new students come to understand, appreciate, and act upon the uniqueness of Boston College as a Jesuit university in the Catholic tradition. The second stage is not seen as an exclusionary mark, but rather as a foundational and guiding philosophy that underpins the efforts of all in this University community. The concept of "magis," for the greater, is seen as a way of understanding personal development and service to others as integral to our pursuit of excellence.
The two elements of the First Year Experience practically come together in the first instance during the seven summer Orientation sessions that extend over three days and two nights. A student program runs concurrently with a parent/guardian program during each of these sessions.
During Orientation, students will meet with academic deans and advisors to both discuss their academic options and register for their fall semester classes. Additionally, faculty, administrators, and upperclass orientation leaders will engage first year students in discussions of the intellectual, social, and spiritual life that is unique to Boston College, the value of diversity, the opportunities to participate in service, the availability of learning resources, and the consideration of behavioral choices during the college years. The forums for discussion are designed to be interactive as to welcome the newest members of our community into the spirit Boston College.
The parent/guardian program presents themes surrounding the issues of transition and adjustment which families will experience as a member enters college. The program sessions will address the ways students need to adjust to their new freedoms and responsibilities in order to maximize their college experience and discuss how parents/guardians can support their students during this stage of life.
Once the academic year begins, First Year Experience has organized programs aimed at continuing support for first year students as they negotiate the beginning of their college career. First Year Academic Convocation was created in 2004 to welcome students to the intellectual life of Boston College and the University's commitment to making a difference in our world. Each year a book is chosen for the incoming class to read during the summer in preparation for the academic year. Past selections have included Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, Dreams of My Father by President Barack Obama, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, The Road to Character by David Brooks, and A Chance in the World by Steve Pemberton. In September of each year, The Office of First Year Experience gathers the incoming class for the ceremonial First Flight Procession through campus and the Annual First Year Academic Convocation for which the author of the chosen book is the keynote speaker. The guiding principal of this event is the charge that Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Jesuit Order) gave to his followers to "Go, set the world aflame."
48HOURS is a weekend experience open to all first year students who are interested in reflecting upon and enlivening the intellectual, social, and spiritual dimensions of their BC experience. Participants of this program hear senior student leaders speak personally and honestly about their own college transition process, focusing particularly on their first year ups and downs. The topics covered during the course of the weekend (competition and comparison, friends and relationships, handling conflict and challenges, etc.) are presented in a way that encourages students to consider how their expectations of college life might compare to their lived experience and what steps they can take to live a more productive, meaningful, and authentic life upon their return to campus.
Through this programming, First Year Experience at Boston College is attempting to create what Ernest Boyer describes as the "scholarship of engagement." It does so uniquely in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition and as a first-rate academic institution interested in the development of character and leadership for a more just and humane twenty-first century.
Special Programs
Capstone Seminar Program
The Capstone Seminar Program helps students to "cap off" their Boston College experience by a review of their education and a preview of their major life commitments after college. Capstone offers several integrative seminars each semester exclusively for seniors and second-semester juniors in all schools. The Capstone seminars explore the struggle to discern your own calling in life as you integrate the four crucial areas of work, relationships, society, and spirituality. Capstone seminars are taught by two dozen faculty from 20 different departments and all four colleges—Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and Connell School of Nursing—within Boston College. Seminars are limited to 15 to 20 students. All courses are listed between UNCP5500 and UNCP5599 in the Boston College Catalog. Many Capstone Seminars are also cross-listed in the home department of the professor and can be taken for elective credit by majors or minors in that department. Department regulations vary. You may take only one Capstone course during your academic career. Capstones cannot be taken as Pass/Fail. For information, contact the Program Director, Fr. James Weiss via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com or see the University Courses section of this Catalog. You may also reference the Capstone Program website at www.bc.edu/capstone.
Faculty and Staff Children Exchange Program (FACHEX)
FACHEX is an undergraduate tuition remission program for children of full-time faculty, administrators, and staff at participating Jesuit colleges and universities. The program for BC employees is administered through the Benefits Office in cooperation with the Office of Enrollment Management.
For Boston College employees, five consecutive years of full-time employment is required for establishing initial eligibility for the program. Employees must complete the FACHEX Certification Form available on the Boston College FACHEX website and return it to the Benefits Office for processing before December 1. Only the Benefits Office can certify an employee child as FACHEX eligible in the AJCU's FACHEX Database, and this form contains the required information for entry. Employees should also consult the FACHEX website for information about rules of the program, and strongly consider contacting the FACHEX Coordinator at the participating colleges and universities their child is applying at, to follow those school's specific admissions deadlines or requirements. BC does not maintain admissions policies of other schools in the program, and cannot advise on their behalf.
Employees should be aware, however, that FACHEX awards tend to be extremely limited in number and are highly competitive in terms of academic selectivity. As a result, there are no guarantees to the children of any given faculty or staff member that they will be able to utilize the FACHEX benefit at the institution of their choice. Also, many participating schools only consider incoming freshman applicants for FACHEX, so transfer students or upperclassmen may not be eligible.
Employees at other participating institutions should ask their respective Benefits Offices for information on requirements for eligibility. Parents and students should then visit the Boston College FACHEX website to view the necessary procedures and conditions for FACHEX applicants.
Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program
The Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program is a university-wide, 4-year co-curricular honors program that uniquely expresses the Jesuit heritage of Boston College. Approximately 15 incoming freshmen are chosen each year from the top one to two percent of the national pool of students applying for Early Action admission to Boston College. Students are selected on the basis of superior academic achievement and promise, leadership potential, and a demonstrated commitment to service to society. The Program offers these extraordinary individuals the richest academic experience available at Boston College, one that encourages the pursuit of excellence both within and beyond the University walls. Presidential Scholars receive a full-tuition merit scholarship.
In addition to enrollment in one of the University's several departmental honors programs, during the academic year Scholars meet weekly to discuss their area of concentrations (science and pre-med, humanities, political science and international studies, and management, economics and finance), to share experiences and find greater wisdom in applying for study grants, language programs, internships, and fellowships, and to partake in the cultural life of Boston at the theater or the symphony. To complement the emphasis on ideas and ideals they encounter in their classes, and in their summer programs, Presidential Scholars also give presentations to their fellow scholars about a variety of their experiences including study abroad, Advanced Study Grants, internships and thesis writing. These presentations serve as additional avenues of inspiration to younger scholars, offering them a glimpse of the opportunities that are open to them throughout their college careers. In addition, these presentations offer the upperclassmen scholars the opportunity to develop and refine their public speaking skills.
During the spring semester freshman Presidential Scholars travel to a country in Europe, while the sophomore Scholars travel to a country in Latin America. These trips are intended to be the starting point in the Scholars' journey of becoming "global citizens." In their freshman year, they spend a week in a non-English speaking European country, so as to realize skills that meet the challenge of linguistic differences. In their sophomore year, they have an immersion experience of the social and economic challenges for our neighbors to the South.
In the summers, Scholars are challenged to test and apply what they have learned at Boston College to the world beyond the campus by participating in experiential learning programs focusing on service learning (after the first year), independent international study and travel (after the second year), and professional internship (after the third year).
Through this carefully balanced combination of academic rigor and co-curricular opportunities and challenges, the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program seeks to develop exceptional scholars and leaders for the Boston College community and far beyond.
Office of International Programs (OIP)
International programs are an integral part of the undergraduate experience at BC. Each year approximately 1,200 students—or over 50% of a given graduating class—spend a semester, summer, or academic year studying, interning, conducting research, and/or volunteering abroad. BC collaborates with a variety of partner universities worldwide to administer programs in about 30 countries. To apply for semester/academic year programs abroad, students are required to have a 3.0 GPA and be in good disciplinary standing. Additional non-BC approved programs are listed on the OIP website. The OIP also offers around 30 short-term, faculty-led summer programs that are open to both BC and non-BC students and have no minimum GPA requirement. Students should begin planning to go abroad as early as their freshman year. Information on the OIP website, information sessions, and individual meetings with OIP advisors help students choose the best program for their academic needs.
For more information, please visit www.bc.edu/international. The OIP is located in Hovey House (258 Hammond Street, 617-552-3827).
Academic Year Programs*
*Note: "BC in –" programs denote those options where there is some sort of coordinator/on-the ground support staff, in addition to services offered by the host institution. Services range from full-time coordinators to more limited support.
BC in Buenos Aires: Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina (UCA)
Semester or full-year program at this excellent private institution located in downtown Buenos Aires. Offerings include arts and music, economics and business, law and political science, humanities, and communication.
BC in Buenos Aires: Universidad Torcuato Di Tella
Semester or full-year program in Buenos Aires at one of Argentina's most prestigious private universities. Offerings include business, economics, political science, international studies, journalism, and history.
Monash University
One of the Australian Group of Eight schools (most distinguished research institutions). Semester or full-year program in a suburb of Melbourne. Offers courses across all disciplines.
Notre Dame University
Semester or full-year program at a small Jesuit university in Fremantle, western Australia, with a wide range of courses across all subjects. Strongest in arts and humanities. Optional Australian Studies course with field trips.
University of Melbourne
One of the Group of Eight schools located in the heart of the city. Semester or full-year program. Exceptional in all subject areas, especially Arts and Sciences.
University of New South Wales
Semester or full-year program in Sydney with broad offerings across all disciplines. A Group of Eight school. Offers internships and optional pre-semester program to study the environment at the Great Barrier Reef. Possible internship unit.
University of Queensland
A Group of Eight school located in Brisbane. Semester or full-year program with a broad curriculum. Exceptional in all subject areas, especially biology, marine studies, psychology, business and economics. Research opportunities for students.
University of Western Australia
Group of Eight school located in Perth. Semester or full-year program with a broad, excellent curriculum. Strong in all subject areas—particularly sciences, environmental sciences, social sciences, business, education, and music.
University of Sydney
Group of Eight school located in Sydney. Semester or full-year program with a broad curriculum. The majority of students enroll in Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Science, Engineering and Information Technologies, and Health Sciences.
Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU)
Semester or full-year program at one of Europe's top business schools, with courses taught in English for CSOM or Economics students. No prior German language required.
BC in Rio de Janeiro: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)
Semester or full-year program with courses in all disciplines. For students with elementary, intermediate, and advanced Portuguese as well as advanced Spanish skills. New English track in Brazilian and Latin American culture with a mandatory Portuguese course.
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (PUC)
Semester or full-year program in Santiago at Chile's premiere Catholic university. Courses include humanities, social sciences, economics, education, business, and law.
Universidad Alberto Hurtado (UAH)
Semester or full-year program at a small, prestigious Jesuit institution in Santiago. Good for social sciences, humanities, philosophy, business, literature, and pre-law.
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Semester or full-year program with a wide range of curricula offered in English. CUHK offers classes in business administration, education, engineering, law, medicine, science, and social science.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Semester or full-year direct enrollment program with a strong focus on business/management. For CSOM students only. On campus housing, central location. Courses taught in English. No language requirement.
University of Hong Kong
Semester or full-year program suitable for most students especially those concentrating in the humanities and sciences. Business students welcome. On-campus housing, proximity to public transportation. Courses taught in English. No language requirement.
Copenhagen Business School
Semester or full-year program with courses taught in English for CSOM or economics students.
Copenhagen University
Semester or full-year program with courses taught in English in humanities, social sciences, law, health science, natural science, and theology.
BC in Quito: Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ)
Semester or full-year program with course offerings across the disciplines. Limited science courses offered in English as well as courses in other subjects in Spanish. Community health course available for Nursing and premed students.
BC in London: King's College London, University of London
Semester or full-year program in London with course offerings across the disciplines including a strong pre-medical program.
BC in London: London School of Economics (LSE)
Full-year program in social sciences, including economics, finance, political science, and sociology.
BC in London: Queen Mary, University of London
Semester or full-year program in London's vibrant and diverse East End.
BC in London: Royal Holloway, University of London
Semester or full-year program with a suburban, park land campus and a wide range of course offerings for MCAS and CSOM students.
