CGS at BU: What It Is, How It Works, London Program & the Honest Truth

1. January start -- You arrive in January while most BU freshmen started in September. Your first semester is the spring semester.
2. Spring semester -- Team-taught interdisciplinary courses in rhetoric, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Classes are small (~25 students).
3. Summer -- 6-week intensive session in London (primary track) or New England. You take courses, explore the city, and earn credits toward your degree.

1. Fall and spring -- Continue CGS coursework plus begin taking electives toward your intended major. Fulfill BU Hub requirements.
2. Capstone project -- Complete an interdisciplinary capstone at the end of sophomore year.

1. Transition -- Move into your chosen BU school or college (CAS, Questrom, COM, ENG, etc.) and complete your major with regular BU students. You're fully integrated -- same classes, same professors, same degree.

CGS uses an interdisciplinary, team-taught model. Instead of choosing individual courses, you take a structured core:

What makes CGS teaching different:

• Team-taught: Professors from different disciplines co-teach courses, showing how ideas connect across fields
• Small classes: Average class size is 25 students (vs. 200+ in some CAS intro lectures)
• Full-time faculty only: No teaching assistants running your classes
• Cohort model: You take most classes with the same group of students, building a tight-knit community

CGS students also take electives outside CGS to begin working toward their major. You can take classes in CAS, Questrom, COM, or any other BU school during your CGS years.

The summer London program is the signature CGS experience. Here's what it looks like:

Duration: 6 weeks (typically late May through early July)

Location: BU's London campus -- a dedicated BU facility in the city, not a random study abroad arrangement

Academics: You take 2 courses (8 credits) that count toward your CGS requirements. Classes incorporate London-specific content -- visiting museums, historical sites, and cultural landmarks as part of coursework.

Housing: BU arranges housing in London for all CGS students. It's included in program costs.

Cost: The London program cost is built into CGS tuition. There's no separate "study abroad fee." You'll need spending money for food, travel, and personal expenses.

Weekend travel: Most students use weekends to travel around the UK and Europe. Paris, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Barcelona are popular weekend trips.

The New England alternative: A small number of students do a New England-based summer session instead of London, usually for financial or personal reasons.

Why it matters: Many BU direct-admit students don't study abroad until junior year (or never). CGS students get an international experience built into their freshman year at no extra tuition cost.

1. You apply to BU through the regular admissions process, selecting your preferred school/college (CAS, Questrom, COM, etc.)
2. If you're not offered direct admission to your first choice but BU sees strong potential, you may be offered CGS admission instead
3. CGS admission is an offer -- not a rejection. It's BU saying: "We want you here, and CGS is the path."

Profile of CGS students: CGS admits are typically strong students whose applications may have had one area (test scores, GPA, or specific academic focus) that didn't quite reach the direct-admit threshold. Many CGS students were strong candidates who fell in a competitive middle ground.

Can you request CGS? Not directly. BU's admissions committee makes the CGS offer based on their holistic review. You can indicate willingness to be considered for CGS on your application.

After two years in CGS, you transition into your chosen BU school or college:

The numbers:

• 93% of first-year CGS students return for their second year
• 96% of second-year CGS students successfully transition into another BU school
• Guaranteed transition with a 2.0 GPA or higher

CGS students can transition into any of BU's nine degree-granting schools and colleges:

• College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) -- most common
• Questrom School of Business
• College of Communication (COM)
• College of Engineering (ENG)
• College of Fine Arts (CFA)
• Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
• Wheelock College of Education
• Pardee School of Global Studies
• College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences

Once you transition: You're in the same classes as students who were directly admitted as freshmen. There is no distinction -- you're a full member of your new school or college.

What CGS students say after graduating:

• The small class sizes and faculty attention were better than what direct-admit freshmen got in 200-person lectures
• London in your first year is an incredible experience that most direct-admits don't get until junior year (if ever)
• The cohort model builds lifelong friendships
• After transition, no one knows or cares that you were CGS
• 10 years out, CGS alumni report career outcomes comparable to direct-admit peers

• January start means you arrive when everyone else already has friend groups and routines
• You're slightly behind on course sequencing for some majors (especially STEM) due to the January start
• The stigma, even if unfair, exists and you'll encounter it
• Some competitive majors require higher GPAs for CGS transfers

Bottom line: CGS is not a lesser path -- it's a different path to the same destination. The students who thrive in CGS are the ones who embrace the program rather than viewing it as something to "get through."

CGS tuition is structured slightly differently from the rest of BU:

• CGS tuition is comparable to regular BU tuition (~$69,870/year) but covers a different credit structure
• London program costs are included in CGS tuition -- no separate study abroad fee
• Financial aid works the same as for all BU students. Need-based and merit aid applies to CGS students
• Net price for CGS students follows the same brackets as the university overall (average net price: $27,551)

CGS students receive financial aid for 4 full years (2 years CGS + 2 years in their destination school). The London program does not create additional tuition costs, though you'll need personal spending money for travel and food abroad.

Important: Some CGS students end up spending a 5th year at BU to complete their major requirements, especially in STEM fields where course sequencing is tight. This adds cost. Plan your transition carefully with your CGS advisor.