- AAAS 5a Introduction to African and Afro-American Studies
- AAAS 127a African Refugees
African and African American Studies (AAAS) is a unique opportunity to explore the histories and experiences of Africans and African descended people and their impact on the world. Using multiple disciplines and strategies we offer courses that consider culture, class, gender, race, work and citizenship.
Course of Study: Major
- Recommended first course:
- AMST 100a Foundations of American Culture
- AMST 35a Hollywood and American Culture
American Studies takes an interdisciplinary approach to the culture, society, politics, institutions, identities, thoughts, values and behavior of Americans, including the critical issues that confront the United States domestically and internationally. Using materials central to social and intellectual history — film, literature, culture, music, art and architecture, oral history — the major is designed to provide students with an educated awareness of the way the United States, viewed as a civilization, frames the lives, aspirations and self-perceptions of its citizens.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first course:
- ANTH 1a Introduction to the Comparative Study of Human Societies
- ANTH 7a Archaeology and the Human Experience: An Introduction
Anthropology explores the dynamics and diversity of humankind. It asks a most difficult and most important question: What does it mean to be human? The discipline ranges from the study of culture and social relations, to human biology and evolution, to economics and politics, to religion and world views, to languages and the connections between language and social dynamics, to visual cultures and architecture, to medicine and disease, and to what we can learn about past societies through the study of material culture, including paintings, earthenware vessels, religious figurines, discarded stone tools, bone fragments and the foundations of ancient homes. Due to its focus on human society and culture, anthropology provides a solid background for students preparing for a broad range of professions including medicine, law, public health, public policy, social work, museum studies and business, as well as a career in anthropology itself.
Course of Study: Minor
- Recommended first course:
- ARBC 10a Beginning Arabic I
- NEJS 104b Islam: Civilization and Institutions
Course of Study: Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- FA 30a History of Western Art I: From Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- FA 80a Modern Architecture
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first course:
- FA 30a History of Art I: From Antiquity to the Middle Ages
- FA 59a Modern Art and Modern Culture
- FA 80a Modern Architecture
First-time art history students are encouraged to try out any course numbered from FA 30a to FA 86b.
Course of Study: Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- SOC 126a South Asian Diasporas
- AAPI/HIS 186b Legacies of the Korean War
Course of Study: Major
The biochemistry major is designed to equip students with a broad understanding of the chemical and molecular events involved in biological processes. The biochemistry major provides a fundamental training for careers in biomedical research, medicine, biotechnology and related fields.
Brandeis students intending to be Biochemistry majors should take in their first year:
- a full year of general chemistry (CHEM 11a,b with corresponding lab CHEM 18a,b or honors chemistry CHEM 15a, b with corresponding lab CHEM 19a,b); AND
- a full year of introductory physics (PHYS 11a,b or the honors version PHYS 15a,b) and the accompanying lab, PHYS 19a,b.
There are strong reasons for these recommendations, which are explained more fully on our FAQ page. Students considering the biochemistry major should review that page carefully.
The possible exceptions to the above recommendations are students who placed into pre-calculus or differential calculus (these students cannot enroll in PHYS 11a until they have finished MATH 5a and/or MATH 10a); and some students who intend to receive credit for advanced placement exams in chemistry, and/or physics. Another possible exception is students who intend to fulfill some of their major requirements with Summer School courses.
First-year students who placed into Math 10b should take Math 10b in their first semester.
First year students considering the biochemistry major should note that many of the required science courses are dependent on prerequisites. Also, most required courses are offered either Fall semester or Spring semester but not both. Therefore, students should familiarize themselves with the biochemistry major requirements and plan their program of courses carefully. The undergraduate advising head can provide advice if students have questions or concerns.
Course of Study: Major
- Recommended first courses:
- BIOL 14a or 15b
- QBIO 11a
- MATH 10a
- PHYS 11/15a,b
- PHYS 19a,b
Course of Study: Major
- BIOL 15b Cells and Organisms; BIOL 16a Evolution and Biodiversity; or BIOL 14a Genetics and Genomics
- CHEM 11a or CHEM 15a General Chemistry *
- CHEM 18a or CHEM 19a General Chemistry Laboratory I *
Core courses required for both the BA and BS degrees include the introductory biology series BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics), BIOL 15b (Cells and Organisms) and BIOL 16a (Evolution and Biodiversity), which can be taken in any order. These courses have no corequisites or prerequisites. The most important course to take in the first year is BIOL 15b (offered both fall and spring), because it is a prerequisite for the lab course (BIOL 18b) that many students take in fall of the second year. We recommend that you take BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics) in either your first or second year, and the General Biology Laboratory series (BIOL 18b and BIOL 18a) in your second year (or later). BIOL 16a (Evolution and Biodiversity) can be taken in any fall semester. BIOL 15b is the prerequisite for BIOL 18b. BIOL 14a and BIOL 18b are the prerequisites for BIOL 18a.
Here are a few common examples, any of which allow a student to take General Chemistry in their first year, and General Biology Laboratory in their second year (or later):
- Wait to begin biology with BIOL 15b in spring, then BIOL 14a the following fall. Take BIOL 16a in the fall of the Junior or Senior year. This works well for students who want to ease in by starting with only a chemistry class (see below) in their first semester.