BC in London: School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
Semester or full-year program in central London with specialist studies of Africa, Asia, and the Near and Middle East, including history, languages, politics, religion, and sociology.
BC in London: University College London, University of London
Semester or full-year program for MCAS students at the University of London's top-ranked college in central London.
University of Bristol
Semester or full-year program located in Bristol, England, with courses across the disciplines, including courses in the sciences for pre-medical students and in management for CSOM students.
Durham University
Full-year program offering courses across many disciplines including English, history, philosophy, theology, economics, and the sciences.
Lancaster University
Semester or full-year program with courses across the disciplines, including courses in the sciences for pre-medical students and in management for CSOM students.
University of Liverpool
Semester or full-year program with courses across the disciplines, including humanities, sciences, and management.
University of Oxford, Mansfield College
Full-year program only. Students from all colleges can participate in university-wide lectures, events, and groups.
BC in Paris: Université de Paris
Semester or full-year program based at the University of Paris. BC students attend the University of Paris IV (Sorbonne) or the University of Paris IX (Dauphine). Offers a wide range of disciplines. Courses are taught in French, with a small number taught in English at the University of Paris IX (Dauphine).
BC in Paris: L'Institut de Langue et de Culture Française (ILCF)
A French language institute connected to L'Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP). French-taught semester program offers courses in French language, phonetics, grammar, and conversation. English-taught courses in other subjects are available.
BC in Paris: L'Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP)
Semester or full-year program offering French-taught courses in humanities, education, theology, and philosophy.
BC in Paris: L'Ecole Supérieure de Commerce (ESCP)
Semester program based at the oldest business school in France, located in the central East of Paris. Students take courses in international business, finance, economics and marketing. Courses taught in French and/or English.
BC in Paris: L'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
Semester or full-year program offering courses in business, history, communications, law, journalism, political science, international relations, economics, and European studies. Courses taught in French and English.
Eichstätt Catholic University
Spring semester or full-year program at a small university located near Munich, with course offerings in arts and sciences, business, and education. Intensive pre-semester language program in Munich. Offers beginning and advanced track programs.
American College of Greece (ACG)
Semester or full-year direct enrollment program in Athens. Course offerings from wide range of curricula taught in English. It is a unique blend of modern and ancient history. Athens is an affordable city and filled with a multitude of activities.
BC in Cork: University College Cork
Semester or full-year program offering a broad selection of courses in a wide range of disciplines including business, arts, and sciences. Fall semester students take a university early start program, while spring semester students take a mandatory Irish Studies course taught by the BC on-site coordinator.
BC in Dublin: National University of Ireland Maynooth
Semester or full-year program in a small campus environment outside of Dublin. Voted Ireland's Outstanding University for 2008. Mandatory Irish Studies course taught by the BC on-site coordinator.
BC in Dublin: Trinity College Dublin
Semester or full-year program at one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious institutions located in the center of Dublin. Wide range of courses across all disciplines. Mandatory Irish Studies course taught by the BC on-site coordinator.
BC in Dublin: University College Dublin (UCD)
Semester or full-year program with offerings across the disciplines, including Arts and Commerce. Students in the Arts and Sciences faculties select two departments in which to take their courses. Commerce students take most classes within the Quinn School. Mandatory Irish Studies course taught by the BC on-site coordinator.
BC in Galway: National University of Ireland, Galway
Semester or full-year program (fall or full year only for MCAS students) with course offerings across the disciplines. Some courses are approved for CSON students. Mandatory Irish Studies class taught by BC on-site coordinator.
BC in Parma: University of Parma
Semester or full-year program at the University of Parma, with a wide range of disciplines offered. Courses taught in Italian.
BC in Parma: L'Istituto Dante Alighieri, Parma
Semester or full-year program at the Istituto Dante Alighieri, offering a range of courses taught in English.
Bocconi University, Milan
Semester or full-year program based at one of the leading business schools in Europe. Courses taught in English and Italian.
Venice International University
Semester or full-year program located at Venice International University, an international higher education and research center co-run by fifteen consortium members from around the world. Based on San Servolo Island, just a few minutes from St. Mark's Square in the heart of Venice. Students take courses taught in English in the social sciences and international studies.
Sophia University
Spring semester or full-year program in Tokyo with course offerings in English covering a wide range of disciplines. No Japanese language prerequisite—beginners welcome to apply.
Waseda University
Spring semester or full-year program in Tokyo with course offerings in English through the SILS School. Two semesters of Japanese language must be completed prior to departure. University housing and homestay options.
Al Akhawayn University
Semester or full-year program in Ifrane, with course offerings in English. Excellent opportunity for business students and those looking to study in a unique trilingual environment. Recommended for Islamic Studies and intensive Arabic language. Volunteer placements by arrangement.
BC in Kathmandu: Center for Buddhist Studies
Semester or full-year program offers an in-depth study of Buddhist philosophy. Highly recommended for students interested in comparative religion, theology, and philosophy. Courses in Tibetan or colloquial Nepali language offered. Homestays with local families.
The Netherlands
Amsterdam University College
Semester or full year program with courses offered in English. Classes are available in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
University College Utrecht
Semester or full year program with courses offered in English. Classes are available in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
University of Amsterdam
Semester or full-year program with English courses available in the humanities and social sciences.
New Zealand
University of Otago
Semester or full-year program at one of New Zealand's top-ranked universities. Exceptional course offerings across the disciplines, especially environmental sciences, business, theology, arts, and humanities.
University of Bergen
Semester or full-year program with wide ranging curriculum in English with strengths in natural and marine sciences.
The Philippines
Anteneo de Manila University
Semester or full-year program with courses taught in English. Perfect for CSOM students. Excellent service opportunities.
Jagiellonian University
Semester or full-year program in politics, sociology, Polish language, literature, and culture at the University's Center for European Studies.
BC in Glasgow: University of Glasgow
Semester or full-year program offering courses across all disciplines including economics, business, the sciences, and premed.
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Semester or full-year program at the oldest and largest institute of higher learning in Singapore. Wide variety of courses available. Housing available on- or off-campus.
South Africa
BC in Grahamstown: Rhodes University
Semester or full-year program in Grahamstown with courses across the disciplines. Supervised service-learning placements through the BC program.
BC in Cape Town: University of Cape Town
Semester or full-year program in Cape Town with courses across the disciplines. Recommended for students majoring in the sciences, business, and humanities. Volunteer opportunities available.
South Korea
Seoul National University
Semester or full-year program with a range of courses offered in English. Opportunities to study Korean language.
Sogang University
Semester or full-year program in Seoul with a range of courses offered in English. Opportunity for intensive language study. Students live in new on-campus residence halls. Internship and service opportunities available.
BC in Barcelona: ESADE
Semester program in Barcelona offering courses in business and law. English-taught curriculum.
BC in Barcelona: Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
Semester or full-year program in Barcelona offering courses in most disciplines, except the sciences.
BC in Granada: University of Granada, Granada Institute of International Studies (GRIIS)
Semester or full-year program with courses that focus on Spanish language, culture, history, literature, art history, economics, and politics. Arabic and Hebrew language courses offered both semesters.
BC in Madrid: Compultense de Madrid
Semester or full-year program for students in all disciplines except those in CSOM, communications, economics and international studies. Non-native Spanish courses offered through the Reunidas program.
BC in Madrid: Carlos III
Semester or full-year program for students in all disciplines. Non-native Spanish courses offered.
BC in Madrid: Pontificia Comillas
Semester or full-year program for students in all disciplines at this private, Jesuit institution. Business, law, social sciences and humanities and international relations major offered.
Universidad de Deusto
Semester or full-year program in Spain's Basque country on campuses in San Sebastián and Bilbao. San Sebastián offers courses in business, economics, literature, sociology, philosophy, and communications. Bilbao offers courses in all disciplines.
Boğaziçi University
Semester or full-year program in Turkey's elite university, in a wide range of subjects taught in English.
United Arab Emirates
American University of Sharja (AUS)
Semester of full-year program in a diverse, English-language university in the heart of the UAE with a large international population. Courses available in arts, humanities, sciences, languages, and management.
Summer Sessions
Faculty-led summer programs are open to undergraduate and graduate students with OIP approval. Programs are taught in English except for language courses. Programs listed are subject to change on an annual basis.
Nanjing, China
Climate Change and Sustainability: An Environmental Chemistry View (3 credits)
Berlin, Germany
Drawing from Berlin's Past and Future (3 credits)
Bordeaux, France
Intensive Intermediate French (6 credits)
Dublin, Ireland
Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
The Business, History, and Politics of Sport (3 credits)
Ballyvaughn, Ireland
Introduction to Art and Ecology (3 credits)
Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland
The Politics of Self-Rule (3 credits)
London, England
Contemporary Theatre and Drama in London (3 credits)
London Through Literature (3 credits)
Madrid, Spain
Spanish Art History: from Al-Andalus to Picasso (3 credits)
Paris, France
Food Writing in Paris (3 credits)
The Twentieth Century and the Tradition in Paris (3 credits) (Applicants must be in the Honors Program)
Parma, Italy
International Law of Food (3 credits)
The Art of Physics (3 credits)
Rome, Italy
Art and Patronage in Renaissance and Baroque Rome (3 credits)
Contemporary Italian Culture through Film (3 credits)
Saints and Sinners (3 credits)
Venice, Italy
Globalization, Culture, and Ethics (3 credits)
The Imaginary City: Why Writers Love Venice (3 credits)
Zagreb, Croatia and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Philosophy of Peace and Hospitality (3 credits)
Latin America
Quito, Ecuador
Global Health Perspectives (3 credits)
Santiago, Chile
Through the Eyes of Service: Social Justice in Chile (3 credits)
Auckland, New Zealand
From Maori to Middle Earth (3 credits)
Internships Abroad
Dublin, Hong Kong, Madrid, Paris, and Prague
Eight-week, independent internship program offers students the opportunity to experience the local work culture first-hand. OIP staff work with students to design the best possible internship based on student interests, majors, and previous work experience.
Other Opportunities
Overseas Teaching Program
- Students perform pre-practica or full practica in elementary or secondary student teaching abroad.
- Applied Psychology and Human Development Practica Abroad
Lynch School students can do an Applied Psychology and Human Development Practicum while studying. See the Dean's Office for details.
Washington Semester and SEA Education Association Program
BC offers a semester-long internship program in cooperation with American University in Washington, DC. The program combines academic courses with internship placements in legislative, executive, and interest-group offices in the nation's capital. The academic requirements for participation are the same as those for study abroad and Washington semester programs are administered as approved external programs through the OIP. The program can be combined with a study abroad experience.
SEA Education Association Program
The university offers a semester-long opportunity with SEA Education Association (SEA), a program option that challenges them intellectually and physically by combining a sailing experience with the study of the deep ocean. The interdisciplinary program tracks are designed for students who wish to gain a comprehensive understanding of the world's oceans. Students, especially those majoring in the natural sciences, can complete a semester with SEA as an alternative to study abroad or in combination with another semester program. SEA programs are administered as approved external programs through the OIP.
Pre-Professional Programs
Pre-Law Advising
Boston College offers pre-law advising through the Career Center. The Boston College Career Center and two pre-law student associations, the Bellarmine Law Society and the AHANA Pre-Law Student Association, present panels each year on different aspects of the legal profession and the law school admission process. Career coaches are available to meet individually with students interested in law as a career whenever questions or concerns arise. While no particular major is preferred by law schools, it is suggested that students consider including some of the following courses in their programs of study: logic, mathematics, law, public speaking, English (especially intensive writing courses), history, sociology, and political science. You can indicate your interest in receiving announcements of pre-law panels and activities by officially registering as Pre-Law in the Academic Advising Center or Office of Student Services. Before scheduling a pre-law advising appointment, students should review the Boston College Pre-Law Advising Handbook. For further information, contact the Career Center at 617-552-3430 and view the Career Center's website for information on applying to law school at: www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law.html.
Pre-Health Program
Medical, dental, veterinary, and other health professions schools welcome qualified students from diversified academic backgrounds. Thus, the student planning to pursue a health related career may choose for a major field of study in any one of the humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences. Below is a brief summary of the program. For detailed information, visit www.bc.edu/premed.
Health professions graduate schools expect each applicant to be well grounded in the fundamental sciences and to be familiar, through practical experience, with laboratory techniques. For these reasons, most health profession schools require one year of coursework at the college level in the following disciplines:
- General Chemistry with lab
- Organic Chemistry with lab
- Biology with lab
- Physics with lab
- English
In addition, one year of mathematics is usually strongly recommended. Some medical schools require calculus. A few schools (particularly veterinary medical schools) have additional requirements, such as Biochemistry and Animal Nutrition, for example.
Three Year or Four Year Sequencing
Three Year Program: Undergraduates who plan to matriculate to health professions graduate school the fall after they graduate will need to complete all required courses (see above) by the end of junior year. Applications are filed the summer before senior year. While simultaneously taking junior year course work, we recommend that students study for and take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) preferably by the end of spring semester (late April/May) of their junior year. Students taking the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) are encouraged to take it in early summer (e.g., May/June). In addition, health professions graduate schools expect a high level of academic performance, significant exposure to the health field, through clinical placements and shadowing as well as other meaningful extra-curricular experiences.
Clearly this is a great deal to accomplish in three years and, for this reason, increasing numbers of students choose the four year option below. If you follow the three year program and are a competitive candidate, you would be invited for interviews during the fall/early winter of your senior year. If accepted, you would begin graduate school in August/September following your graduation from BC.
Four Year Program: An increasing number of students at BC, as well as other institutions, are applying to graduate schools in the health professions at the end of their senior year—or later. Students who elect to delay their applications have the opportunity to pursue other interests and/or opportunities (e.g., study abroad, completing a thesis, minoring in a non-science discipline, volunteer work, or research) thus potentially making them more attractive candidates. This is a good option for students who have performed modestly during freshman year, since it will allow additional time to bring grades, particularly in the sciences, into a more competitive range. The four year option also allows for greater flexibility in planning for entrance exams (MCAT, DAT, GRE). The average age for students beginning graduate school in the health professions is approximately 25; therefore, the applicant taking one or more (gap) growth year(s), is increasing.
For a complete overview of the required pre-health curriculum, course numbers, and recommended course sequencing, please visit the B.C. Pre-Health website (www.bc.edu/premed).
Advanced Placement
For specific information regarding advanced placement, please visit www.bc.edu/premed.
Further Information
If you would like to speak with a staff member call 617-552-4663 or e-mail us at email@example.com.
PULSE Program For Service Learning
For a full description of the PULSE Program, please visit the PULSE website.
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Through a cross-enrolled program with Boston University, interested Boston College students may participate in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. Scholarships (full and partial) are available to qualified students for four, three, or two years and include tuition (full or partial), books, fees, and a monthly stipend. Freshmen and sophomores can compete for 2- and 3-year scholarships, some of which would cover full tuition, others which cover $15,000 per academic year. Academic specialties for scholarships include all majors. All training, drills, and classes are held at the BU campus. Service obligations are one year for each scholarship year (active duty), while pilots are obligated for eight years active duty after completion of flight school. To obtain further information, contact the Department of Aerospace Studies, Boston University, 617-353-4705, email@example.com.
Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The U.S. Army offers Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) at Boston College as a partnership school in cooperation with Northeastern University. Combined, Boston College and Northeastern University make up the Liberty Battalion. Boston College students attend classes and training on the Chestnut Hill campus. Upon graduation and successful completion of all pre-commissioning requirements, Cadets receive a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and serve on active duty or in the Reserves in a variety of fields. Qualified graduates may also be selected to attend professional schools, such as medical or law school.
Scholarships may be available for qualified high school students admitted to Boston College and college students currently attending BC. In addition, scholarships may be available to Boston College Nurses through the ROTC program. All scholarships include full tuition and mandatory fees, a monthly stipend, and money for books. Boston College also awards additional incentives for Army ROTC scholarship Cadets. For more information including an application, contact the Liberty Battalion Recruitment Officer at 617-373-2378 or the Boston College Department of Military Science (Carney Hall 171 and 172) at 617-552-2322/2580 or visit www.bc.edu/armyrotc.
Marine Corps Platoon Leaders' Class (PLC)
Available in connection with the Marine Officers Selection Office, Boston, the PLC Program is open to qualified freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. No formal classes or training takes place during the academic year. Students/candidates attend Officer Candidate School (Quantico, VA) training either in two 6-week sessions (male freshmen/sophomores) or one 10-week session (male and female juniors/seniors). Pay and expenses are received during training. No commitment to the USMC is incurred after OCS until a degree is awarded and a Second Lieutenant's commission issued. Service obligations are then three and a half years active duty or longer for aviation positions. Students/candidates may drop from the program at any time prior to commissioning. For more information, contact the Marine Officer Selection Office, Boston, at 888-753-8762.
Navy Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Qualified BC students may cross enroll in Navy Reserve Officers' Training Corps (and the Marine Corps Option) at Boston University. There are 3- and 4-year programs with possible scholarships (full tuition, some books/fees expenses, monthly stipend, but no room and board). All classes and drills are held at Boston University. Scholarship students incur an active duty service obligation. For further information, please contact the Department of Naval Sciences, Boston University, 617-358-0471, firstname.lastname@example.com.
Undergraduate Faculty Research Fellows Program
Boston College established the Undergraduate Faculty Research Fellows Program (URF) for the purpose of enhancing the academic experience of undergraduates by cultivating their research skills and fostering mentor relationships between undergraduates and faculty. The program provides a grant to faculty to pay for a student's research assistance with a faculty member's research project. It is considered student employment and the student may work up to 20 hours a week during the academic semester, up to 40 hours a week during semester breaks or the summer, depending on faculty need, the funding available, and student availability. Students do not apply directly.
The application for an Undergraduate Research Fellowship must come from the faculty member whose research project the student will assist. Students can inquire directly with faculty to express their interest in being involved in the faculty member's research. Students cannot receive academic credit for work done under an URF.
Academic Integrity
Policy and Procedures
The pursuit of knowledge can proceed only when scholars take responsibility and receive credit for their work. Recognition of individual contributions to knowledge and of the intellectual property of others builds trust within the University and encourages the sharing of ideas that is essential to scholarship. Similarly, the educational process requires that individuals present their own ideas and insights for evaluation, critique, and eventual reformulation. Presentation of others' work as one's own is not only intellectual dishonesty, but it also undermines the educational process.
Academic integrity is violated by any dishonest act which is committed in an academic context including, but not restricted to, the following:
Cheating is the fraudulent or dishonest presentation of work. Cheating includes but is not limited to:
- the use or attempted use of unauthorized aids in examinations or other academic exercises submitted for evaluation;
- fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data, results, sources for papers or reports, or in clinical practice, as in reporting experiments, measurements, statistical analyses, tests, or other studies never performed; manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of research to achieve a desired result; selective reporting, including the deliberate suppression of conflicting or unwanted data;
- falsification of papers, official records, or reports;
- copying from another student's work;
- actions that destroy or alter the work of another student;
- unauthorized cooperation in completing assignments or during an examination;
- the use of purchased essays or term papers, or of purchased preparatory research for such papers;
- submission of the same written work in more than one course without prior written approval from the instructors involved;
- dishonesty in requests for make-up exams, for extensions of deadlines for submitting papers, and in any other matter relating to a course.
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas, data, illustrations, or statements of another person or source, and presenting them as one's own. Each student is responsible for learning and using proper methods of paraphrasing and footnoting, quotation, and other forms of citation, to ensure that the original author, speaker, illustrator, or source of the material used is clearly acknowledged.
Other breaches of academic integrity include:
- the misrepresentation of one's own or another's identity for academic purposes;
- the misrepresentation of material facts or circumstances in relation to examinations, papers, or other evaluative activities;
- the sale of papers, essays, or research for fraudulent use;
- the alteration or falsification of official University records;
- the unauthorized use of University academic facilities or equipment, including computer accounts and files;
- the unauthorized recording, sale, purchase, or use of academic lectures, academic computer software, or other instructional materials;
- the expropriation or abuse of ideas and preliminary data obtained during the process of editorial or peer review of work submitted to journals, or in proposals for funding by agency panels or by internal University committees;
- the expropriation and/or inappropriate dissemination of personally-identifying human subject data;
- the unauthorized removal, mutilation, or deliberate concealment of materials in University libraries, media, or academic resource centers.
Collusion is defined as assistance or an attempt to assist another student in an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion is distinct from collaborative learning, which may be a valuable component of students' scholarly development. Acceptable levels of collaboration vary in different courses, and students are expected to consult with their instructor if they are uncertain whether their cooperative activities are acceptable.
Promoting Academic Integrity: Roles of Community Members
Student Roles in Maintaining Academic Integrity
Students have a responsibility to maintain high standards of academic integrity in their own work, and thereby to maintain the integrity of their degree. It is their responsibility to be familiar with, and understand, the University policy on academic integrity.
Students who become aware of a violation of academic integrity by a fellow student should respond in one of the following ways:
- Students may discuss their concerns with the student whom they suspect of a violation. Direct contact by another student may be the best means of resolving the problem. Repeated demonstration of student concern for academic integrity will in the long run build a peer-regulated community.
- If the incident is a major violation or part of a repeated pattern of violations, students should bring their concerns to the attention of the instructor or to the appropriate department chairperson or associate dean. Suspected violations by students reported to members of the faculty or to an associate dean will be handled according to the procedures set forth below.
Students who have serious concern that a faculty member is not living up to his or her responsibility to safeguard and promote academic integrity should speak with the faculty member directly, or should bring their concern to the attention of the department chairperson or associate dean.
Faculty Roles in Fostering Academic Integrity
Faculty members should provide students with a positive environment for learning and intellectual growth and, by their words and actions, promote conditions that foster academic integrity.
Faculty should be concerned about the impact of their behavior on students. Students are sensitive to messages communicated in informal discussions and in casual faculty remarks about personal decisions and value judgments. Students are perhaps most sensitive to how responsibly faculty members fulfill their obligations to them in the careful preparation of classes, in the serious evaluation of student achievement, and in their genuine interest in and availability to students.
Faculty should promote academic integrity in the following specific ways:
- At the beginning of each course, instructors should discuss academic integrity in order to promote an ongoing dialogue about academic integrity and to set the tone and establish guidelines for academic integrity within the context of the course, e.g., the extent to which collaborative work is appropriate. Where relevant, instructors should discuss why, when, and how students must cite sources in their written work.
- Instructors should provide students with a written syllabus that states course requirements and, when available, examination dates and times.
- Instructors are encouraged to prepare new examinations and assignments where appropriate each semester in order to ensure that no student obtains an unfair advantage over his or her classmates by reviewing exams or assignments from prior semesters. If previous examinations are available to some students, faculty members should insure that all students in the course have similar access. Course examinations should be designed to minimize the possibility of cheating, and course paper assignments should be designed to minimize the possibility of plagiarism.
- Proctors should be present at all examinations, including the final examination, and should provide students with an environment that encourages honesty and prevents dishonesty.
- Faculty should be careful to respect students' intellectual property and the confidentiality of student academic information.
- Assignment of grades, which is the sole responsibility of the instructor, should be awarded in a manner fair to all students.
Academic Deans
Academic deans have overall responsibility for academic integrity within their schools. In particular, deans' responsibilities include the following:
- promoting an environment where academic integrity is a priority for both students and faculty,
- ensuring that students who are honest are not placed at an unfair disadvantage, and
- establishing procedures to adjudicate charges of academic dishonesty and to protect the rights of all parties.
In each school a Committee on Academic Integrity with both faculty and student members is to be constituted annually.
When a faculty member determines that a student's work violates the standards of academic integrity, the faculty member is encouraged to discuss the matter with the student, but in any case the faculty member should notify the student of the substance of the violation and the action that the faculty member proposes to take. If the faculty member decides to impose a grading penalty, a letter of notification describing the incident and the proposed grading penalty is to be sent to the student's class dean. On receipt of such a notification the associate dean will notify the student of the allegation and the evidence. The student will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegation in writing. While a case is pending, the student may not withdraw from or change status in the course.
Each reported violation of the standards of academic integrity will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Integrity of the student's school. In cases involving students from more than one school, or students in joint or dual degree programs, the Committees on Academic Integrity of the pertinent schools will cooperate in their review.
A board chosen by the chairperson of the Committee on Academic Integrity from the full Committee will be assigned to each case, with one of the faculty members as chairperson of the review board. The associate dean to whom the case has been reported will serve as a non-voting administrative resource. For cases that are reported in summer courses, the associate dean or deans of the student's school will decide the case.
The associate dean will convey to the faculty member and the student the board's findings as to responsibility and recommended sanctions. The associate dean will compile a complete file of each case, to be kept confidential in the Dean's office. Files on students found not responsible will be destroyed.
Penalties for students found responsible for violations will depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and the student's previous record of violations. The committee may simply affirm the faculty member's penalty and issue the student a "warning," which will be kept in a confidential file in the student's Dean's Office until the student graduates and will not be reportable to professional schools or outside agencies; or it may recommend a different grading penalty and/or impose additional administrative penalties. Such penalties may include university probation, suspension, or expulsion, all of which become part of a student's academic record and are reportable to graduate/professional schools and outside agencies.
Appeal of the board's decision may be made by written request to the Dean of the student's school not later than ten days following notice of the board's decision, and the Dean's decision will be final.
Academic Regulations
Academic Regulations are effective from September of the current academic year (2018–2019) except where a different date is explicitly stated. If there have been changes in the Academic Regulations and degree requirements since a student readmitted after sustained leave was last enrolled, the Academic Regulations in effect at the time of the student's readmission to full-time study will apply, unless the Academic Dean specifies otherwise in writing at the time of readmission.
Academic Grievances
Any student who believes he or she has been treated unfairly in academic matters should consult with the chairperson of the undergraduate or graduate department or his or her Academic Dean to discuss the situation and to obtain information about relevant grievance procedures.
Academic Record
A record of each student's academic work is prepared and maintained permanently by the Office of Student Services. While cumulative averages for academic majors are made available to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled, these averages are not maintained as part of a student's academic record. The student's semester averages and final overall cumulative average appear on the academic record. Student academic records are sealed at the time the degree is conferred. After this date changes may not be made, with the exception of errors or omissions.
Students are expected to attend classes regularly, take tests, and submit papers and other work at the times specified by the professor on the course syllabus. Students who are absent repeatedly from class or practica will be evaluated by faculty responsible for the course to ascertain their ability to achieve the course objectives and to continue in the course.
Professors may include, as part of the semester's grades, marks for the quality and quantity of the student's participation in class.
Professors will announce, reasonably well in advance, tests and examinations based on material covered in class lectures and discussions, as well as other assigned material. A student who is absent from class on the day of a previously announced examination, including the final examination, is not entitled, as a matter of right, to make up what was missed. The professor involved is free to decide whether a make-up will be allowed.
A student who is absent from class is responsible for obtaining knowledge of what happened in class, especially information about announced tests, papers, or other assignments.
In cases of prolonged absence the student or a family member should communicate with the student's Academic Dean as soon as the prospect of extended absence becomes clear. The academic arrangements for the student's return to classes should be made with the Academic Dean's Office as soon as the student's health and other circumstances permit.
Absences for Religious Reasons
Any student who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination, or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, or study or work requirement, that may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day. However, students should notify professors at the end of the first class meeting or at least two weeks in advance of any such planned observances, and such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon the University. No fees will be charged and no adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student who is absent for religious reasons.
Undergraduate students may not audit a course with the exception of undergraduates in the Woods College of Advancing Studies.
Core Curriculum—Undergraduate University Core Requirements
The following courses comprise the Core Curriculum and are required for all students at Boston College in order to graduate. All courses must be 3 credits or more and cannot be taken pass/fail.
- 1 course in the Arts—Art, Art History, Film, Music, Theatre
- 1 course in Cultural Diversity—The Cultural Diversity requirement may be fulfilled by an approved course taken to fulfill another Core requirement, a major requirement, or an elective. Lynch students will take APSY1031. The CSON curriculum satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement.
- 2 courses in History—one course pre-1800 and one post-1800
- 1 course in Literature—Classical Studies, English, German Studies, Romance Languages and Literatures, Slavic and Eastern Languages and Literatures
- 1 course in Mathematics—For CSOM students, one semester of Calculus (MATH1100 or higher) is required, and beginning with the class of 2022, CSOM students may take any course approved for Mathematics Core credit. For CSON students, MATH1180 (Principles of Statistics for Health Sciences) is the required Mathematics Core course.
- 2 courses in Natural Sciences—Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Physics
- 2 courses in Philosophy
- 2 courses in Social Sciences—Economics (ECON1131 and ECON1132 are required for CSOM students), Political Science, Psychology, Psychology in Education (APSY1030 and APSY1031 are required for Lynch students), or Sociology
- 2 courses in Theology
- 1 course in Writing
Students are advised to select Core courses very carefully. Identification of Core courses can be determined by contacting the appropriate department in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and by referencing the Course Information and Schedule link at www.bc.edu/myservices. For more information, visit www.bc.edu/core.
Core Renewal
As a Jesuit University, Boston College shares a 450-year tradition of concern for the integration of the intellectual, moral, and religious development of its students. The centerpiece of Jesuit education has always been a common curriculum that emphasizes the study of the defining works of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
Boston College freshmen have the option of fulfilling these Core requirements through new team-taught or linked courses—Core Renewal courses—that deal with such topics as energy and the environment; science and technology in America; love, gender, and marriage; human disease; migration and identity; neuroscience and theater; and truth-telling.
In 2018–2019, four of these courses are built on the "Complex Problems" model: interdisciplinary, team-taught, 6-credit classes that address a contemporary problem. In addition, there are thirty-seven linked pairs of courses in the "Enduring Questions" category: distinct 3-credit classes taken by the same 19 students—each taught by a faculty member from a different department—connected by a common topic and set of questions, with shared readings and assignments. All Complex Problems and Enduring Questions courses are labeled as such in this catalog.
For more information on Core Renewal at Boston College, please visit www.bc.edu/core-renewal.
Cross Registration
Woods College of Advancing Studies
All full-time undergraduate students are limited to one Woods College of Advancing Studies (WCAS) course each semester. Freshmen may not enroll in any WCAS course.
WCAS courses can be used to fulfill elective requirements. Students must check with the appropriate department if they intend to use a Woods College of Advancing Studies course to fulfill a Core or major requirement.
Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium
The Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (BTI), a consortium of theology faculty primarily in the Boston-Newton-Cambridge area, has as its constituent members the following institutions:
- Boston College Theology Department
- Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
- Boston University School of Theology
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
- Hartford Seminary
- Harvard Divinity School
- Hebrew College
- Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
- St. John's Seminary and Theological Institute
This consortium offers complete cross-registration in several hundred courses, the use of library facilities in the nine schools, joint seminars and programs, and faculty exchange programs.
Theology majors and students in the School of Theology and Ministry who want to cross register through the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium should pick up a cross registration petition in Lyons Hall and return it with an authorization by the appropriate date. Students are expected to consult with their advisor or department chairperson before cross registering.
The Consortium
Under a program of cross registration, sophomores, juniors, and seniors may take one elective course during each fall and spring semester at Boston University, Brandeis University, Hebrew College, Hellenic College, Pine Manor College, Regis College, or Tufts University if a similar course is not available at Boston College. Cross registration forms are available in the Office of Student Services, Lyons Hall.
Dean's List
The Dean's List recognizes the achievement of undergraduates semester by semester. Students will be classified into two groups: First Honors (3.700–4.000) and Second Honors (3.500–3.699).
In order to be eligible for the Dean's List, students must earn at least 12 or more credits in courses evaluated with a letter grade, excluding the P (pass) grade, and receive a passing grade in all courses. Students who have withdrawn from or failed a course and students who have received an incomplete grade (see Grading section) will not be eligible for the Dean's List.
Degree Audit
A degree audit is a computer-generated analysis that enables an undergraduate (except for Woods College of Advancing Studies) or law student and his or her advisor to assess the student's academic progress and unfulfilled requirements. Students in the Woods College of Advancing Studies can meet with an advisor and obtain a degree audit at any time.
The degree audit is a valuable tool for academic planning because it matches the courses that the student has taken with the requirements of his or her degree program or anticipated program. Students receive degree audits each semester prior to registration and have access to actual and simulated degree audits at www.bc.edu/myservices ("Degree Audit"). Students are responsible for completing all the requirements listed on the degree audit prior to graduation.
Degree with Honors
Academic honors printed in the Commencement program are based on averages at the end of the second semester senior year. The summa cum laude is awarded to the top 4.5 percent of the graduating class, magna cum laude to the next 9.5 percent, and cum laude to the next 15 percent. Academic honors are not calculated for graduate students.
Starting with the class of 2021, the cumulative average for degrees with honors will be as follows:
- summa cum laude (with the highest honors)—3.9–4.0
- magna cum laude (with high honors)—3.8–3.899
- cum laude (with honors)—3.667–3.799
Enrollment Status
Undergraduate Full-Time Enrollment Status
To be considered full-time, students must be registered for courses totaling at least 12 credits per semester. At least 9 of the credits must be in courses of 3 credits or more. Ordinarily, students should average 15 credits per semester with a target of completing 30 credits per academic year.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development students take a 3-credit First Year Experience course during freshman year. Woods College of Advancing Studies students must be enrolled in 12 credits to be considered full-time.
Undergraduate Part-Time Enrollment Status
Visiting or special students may enroll in one, two, or three courses each semester through the Woods College of Advancing Studies. Additional courses require the Dean's approval.
External Courses
After admission to Boston College, the only courses that a student may apply towards a degree will be those offered at Boston College in a regular course of study during the academic year. Any exceptions to this rule must be approved in writing by the Academic Dean before the courses are begun. Exceptions may be granted by the Academic Dean for official cross-registration programs, external summer study abroad, certain special study programs at other universities, and summer courses with an AD prefix in the Woods College of Advancing Studies.
A student must earn a grade of C- or better to receive credit for any course taken at another university. In some instances, the Academic Dean may stipulate a higher grade. After the course has been completed, the student should request that the registrar at the host university forward an official transcript to the Office of Student Services at Boston College.
Final Examinations
The final examination schedule for most courses is set before classes begin. It is available to the public, and students are responsible for consulting it. A student who misses a final examination is not entitled, as a matter of right, to a make-up examination except for serious illness and/or family emergency. No student should make travel arrangements to return home which are at odds with his or her examination schedule. Students who schedule a departure without so clearing their schedules risk failure in their final examinations.
Courses with multiple sections may have common departmental final examinations at a date and time determined by the Office of Student Services. Students with three final examinations scheduled for the same day are entitled to take a make-up exam at a later date during exam week. If one of the three exams is a common departmental exam, this is the exam that is taken at the later date.
In the Graduate School of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, seminars and teacher-training courses may or may not have a semester examination at the discretion of the instructor.
No exams should be scheduled during the Study Days designated on the Academic Calendar.
Language Proficiency Requirement
All students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and the Carroll School of Management* must demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in a foreign or classical language in order to graduate from Boston College. The Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the Connell School of Nursing do not have a language requirement.
The SAT II Subject and AP test scores below demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency at Boston College.
|Subject Test
|SAT Score
|AP Score
|Modern Hebrew
*Note: Beginning with the class of 2022, Carroll School will no longer have a language requirement.
Other Exams and Exam Score Minimums
- British A levels: Languages other than English A/B/C levels
- International Baccalaureate: Higher level foreign or modern classical language 6 or 7
- General Certificate of Education: German A level
- Successful completion of one of Boston College's language tests (for languages other than French, Italian, and Spanish)
- Successful demonstration of native proficiency by documentation or testing by one of Boston College's language departments
Testing is not available for all languages.
Fulfillment of the proficiency requirement by the examinations listed above does not confer course credit.
Course Work Meeting Language Proficiency Requirement
- Successful completion of the second semester of an intermediate-level Boston College modern or classical language course
- Successful completion of one Boston College modern or classical language course beyond the intermediate level
- Carroll School of Management only: Successful completion of four years of high school language study (need not be the same language, e.g., two years of Latin and two years of French)
- Carroll School of Management only: Successful completion of one year of a new language for students who enter Boston College with three years of high school foreign language
Students may not take foreign language courses on a pass/fail basis until they have completed the university's language proficiency requirement. Language courses will count as Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences electives. Students with documented learning disabilities may be exempt from the language proficiency requirement and should consult with the Associate Dean.
The grading system consists of 12 categories, as follows: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and F. A is excellent; B is good; C is satisfactory; D is passing but unsatisfactory; F is failure.
Students who withdraw from a course after the drop/add period will receive a grade of W. The grade of W is not included in the calculation of the grade point average.
Students in the Connell School of Nursing must achieve a grade of C- or higher in nursing courses, or they will be required to retake the course.
With the approval of the Academic Dean of their school or college, students may be permitted to take courses for enrichment. These courses are normally taken in the summer. Courses approved for enrichment only, may, with the approval of the relevant department, go toward fulfilling a Core, major, or minor requirement. However, grades for courses taken for enrichment are not computed into the cumulative average and are not counted toward the total course or credit requirement for graduation.
A student's cumulative average is based on grades in courses taken in the full-time program at Boston College, plus other courses specifically approved for credit towards the degree by the Academic Dean. If a student fails a course, the course is not credited toward the degree, but the failing grade remains on the student's transcript and a 0.0 is calculated into the student's cumulative average. A failed course may be retaken for credit, with the new grade added to the GPA, but the original failure remains on the transcript and continues to be counted in the GPA. If a student retakes a failed course and fails it again, the course is again entered on the transcript and the grade is counted in the GPA. If a student retakes a course in which she or he has already received a passing grade, the repeated course is again entered on the transcript and the grade is calculated in the cumulative GPA, but the course is not credited toward the degree.
Grades will be posted at www.bc.edu/myservices ("Current Courses and Grades") at the close of each semester. Any student who believes there is a grade discrepancy on a semester grade should resolve the discrepancy within the first six weeks of the following semester.
Grading Scale
In computing averages, the following numerical equivalents for the twelve (12) letter grades are used:
- P No effect on GPA
- U No effect on GPA
Incomplete and Deferred Grades
All required work in any course must be completed by the date set for the course examination. A student who has not completed the research or written work for a course taken in the fall or spring semester or is absent from the course examination in either semester, may, with adequate reason and at the discretion of the instructor, receive a temporary grade of Incomplete (I). All such I grades will automatically be changed to F on March 1 for the fall, August 1 for the spring, and October 1 for the summer.
After that time, no further grade change will be allowed.
A faculty member may only assign a grade of J for a 2-semester course when the grade in the first semester is dependent on the grade issued at the end of the semester. The J grade has no GPA value. Instructors should assign a grade for each semester at the end of the second semester. Such courses may include an Internship, Dissertation Direction, or Student Teaching.
Pass/Fail Electives
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may enroll online in a non-major, non-minor, or non-Core course on a pass/fail basis during the first seven class-days of the semester.
Second-semester freshmen who have been approved by their Academic Dean for an overload of a sixth course of 3 credits or more may take that course on a pass/fail basis, in which case the course may not be used to fulfill a major, minor, or Core requirement.
No more than one course of 3 or more credits may be taken pass/fail in any semester. No student may take more than six pass/fail courses of 3 or more credits for credit toward a degree.
Courses in the Carroll School of Management and the Woods College may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. Departments may designate some courses as not available in general for pass/fail enrollment.
Students may not take foreign language courses on a pass/fail basis until they have completed the University's language proficiency requirement.
A student enrolled in a course on a pass/fail basis who earns a grade of D- or higher will receive a grade of Pass for the course.
Pass/Fail Option for 1-Credit Courses in the Major
At the discretion of the school or department, some 1-credit courses that are required for a major or minor may be offered on a pass/fail basis only (e.g., practica, performance).
Grade Change
Grade changes should be made only for exceptional reasons. For all students, the grades submitted by faculty at the end of each semester are considered final unless the faculty member has granted the student an Incomplete to provide time to finish his or her course work. Such Incompletes should only be granted for serious reasons, e.g., illness, and only when the student has been able to complete most of the course work but is missing a specific assignment, e.g., a final paper, an examination, etc. Incompletes are not to be granted to allow the student to complete a major portion of the course work after the end of the semester.
Students are expected to satisfactorily complete eight semesters of full-time study (excluding summer terms) in order to earn the bachelor's degree. The University awards degrees in May, August, and December of each year, although commencement ceremonies are held only in May. A diploma will not be dated before all work is completed. Students who graduate in December may participate in commencement exercises the following May. In order to ensure timely clearance, all students who plan to graduate should confirm their diploma names online at www.bc.edu/myservices ("Diploma Name Information - View/Update") by the following dates:
- February 1 for May graduation
- May 1 for August graduation
- October 1 for December graduation
With permission from the student's Academic Dean, there are two ways the time to degree can be shortened (accelerated): (1) by qualifying for Advanced Standing or (2) by completing all rquirements in less than 8 full-time semesters. Details of these two paths are given below.
Advanced Standing
Students who earn a minimum of 24 Advanced Placement units may be eligible for Advanced Standing and have the option to complete their undergraduate studies in six or seven semesters of full-time study. Students interested in this option should be in touch with their Academic Dean no sooner than the completion of their first semester at BC. No decisions on Advanced Standing will be made prior to this time. Students seeking Advanced Standing must be able to complete all degree requirements by the proposed graduation date and be approved for Advanced Standing by the Academic Dean before the start of the third year of undergraduate study. No more than 30 Advanced Placement units may be credited toward the degree.
For further details, visit www.bc.edu/advancedplacement.
After being in residence for at least three semesters, and no later than the end of the drop/add period in the seventh semester, full-time undergraduate students may apply to their Academic Dean to accelerate their degree program by one semester. The following conditions apply:
- Summer courses intended for acceleration must be taken at Boston College.
- Any credits over 15 in a semester used for acceleration are charged the per credit rate for the semester they are taken. Financial aid will not cover these additional charges.
- Students tranferring into Boston College with first-semester sophomore status or above are not eligible to accelerate their program of study.
- Students who have elected to take Advanced Standing are not eligible to accelerate their graduation further.
Internal Transfers
Matriculated students wishing to transfer from one undergraduate college to another within Boston College should contact the Academic Dean's Office of the school to which admission is sought. Students applying for internal transfer to Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and the Connell School of Nursing may do so beginning at the end of their freshman year. The Carroll School of Management accepts a limited number of internal transfer students in January of their sophomore year. Students must have completed their first three semesters at Boston College.
Students applying to transfer into the Connell School of Nursing or the Lynch School of Education and Human Development should note that enrollment is limited in the professional schools and internal transfer may or may not be possible in any given year.
Students applying for internal transfer should be in good academic standing (some schools may require a 3.0 GPA; the Carroll School of Management requires a 3.4 GPA). All students must complete at least three (four in Lynch School of Education and Human Development and Connell School of Nursing) semesters of full-time study after the transfer.
Applications are normally submitted to the Academic Dean by the last class day of each semester.
Leave of Absence
A student in good standing who desires to interrupt the usual progress of an academic program may petition for a leave of absence. The process begins in the appropriate Academic Dean's Office and will be extended for no more than one year, although petition for renewal is possible. Students on leave of absence may not take courses to advance their status at Boston College without obtaining prior approval from the appropriate Academic Dean's Office. Students may not participate in extracurricular activities while on a leave of absence. Normally, students returning from a leave of absence may not regain their original graduation year.
To assure re-enrollment for a particular semester following a leave of absence, students must notify their appropriate Academic Dean's Office at least four weeks in advance of the start of the next semester.
Medical Leave of Absence
If a student is unable to complete the coursework or other course of study for a semester due to medical reasons, the student may request a medical leave of absence. Medical leave, whether requested for mental health or physical health reasons, must be supported by appropriate documentation from a licensed care provider and be approved by the student's Academic Dean.
The University reserves the right to impose conditions on readmission from a medical leave, which may include: length of time on leave; the submission of documentation from the student's health care provider; the student's consent for the provider to discuss the student's condition with University clinicians, and/or an independent evaluation of the student's condition by University clinicians; and/or making use of University or outside professional services.
The conditions will be specified at the time of leave, and students will be asked to acknowledge their acceptance of them.
Students seeking to return from leave should contact the appropriate Academic Dean prior to seeking readmission no later than four weeks prior to the desired admission date. However, students seeking to return to a practicum, clinical or field education placement must contact the appropriate Academic Dean expressing the intent to seek readmission at least a full semester before the desired return.
Students on Boston College's medical insurance policy may be eligible to continue their health insurance the semester in which they take a medical leave of absence and the following semester. Students should consult with Student Services and can learn more about this policy at: www.bc.edu/medinsurance. Students granted a medical leave may be entitled to a semester's tuition credit to be provided upon readmission, and should consult their school's policy regarding the tuition credit and their financial aid advisor.
Majors, Minors, and Concentrations
A major is a systematic concentration of at least 30 credits (ordinarily ten courses) taken in a given academic discipline that enables a student to acquire a more specialized knowledge of the discipline, its history, its methodologies and research tools, its subfields, and the areas of concern in which the discipline is presently involved. This is done by means of a hierarchical sequence of courses or appropriate distribution requirements. In order to earn a major, students must have at least 27 credits in the major program that are not used to fulfill requirements for another major or minor.
Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
Some departments offer a departmental minor for students who wish to complement their major with intensive study in another area. A departmental minor consists of at least 18 credits (ordinarily six courses). These must include one introductory level course and at least one upper-level course or seminar. In order to earn a departmental minor, students must have at least 15 credits in the minor program that are not used to fulfill requirements for another major or minor. Students carrying a double major are advised not to minor.
For a complete list of minors see Undergraduate Minors of this catalog or visit www.bc.edu/minorslist.
Interdisciplinary minors in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences must consist of at least 18 credits (ordinarily six courses) and must include either a required introductory course or a concluding seminar or project. (Note: Some programs require both.) In order to earn an interdisciplinary minor, students must have at least 15 credits in the minor program that are not used to fulfill requirements for another major or minor or a Core requirement. The list and description of the interdisciplinary minors is available in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences section of this Catalog. Students choose courses for the minor in consultation with the director of the department's minor program.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Lynch School majors may minor in Special Education. Some Lynch School Elementary and Secondary Education majors are eligible to minor in Middle School Mathematics Teaching.
Further information on these minors is available in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development section of the University Catalog.
Connell School of Nursing
CSON students may pursue a Hispanic Studies minor, a Psychology minor, or a Humanities, Health, and Culture minor specifically for Nursing students by contacting the Academic Dean, Undergraduate Nursing Program. Six courses (18 credits) are required to complete the minor. Full details are available on the CSON website.
Carroll School of Management
Students in the Carroll School of Management may select any minor offered by the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. The minor in Human Resources Management—Applied Psychology and Human Development, offered in conjunction with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, is available to CSOM students who have interests in developmental or educational psychology or in the social service professions.
CSOM students only may pursue an International Studies for Management minor. Students choose a country, or an area (e.g., the European Community), study or intern for at least one semester (or equivalent) at a university in that country, and take five international courses. Full details are available from the Academic Dean's Office.
For a complete list of minors see Undergraduate Minors of this catalog or visit www.bc.edu/minorslist.
Carroll School of Management (CSOM)
Concentrations, or areas of specialization, are required for students earning degrees from Carroll School of Management and are available to Carroll School of Management students only. Most concentrations require four courses beyond the Core. However, some require five. Students must complete a concentration in one of the following areas: Accounting, Accounting and Information Systems, Accounting for Finance and Consulting, Computer Science, Corporate Reporting and Analysis, Economics, Finance, General Management, Information Systems, Management and Leadership, Marketing, or Operations Management. Students declare a concentration second semester sophomore year or during the junior year.
The standard semester course load for undergraduates is five 3-credit courses and a maximum of 20 credits, including labs and other 1- or 2- credit courses. Students are eligible to overload if they have earned at least a 3.0 overall cumulative GPA or a 3.0 GPA in the semester immediately prior to the one for which the overload is sought, in which case they may register online for a sixth course of 3 credits or more and a maximum of 24 credits, including labs and other 1- and 2-credit courses, during the first seven class-days of the semester.
Students are not permitted to take a sixth course of 3 credits or more during their first semester at Boston College. Second-semester freshmen who wish to overload with a sixth course of 3 credits or more must obtain permission from their Academic Dean.
Students with an overall cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 3.0 may, under exceptional circumstances, be allowed by their Academic Dean to enroll in a sixth course.
Students in a Woods College of Advancing Studies degree program may take a maximum course load of three courses per semester. Authorization for one additional course will be given only if the student has completed three courses in the previous semester, each with a grade of B- or better. One course may be taken during each Summer Session. Additional courses require authorization. Courses taken without reference to this regulation do not advance a student's Woods College degree program.
Students who desire readmission must initiate the process in the Office of the appropriate Academic Dean of their school or college. Applications for readmission should be made at least four weeks before the start of the semester in which the student seeks to resume study. The appropriate Academic Dean will then make the decision about readmission, after careful consideration of the best interests of both the student and the University.
In instances where a sustained period of time (more than one year) has elapsed since a student was last enrolled, the appropriate Academic Dean in consultation with the appropriate representative of the student's department or program will identify the academic requirements, if any, that must be completed after readmission and before awarding the degree. Factors that will determine these requirements include, but are not limited to: the currency of the student's knowledge in the student's proposed academic major(s); the pertinence of courses completed at Boston College to current degree and licensure requirements; any academic work completed elsewhere that is relevant to degree and licensure requirements; and the length of the student's absence.
If there have been changes in the Academic Regulations and degree requirements since a student readmitted after sustained leave was last enrolled, the Academic Regulations in effect at the time of the student's readmission to full-time study will apply, unless the Academic Dean specifies otherwise in writing at the time of readmission.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
The requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress are specified in the academic regulations for each school.
Study Abroad—Office of International Programs (OIP)
Boston College international programs are open to BC undergraduate students who meet the requirements for study abroad as outlined by their Academic Dean. In order to be eligible for admission, students must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have a clear disciplinary record. Final approval is at the discretion of the OIP, deans, and the ODSD. Many programs have additional requirements, and applicants are selected competitively to most. Students should consult with the OIP for specific admission requirements.
Students remain subject to the academic policies of their home department. They are expected to register for a full course load as defined by BC and the host university in order to earn full semester's worth of credit. Grades earned abroad on BC programs are converted into the BC grading scale and are figured into GPA calculations; credits are awarded based on the OIP course and credit requirement guidelines. For non-BC programs, students may transfer credit back to BC, as long as they earn the equivalent of a C- or higher. Grades on non-BC programs are not calculated into the BC GPA though do appear on the student's BC transcript as transfer credits.
Courses taken abroad which meet BC academic standards automatically count as general elective credit towards graduation. Students wishing to fulfill major, minor, or Core requirements abroad on both BC and non-BC programs may do so with the approval of the appropriate department(s). The OIP maintains a list of abroad courses considered pre-approved for major, minor, and Core requirements; for non-pre-approved courses, students must submit a completed BC Degree Audit Course Substitution and Waiver form to the Office of Student Services. Students are highly encouraged to seek such substitution approvals before taking courses abroad. For Cultural Diversity Core credit, no paperwork is needed; instead, students must fill out an online request form at www.bc.edu/sites/core/for-students.html.
A student's enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by the home institution may be considered enrollment at the home institution for the purpose of applying for assistance under the Title IV, HEOA programs.
Summer Courses
As of summer 2018, summer courses taken at Boston College, with the exception of courses beginning with an AD prefix, count for academic credit and all grades earned are factored into students' GPA as regular BC courses. Courses may satisfy Core or major/minor requirements as specified by the department, and will count toward the 120 credits required for the degree.
BC Summer Courses Abroad
BC summer courses taken abroad through the Office of International Programs (OIP) are factored into students' GPA as regular BC courses, and count for academic credit.
Summer Courses at Other Institutions
Summer courses taken at another university—local, national, international—or with an AD prefix in the Woods College of Advancing Studies, must be pre- approved from the Academic Dean using the Course Approval Form. Students will also need departmental approval if they want the summer course to fulfill a Core, language, major, or minor requirement. These summer courses may count for academic degree credit and grades will factor into the GPA if students have credit deficiencies. Students will receive enrichment credit if there is no prior credit deficiency. Enrichment credit means that the course may satisfy Core or major requirements with department permission, but will not count toward the 120 credits required for the degree. Courses, grades, and credits will be listed on the transcript but will not be calculated into the GPA. With the approval of the Academic Dean, students who incur deficiencies may use enrichment courses in previous summers to make up for deficiencies incurred subsequently.
Regardless of the number of summer credits earned, students must successfully complete a minimum of 96 degree credits during the academic year.
All current students submit requests for academic transcripts transcripts at www.bc.edu/myservices ("Transcript Request and Status"). Requests for academic transcripts may also be submitted in writing to the following address: Transcript Requests, Office of Student Services, Lyons Hall, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, or faxed to 617-552-4975. For more information visit www.bc.edu/transcript.
Requests are usually processed within 48 to 72 hours of receipt.
Transcript/Diploma Holds
Diplomas will not be issued, nor transcript requests honored, for any student with an outstanding financial obligation to the University. The same policy applies to any student who does not complete the required loan exit interview.
Transfer of Credit
The unit of credit at Boston College is the semester hour. Most courses earn 3 semester hours of credit. Lab sciences usually earn 4 semester hours of credit. Courses in transfer with credit values ranging from 1–4 semester hours of credit will be considered on a course by course basis. A maximum of 30 credit hours for a first semester sophomore, 45 for a second semester sophomore and 60 semester hours of credit for an incoming junior will be allowed in transfer.
No transfer credit will be granted for internships, field experiences, practica, or independent study.
Grade point averages do not transfer with students. A new grade point average begins with the commencement of a student's career at the University and reflects only work completed as a full-time undergraduate at Boston College. A new grade point average also begins when students transfer from the Woods College of Advancing Studies to one of the full-time undergraduate schools or when a full-time undergraduate transfers to the Woods College of Advancing Studies.
Courses taken at other institutions during the summer prior to enrollment at Boston College must be approved in advance by the Office of Transfer Admission. Courses taken through the Boston College Summer Session during the summer prior to enrollment must be approved by the appropriate Academic Dean.
University Communication Policies and Student Responsibilities
Official communications of the University with its currently-enrolled students, including notices of academic and administrative matters and communications from faculty and administrative staff, may be sent via postal service, campus mail, or e-mail. To assure that these communications arrive in a timely manner, all enrolled students have the following responsibilities:
Postal service and Campus mail: For purposes of written communication, the student's local and permanent addresses on record at Student Services will be regarded as the student's official local and permanent residences. All students have a responsibility to provide both local and permanent mailing addresses, and to enter corrections at www.bc.edu/myservices ("Update Your Address/Phone/Emergency Contact Information") if the addresses are not accurate in university records. Students should review their address record for accuracy at the beginning of each semester, and again soon after submitting any corrections.
Students who are studying abroad have a responsibility to provide their local international address via a link on the Office of International Programs website.
E-mail: The University recognizes and uses electronic mail as an appropriate medium for official communication. The University provides all enrolled students with Boston College e-mail addresses, as well as access to e-mail services from computer stations at various locations on campus. All students are expected to access their e-mail accounts regularly, to check for official University communications, and to respond as necessary to such communications.
All student responses to official e-mail communications from the University must contain the student's Boston College e-mail address in the "From:" and "Reply To:" lines, and should originate from the student's Boston College e-mail address, to assure that the response can be recognized as a message from a member of the University community.
Students may forward their e-mail messages from their Boston College e-mail address to non-university e-mail systems, if they wish. In such cases, however, students shall be solely responsible for all consequences arising from such forwarding arrangements, including any failure by the non-university system to deliver or retain official University communications. Students should send test messages to and from their University e-mail account on a regular basis, to confirm that their e-mail service is functioning reliably.
University Degree Requirements
The requirements for the bachelor's degree in the undergraduate day colleges are the completion with a satisfactory cumulative average (at least 1.5 in the Carroll School of Management and at least 1.667 in all other schools) and credit requirements which are distributed as follows:
- Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences students must accumulate at least 120 credits with 96 of the required 120 credits in departments of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. Additional courses may be chosen from the offerings of the professional schools. Students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences complete the Core curriculum, a major of at least 30 credits, and the language proficiency requirement.
- Carroll School of Management students complete 120 credits for graduation. All Lynch School of Education and Human Development majors complete 120 credits.
- Connell School of Nursing students complete at least 117 credits, distributed over eight semesters of full-time academic work.
Withdrawal from a Course
Undergraduates may drop or add a course(s) online during the first seven class-days of the semester. Undergraduates only may drop a course until October 1, in the fall and February 15, in the spring semesters in their Academic Dean's office. Students may not drop below 12 credits in a semester.
After the extended drop period, undergraduates who withdraw from a course will have a "W" recorded in the grade column of their academic record. A grade of W has no effect on the GPA. A student may re-take a course for which a W has been recorded, in which case both the W and the subsequent grade are entered on the academic record.
To withdraw from a course all students must go to the Forms page of the Student Services website, print the withdrawal form, and then go to the Office of the Academic Dean for their school. Students will not be permitted to withdraw from courses after the published deadline. Students who are still registered at this point will receive a final grade for the semester.
Withdrawal from Boston College
Students who wish to withdraw from Boston College in good standing are required to file a Withdrawal Form in the Academic Dean's Office. In the case of students who are dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons, the Academic Dean will process the withdrawal.
Undergraduate Majors
American Heritages (Lynch)
Applied Psychology and Human Development (Lynch)
Art History (MCAS)
Biochemistry (MCAS)
Biology (MCAS)
Chemistry (MCAS)
Classical Studies (MCAS)
Communication (MCAS)
Computer Science (MCAS)
Corporate Systems (WCAS)
Criminal and Social Justice (WCAS)
Economics (MCAS)
Elementary Education (Lynch)
English (MCAS)
Environmental Geoscience (MCAS)
Environmental Studies (MCAS)
Film Studies (MCAS)
French (MCAS)
General Science (Lynch)
Geological Sciences (MCAS)
German Studies (MCAS)
Hispanic Studies (MCAS)
History (MCAS)
Independent (MCAS)
Information Technology (WCAS)
International Studies (MCAS)
Islamic Civilization and Societies (MCAS)
Italian (MCAS)
Linguistics (MCAS)
Mathematics/Computer Science (Lynch)
Mathematics (MCAS)
Music (MCAS)
Nursing (CSON)
Perspectives on Spanish America (Lynch)
Philosophy (MCAS)
Physics (MCAS)
Political Science (MCAS)
Psychology (MCAS)
Russian (MCAS)
Secondary Education (Lynch)
Slavic Studies (MCAS)
Social Sciences (WCAS)
Sociology (MCAS)
Studio Art (MCAS)
Theatre (MCAS)
Theology (MCAS)
CSOM Concentrations
Accounting and Information Systems
Accounting for Finance and Consulting
Business Analytics (co-concentration only)
Computer Science
Corporate Reporting and Analysis (ends with the class of 2021)
Entrepreneurship (co-concentration only)
General Management
Information Systems
Management and Leadership
Managing for Social Impact and the Public Good (co-concentration only)
Operations Management
*Schools and Colleges
CSOM = Carroll School of Management
CSON = Connell School of Nursing
Lynch = Lynch School of Education and Human Development
MCAS = Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
WCAS = Woods College of Advancing Studies
Undergraduate Minors
Accounting for CPAs (in CSOM for CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
Accounting for Finance and Consulting (in CSOM for CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
African and African Diaspora Studies (Interdisciplinary)
American Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Ancient Civilization (Interdisciplinary)
Applied Psychology and Human Development (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, and MCAS)
Arabic Studies (MCAS)
Art History (MCAS)
Asian Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Bioinformatics (Concentration)
Biology (MCAS)
Biopsychology (Concentration)
Catholic Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Chemistry (MCAS)
Chinese (MCAS)
Communications (in MCAS for Lynch)
Computer Science (MCAS)
Creative Writing (Concentration)
East European Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Economics (MCAS)
Environmental Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Faith, Peace, and Justice (Interdisciplinary)
Film Studies (MCAS)
Finance (in CSOM for CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
French (MCAS)
Foundation in Education (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, and MCAS)
General Education (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, and MCAS)
Geological Sciences (MCAS)
German (MCAS)
German Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Hispanic Studies (MCAS)
History (MCAS)
Humanities, Health, and Culture (CSON)
Inclusive Education (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, and MCAS)
International Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Irish Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Islamic Civilization and Society (Interdisciplinary)
Italian (MCAS)
Jewish Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Journalism (Interdisciplinary)
Latin American Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Leadership in Higher Education and Community Settings (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, Lynch, and MCAS)
Linguistics (MCAS)
Marketing (in CSOM for CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
Management and Leadership (in CSOM for CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
Managing for Social Impact and the Public Good (in CSOM for CSOM, CSON, MCAS, and Lynch)
Mathematics (MCAS)
Medical Humanities, Health, and Culture (Interdisciplinary)
Middle School Mathematics Teaching (Lynch)
Music (MCAS)
Philosophy (MCAS)
Physics (MCAS)
Psychoanalytic Studies (Interdisciplinary)
Russian (MCAS)
Secondary Education (in Lynch for CSOM, CSON, and MCAS)
Sociology (MCAS)
Special Education (Lynch)
Studio Art (MCAS)
Theatre (MCAS)
Theology (MCAS)
Women's and Gender Studies (Interdisciplinary)
CSOM = Carroll School of Management
CSON = Connell School of Nursing
Lynch = Lynch School of Education and Human Development
MCAS = Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
University (Senior) Awards and Honors
Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
Frank J. Bailey, Sr. Award
An award, the gift of the Bailey family, in memory of their father Frank J. Bailey, given to the graduating senior with a distinguished academic record in the field of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.
John Bapst, S.J., Philosophy Award
An award in honor of John Bapst, S.J., given to the student whose overall performance in philosophy courses has been outstanding.
J. Robert Barth, S.J., Award for Excellence in the Arts
An award in honor of the Dean of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences (1988–1999), who established and nurtured departments and programs in the arts. This award is presented annually to a senior who has made outstanding contributions to Boston College in the fine or performing arts.
Andres Bello Award in Spanish
An award offered by Dr. Paul William Garber and Dr. Philip C. Garber, Consuls of Chile in Boston, given to a senior who has excelled in Spanish.
George F. and Jean W. Bemis Award
An award in memory of George Fisher Bemis (1899–1971) and Jean Wilmot Bemis (1903–1987) of Milton, MA, a devoted couple quietly of service to others and with whom it was a delight to work. The award seeks to single out a member of the senior class distinguished for service to others.
Albert A. Bennett Award
In honor of Albert A. Bennett (1888–1971), an accomplished mathematician, distinguished teacher, and a Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Boston College from 1962–1971. This award is given to a member of the senior class, who demonstrates a high level of mathematical achievement and who, in their undergraduate years, has shown interest in or a desire for a career in teaching.
Wendy Berson Language Award
An award, the gift of Mrs. Solomon Berson in memory of her daughter, Wendy Berson, given to the senior who demonstrates excellence in the area of Romance Languages in general and, specifically, the ability to speak one or more languages with great expertise.
Laetitia M. Blain Award for Excellence in Musical Performance
An award named in honor of Laetitia M. Blain, Musician-In-Residence at Boston College (1975–2000). This award is given annually to a senior who has contributed to the musical life on campus in a significant and outstanding way.
Alice E. Bourneuf Award
In honor of Alice E. Bourneuf, Professor of Economics at Boston College (1959–1977), this award is given to an outstanding senior in Economics based on achievement in both major and non-major courses, strength of curriculum, quality of written and creative work, and attitude toward the study of Economics.
Francis A. Brick Award
An award, the gift of Mrs. Francis A. Brick, in memory of her husband, Francis A. Brick, LL.D. 1896, given to the student who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship during their four years at Boston College.
The Dr. Donald S. Brown Award
The Donald S. Brown Award was established in honor of the former director of the Office of AHANA Student Programs from 1978–2005. This award honors a senior who throughout their undergraduate career has made extraordinary contributions to the Boston College community in ways that have benefited AHANA students in the areas of leadership, service and academic development.
Donald S. Carlisle Award
An award established by the Department of Political Science in memory of Donald S. Carlisle, Professor of Political Science at Boston College (1968–1997), given each year to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in political science.
Normand Cartier Award
The Normand Cartier Award is given to a senior who is a member of the Lambda Psi Chapter of the Pi Delta Phi National French Honors Society and has demonstrated leadership in promoting French and francophone literature and culture in the Boston College community.
Brendan Connolly, S.J., Award
An award in honor of Brendan Connolly, S.J. (1913–1974), Director of Libraries at Boston College (1959–1974), a witty and deeply loyal man who loved books and respected learning. This award is made to a member of the senior class who is distinguished for the same characteristics.
Matthew Copithorne Scholarship
An award given to a graduate, exhibiting qualities of character, industry, and intelligence, and plans to do graduate study at Harvard or MIT.
Cardinal Cushing Award
An award donated by Francis Cardinal Spellman, in honor of Richard Cardinal Cushing, given annually to an undergraduate student for the best writing in fiction published in a Boston College undergraduate publication.
Joseph G. and Margaret M. Dever Fellowship
Founded by Robert Muse, Esq. '42, in honor of his classmate, Joseph Dever, the cash grant is given to a graduating senior who shows promise of a career in writing.
John D. Donovan Award
An award named in honor of John D. Donovan (Boston College, A.B. 1939; M.A. 1941; Harvard, Ph.D. 1951), Professor of Sociology (1952–1988). The Department of Sociology presents this award to the undergraduate student who submits the best paper written for a course in sociology during the previous year.
Patrick Durcan Award
An award, the gift of Mrs. J. Greer, in memory of her brother, Rev. Patrick Durcan, given to the student whose overall performance in history courses has been outstanding.
Figurito Family Award for Scholarly Achievement in Italian
An award presented in honor of Joseph Figurito, Professor of French and Italian at Boston College for over half the twentieth century, to a senior for scholarly achievement in Italian.
The Deborah Fine Award
An annual gift, established in 2004, given by Ms. Judith Fine in memory of her daughter, a member of the Class of 1981. This award is given to a female member of the senior class who is going on to medical school in the fall.
Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Award
An award in memory of Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., given to the student who has best exemplified in their four years at Boston College the spirit of the College motto, "Ever to Excel."
Mary A. and Katherine G. Finneran Commencement Award
An award, the gift of Misses Elizabeth and Theresa Finneran, given to the student who has achieved outstanding success in studies, while also devoting time and talents to other activities for the enrichment of the College and student life.
William A. Gamson Award
An award established by the Department of Sociology in honor of William A. Gamson, given each year to a graduating senior for outstanding academic achievement in sociology.
Thomas I. Gasson, S.J., Award
An award in honor of Thomas I. Gasson, S. J., President of Boston College (1907–1914), given to the graduating senior with a distinguished academic record over a four-year period.
General Excellence Award
A gift of the Philomatheia Club, given to the student who has achieved general excellence in all branches of studies during their entire four years at Boston College.
Giffuni Prize
An award sponsored by the Giffuni Family Fund in honor of Vincent Giffuni (BC '65), given to a senior who has written an outstanding thesis in economics.
The George J. Goldsmith Award
An award given in memory of longtime Physics Department faculty member George J. Goldsmith, who is remembered for both his scholarship and his selfless dedication to the students of Boston College, this award is given annually to a graduating physics major in recognition of excellence in academic achievement and research.
John L. Heineman Award
This award was established by the History Department in honor of the late John L. Heineman, a challenging and inspirational colleague (1963–2003), a Renaissance man, and a master teacher. It is given each year to a graduating senior in recognition of exceptional historical scholarship.
Janet Wilson James Essay Prize
An award in memory of Professor Janet Wilson James, historian and feminist scholar, given to a senior distinguished for scholarship in women's studies.
The David A. Karp Award
An award in honor of David A. Karp, Professor of Sociology from 1971–2012. While leading the Sociology Honors Program, he inspired generations of students to strive for insightful sociological listening and beautiful writing that is the hallmark of his work.
William A. Kean Memorial Award
An award, the gift of James M. Kean in memory of his brother, William A. Kean '35, given to that member of the graduating class deemed the outstanding English major.
Bishop Kelleher Award
An award donated by Francis Cardinal Spellman in honor of The Most Reverend Louis F. Kelleher, given to an undergraduate student for the best writing in poetry published in a Boston College undergraduate publication.
William J. Kenealy, S.J., Award
An award in memory of the late William J. Kenealy, S.J., Dean of the Boston College Law School (1939–1956), whose life was distinguished by a passion for social justice. This award is given to the graduating senior who has been distinguished in both academic work and social concern.
T. Frank Kennedy, S.J., Award for Excellence in the Academic Study of Music
An award given in honor of the co-founder, long-term chair, and guiding spirit of the Music Department to an outstanding senior who has shown consistent excellence in the academic study of Music.
Joseph M. Larkin, S.J., Award
An award presented annually to the senior member of the Boston College Dramatics Society who has most clearly exhibited the qualities of dedication and integrity exemplified by the life and career of Rev. Joseph M. Larkin, S.J.
John Henry Lawton Award
An award presented in memory of John Henry Lawton, to the member of the senior class who has shown outstanding scholarship in the Department of Communication.
Allison R. Macomber, Jr., Award in the Fine Arts
Two awards established and supported primarily by gifts from the Horbach Fund for outstanding work in the Fine Arts in honor of Allison R. Macomber, Jr., Artist-in-Residence at Boston College, 1963–1979, whose presence and teaching opened the eyes not only of his students but of the entire community to the greatness and wonders of art.
J. Paul Marcoux Award
An award in honor of J. Paul Marcoux, Professor of Theater at Boston College (1964–1994), presented annually to a senior Theater major for excellence and growth, both academically and artistically, over their four years at Boston College.
Richard and Marianne Martin Award
In memory of Richard and Marianne Martin for their dedication to the ideals of art, and for their unstinting devotion to the goals and values of Boston College. Two awards are given by the Boston College Friends of Art; one to an outstanding scholar in art history, the other to a student who excels in studio art.
Denis A. McCarthy Award
The Denis A. McCarthy Award is given to an undergraduate for outstanding work in creative writing.
John McCarthy, S.J., Award
An award established in memory of Rev. John McCarthy, S.J., a most beloved scholar, faculty member, and Dean in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, for those whose Scholar of the College projects are deemed most distinguished in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, the Natural Sciences and in History.
Gail A. McGrath Award
An award presented in memory of Dr. Gail A. McGrath, a beloved professor of Communication at Boston College (1966–1997), to a member of the senior class pursuing a graduate degree in Communication.
Albert McGuinn, S.J., Award
This award is in memory of the late Albert McGuinn, S.J., long-time Chairman of the Chemistry Department at Boston College, and presented to the senior candidate for the Bachelor of Science degree. The recipient has most successfully combined proficiency in a major field of study with achievements, either academic, extracurricular, or a combination of both, in the social sciences or humanities.
Henry J. McMahon Award
In memory of Henry J. McMahon, faculty member and Associate Dean at Boston College (1946–1984). This award is given annually to the graduating senior of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences who has been accepted at a law school and who has been distinguished by scholarship, loyalty, and service to the College.
The John J. Neuhauser Award in Computer Science
An award given to the senior in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in computer science.
John F. Norton Award
An award in honor of John F. Norton '22, Boston College professor (1926–1965), given to the student who best personifies the tradition of humanistic scholarship.
Cardinal O'Connell Theology Award
An award, the gift of the late William Cardinal O'Connell, given to the student whose overall performance in theology courses has been outstanding.
The Thomas H. O'Connor Award
An award established by the History Department in honor of the late Thomas H. O'Connor, who taught in the department from 1950–1999, and who also served as Boston College University Historian. It is given each year to a graduating senior in recognition of outstanding achievement in the study of American history.
Princess Grace of Monaco Award
An award offered by Dr. Helene Day, Consul of Monaco, and Dr. Paul William Garber and Dr. Philip C. Garber, Consuls of Chile in Boston, given to a senior who has excelled in French.
E. Paul Robsham Distinguished Service Award
An award given annually by the Theater Department to the graduating senior, who though seldom sharing the spotlight, has worked with exceptional professionalism, dedication, creativity and enthusiasm behind the scenes to bring the benefits of the theater to the Boston College community.
Paul J. Sally, Jr., Award
A cash award, in honor of Paul J. Sally, Jr., '54, '56, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Chicago, a highly esteemed mathematician well known for his many contributions to mathematical endeavors at all levels. This award is bestowed on senior mathematics majors who demonstrate excellence in mathematics coursework of a particularly demanding nature.
Secondary Education Minor Award
This award is conferred on a student in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences who has completed the Secondary Education Program within the Lynch School of Education and Human Development and has achieved distinguished success as a student teacher.
Harry W. Smith Award
An award, the gift of the Smith Family, in memory of Harry W. Smith, a leader in corporate and community philanthropic work, to honor a member of the senior class who has used personal talents to an exceptional degree in the service of others.
Dr. Joseph R. Stanton, M.D., '42 Award
This award is a gift from Stanton Medical Associates in memory of Joseph Stanton, M.D. '42. The award is intended for a graduating senior who has been accepted by a medical school and who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship at Boston College.
Dr. Joseph S. Stanton Memorial Award
An award, the gift of Doctors Richard Stanton '38 and Joseph R. Stanton '42 in memory of their father, Joseph Stanton who was also a doctor. The award is given to the student who has been accepted to a medical school and who has been outstanding in character, loyalty, leadership, and scholarship at Boston College.
Tully Theology Award
An award given in memory of the late Dennis H. Tully, given to the student who has written the best paper on a theological subject.
Max Wainer Award
An award, the gift of Anneliese K. Wainer, Ph.D., '72, in honor of her husband, Max Wainer, given annually to the senior who is deemed the outstanding student in Classics.
Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Award
Presented to a member of the senior class in honor of Father Donovan, founding Dean of the School. The recipient exhibits superior leadership, academic, and innovative qualities, and demonstrates excellence in professional and personal commitment, with a genuine concern for the needs and values of others.
General Excellence Award
Presented to a senior who has at the same time manifested outstanding achievement in all courses of study during four academic years and qualifies for teaching licensure.
Saint Edmund Campion Award
Presented for excellence in an academic major.
Reverend Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Nominee Award
Presented to the Lynch School nominee for the top undergraduate prize given to the graduating senior who best exemplifies the qualities of excellence, humility, and service to others and who best epitomizes the University's motto, "Ever to Excel."
Dr. Marie M. Gearan Award
Presented in honor of Professor Gearan, a member of the original faculty and first Director of Student Teaching, to a member of the senior class for outstanding academic achievement, campus leadership, and distinguished success as a student teacher.
Saint Richard Gwyn Award
Presented to a member of the senior class for outstanding promise as a secondary teacher.
Reverend Henry P. Wennerberg, S.J., Award
Presented in honor of Father Wennerberg, first spiritual counselor in the School, to a member of the senior class who is outstanding for participation and leadership in school and campus activities.
John J. Cardinal Wright Award
Presented in honor of Cardinal Wright to that senior who has shown expert use of creativity and imagination in the area of motivation, and at the same time is dedicated to high educational ideals.
John A. Schmitt Award
Presented to a member of the senior class who, as Professor Schmitt did, has consistently demonstrated compassion for fellow human beings, integrity in dealings with others, diligence in his or her profession, and courage in the pursuit of what he or she believes to be right.
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent P. Roberts Award
Presented to a member of the senior class who is distinguished for loyalty to the ideals and purposes of the Lynch School.
James F. Moynihan, S.J., Award
Presented in honor of Father Moynihan, first chair of the Psychology Department and Professor of Psychology in Education for many years, to a student in the Applied Psychology and Human Development Program, who has shown superior scholarship, contributed creatively to the well-being of others, and has manifested dedication and commitment to the enhancement of the human development process.
Patricia M. Coyle Award
Given to the graduating senior in Elementary Education who is a clear thinker in the field, able to translate the theories of child development and learning into the practice of teaching young children with enthusiasm and love, and a person who is a thoughtful, reflective teacher, perceptive and sensitive to the needs of children.
Karen E. Noonan Award
Given to the graduating senior in Elementary Education who has the qualities of a "natural" teacher of young children; a person who can communicate warmth and a sense of excitement for learning; a person who loves the exhilaration of working with challenging students, and making each child in the classroom feel important and unique.
Cynthia J. Sullivan '79 Memorial Achievement Award
Presented to members of the junior class who have achieved outstanding academic achievement; demonstrated qualities of loyalty, generosity of self, and integrity; and show an appreciation for the arts.
Cynthia J. Sullivan Award Winner
Presented to last year's winner of the Cynthia J. Sullivan Memorial Achievement Award, this stipend is intended to fund graduate study or post-graduate travel.
Reverend John Christopher Sullivan, S.J., Award
Presented in honor of Father Sullivan, first Associate Dean in the School of Education and Human Development, to a member of the senior class who, as Father Sullivan did, exhibits cheerfulness, creativity, enthusiasm, and high energy; who demonstrates respect for individuals and is supportive of others; who shares with them the gift of personal care, regard, individual attention, warmth, and respectful sense of humor; and whose personality and actions reflect an appreciation of the dignity and value of every individual.
Bernard A. Stotsky/Professor John Eichorn Prize
Awarded to a student who has demonstrated excellence in the area of special education at the undergraduate level and does a practicum or pre-practicum at the Campus School as part of an academic program of study in the Lynch School.
Gretchen A. Bussard Award
Presented to a member of the junior class in the Applied Psychology and Human Development Program who has used what he or she has learned in the classroom to improve the lives of others.
Nancy E. Segal Award
Presented to a member of the graduating class for exhibiting great courage in overcoming a personal challenge to excel academically.
Albert A. Bennett Award
Presented by the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, in honor of Professor Bennett (1888–1971), visiting professor of mathematics at Boston College 1962–1971, to a member of the graduating class who demonstrates a high level of mathematical achievement and who has shown interest in or a desire for a career in teaching.
Secondary Education Award
Given to the student in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences who has completed the Secondary Education Program and has achieved distinguished success as a student teacher.
Lynch School Awards
Presented to graduating seniors for academic excellence and outstanding performance in a variety of areas.
Carroll School of Management
Thomas I. Gasson, S.J., Award
Founded by Boston College for general excellence in all courses of study during the four years in the Carroll School of Management.
The Edward H. Finnegan, S.J. Memorial Award Nominee
The top commencement honor which recognizes a senior who best exemplifies the University's mottot: "Ever to Excel."
The Outstanding Student in Information Systems Award
Awarded to the student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of Information Systems.
The John B. Atkinson Award
Founded by John B. Atkinson for excellence in all courses studied in the field of Operations Management.
George Aragon Outstanding Student Award
For an outstanding senior concentrating in Finance. The selection is made by the faculty committee of the Finance Department.
The Edgar F. Huse Memorial Award
An award presented annually by the faculty for excellence in Management and Leadership.
The Hutchinson Memorial Award
Presented by the Boston chapter of the American Marketing Association to a Marketing student.
The Raymond F. Keyes Service Award
Awarded to a senior concentrating in Marketing who has demonstrated a desire to provide service to the nonprofit community.
Charles W. Lyons, S.J., Award
Founded by Boston College for excellence in all courses studied in the field of Accounting.
The Patrick A. O'Connell Finance Award
Founded by Patrick A. O'Connell for excellence in all courses studied in the field of Finance.
The Patrick A. O'Connell Marketing Award
Founded by Patrick A. O'Connell for excellence in all courses studied in the field of Marketing.
The Eric Allen Serra Award
Established in 1993 by the friends of Eric Allen Serra and awarded to a graduating senior who is actively involved in the BC community and best represents the attributes for which Eric is remembered by his friends.
The James E. Shaw Memorial Award
An award given to a senior in the Carroll School of Management who has been accepted to a recognized Law School. The student demonstrates a strong personal interest in the welfare of fellow students.
The Rev. Stephen Shea, S.J., Award
Awarded to the senior who has attained the highest average in all courses in Philosophy during four years in the Carroll School of Management.
The James D. Sullivan, S.J., Award
Awarded to a senior outstanding in character and achievement.
The Matthew J. Toomey Award
Founded by Mr. Knowles L. Toomey to honor the outstanding student in the Carroll School of Management Honors Program.
Outstanding Student in Business Analytics Award
Awarded to the senior who demonstrates excellence in all courses studied in the Business Analytics discipline.
Dean's Letter of Commendation
Awarded to a senior who is recognized for exemplary accomplishment in the Carroll School community.
Connell School of Nursing
The Alumni Award
Established by the Connell School of Nursing alumni to honor a nursing student for general excellence in the four years of study in the baccalaureate nursing program.
The Marie S. Andrews Clinical Performance Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor the student who has demonstrated, through clinical performance, sensitivity to the needs of patients, respect for the dignity and "wholeness" of the patient, and outstanding ability to deliver quality nursing care.
The William F. Connell Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor one graduating student (baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral) who the faculty determine best demonstrates the attributes of leadership,f loyalty, service, achievement, humility and goodwill.
The Susan Donelan Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor the undergraduate student who is distinguished in his/her dedication to CSON, organization and interpersonal skills, thoughtful, careful attention to details large and small, ability to find humor no matter how difficult the situation, and graceful, elegant presence, even in the most demanding circumstances.
Edward J. Gorman, S.J., Leadership Award
Given to the student who, in the judgment of classmates, best exemplifies leadership and who has contributed to the Connell School of Nursing through dedication, service, and sincerity.
The Cathy Jean Malek Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor the student whose presence conveys the essence of caring and a loving spirit.
The Jean A. O'Neil Achievement Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor the graduating senior who maximized potential through qualities of conscientiousness, persistence and giving of self beyond expectations.
The Maureen A. Eldredge Award
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to honor the graduate who embodies the Jesuit ideals of being "men and women in service to others" and instills in other students the Boston College motto of Ever to Excel.
Certificates of Recognition for Leadership
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to recognize seniors who have demonstrated leadership by holding elected office or sustained leadership in a voluntary organization.
Certificates of Recognition for Volunteer Service
Established by the faculty of the Connell School of Nursing to recognize seniors who have demonstrated a substantial commitment to others in voluntary service over time.