- Take both BIOL 15b and BIOL 14a in the first year, in either order. One or both of these are prerequisites for most biology electives, which you could then take as early as your third semester.
- Begin the biology series with BIOL 16a in fall, BIOL 15b in spring, and BIOL 14a the following fall. This is a good option for students who are most interested in organismal biology, ecology or evolution, and want to take electives in those areas as soon as possible.
Students receiving an AP or IB score of 5 or higher may choose not to take BIOL 15b. You should be aware, however, that a high AP score does not necessarily indicate readiness to continue with upper-level biology electives. For this reason, we strongly recommend all students considering opting out of BIOL 15b take the Biology placement exam to check their preparedness.
* Most students who have already taken pre-calculus enroll in the first year in the CHEM 11a,b or CHEM 15a,b General Chemistry series, which are required for the biology major, along with their laboratories CHEM 18a,b or CHEM 19a,b. (See First Year Placement in Chemistry) Students who feel less prepared in math are encouraged to take MATH 5a, Precalculus, in the first year, and General Chemistry in their second year. BIOL 14a and BIOL 18b are the prerequisites for BIOL 18a.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- ECON 2a A Survey of Economics
- ECON 10a Introduction to Microeconomics
- HS 104b - American Healthcare
- ENGR 11a - Introduction to Design Methodology
- SOC 112b - Social Class and Social Inequality
Administered and staffed by the International Business School and the College of Arts and Sciences, our undergraduate programs in Business teach a way of thinking that cuts across disciplines and is rooted in practice. Undergraduates are offered an array of business courses that cover all the primary business disciplines at both the introductory and advanced level, supported by a large number of liberal arts courses. A combination of these courses can be pursued to fulfill either a major or minor in Business. The program is designed to complement nicely with any other Brandeis concentration. Indeed, leveraging the strength of a Brandeis liberal arts education is a cornerstone of the undergraduate Business program.
Students should begin with ECON 2a or ECON 10a, as either serves as a prerequisite to all business courses. BUS 6a, Financial Accounting, should be taken the following semester.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- CHEM 11a General Chemistry I and CHEM 18a General Chemistry Laboratory I
- CHEM 15a Honors General Chemistry I and CHEM 19a Honors General Chemistry Laboratory I
- CHSC 3b Solving Environmental Challenges: The Role of Chemistry
Chemistry focuses on how atoms of just a few dozen types combine to form countless molecules, and how these molecules interact with each other to form the materials we encounter in our everyday lives. Chemistry is therefore called “the central science,” the material realization of principles of physics, and a foundation of the life sciences.
General Chemistry is a required course in the chemistry, biology, biochemistry and neuroscience majors. It is also required of pre-medical, pre- dental and pre-veterinary students, so most first year students with these academic and/or professional interests enroll in this introductory course.
We offer introductory chemistry for two levels of preparation: General Chemistry (CHEM 11a with corresponding lab CHEM 18a) and Honors Chemistry (CHEM 15a with corresponding lab CHEM 19a). At each level, the lecture and lab courses are separate and require separate registrations.
Detailed placement information is available on the Registrar's website.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- LAT 10a Beginning Latin (or higher level by placement)
- GRK 10a Beginning Ancient Greek (or higher level by placement)
- Other recommended courses:
- CLAS 133a The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece
- CLAS 170a Classical Mythology
The requirements for the major are designed to be flexible, giving students the ability to plan their program around a particular interest — for example, history, literature, language, or art and archaeology.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- COML 105a World Culture and Marxism
- COML/REC 136a All in the Family: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and the English Novel
Discover the joy of beauty in your intellectual life. Learn what it really means to be ‘cultured.’ Realize your power to define your own cultural identity, rather than let others do it for you. Find out why the social sciences are just now discovering what we already know: you can learn the most about both individuals and societies through their cultural products of expression. We welcome students of all majors and levels to enroll in our courses; try one and we know you’ll be back for more.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses (depending on the results of the placement test):
- COSI 10a Introduction to Problem Solving in Python
The Department of Computer Science teaches students the theoretical fundamentals and practical aspects of computing — to prepare students for innovative jobs in the computer field or for graduate study. Besides a full range of CS courses, we also offer classes in entrepreneurship, to ready students for working in start-up companies.
- Other Recommended Courses:
- COSI 29a Discrete Structures
Computer science majors have access to the Vertica Lounge, an innovative space for study and collaboration, and advanced servers for computing-intensive and online projects. Students can also do research with a faculty member as part of independent study or an honors project. Faculty research interests include artificial intelligence, computational linguistics, data compression, computer networks and systems, databases, human centered computing, educational technology, computer vision and machine learning.
It is recommended that students have completed the courses COSI 10a and COSI 12b by the end of their sophomore year since they are prerequisites for advanced courses in the major.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended courses:
- ENG 109b Fiction Workshop: Short Fiction
- ENG 119b Poetry Workshop: Special Topics in Poetry
Course of Study: Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- CAST 150b Introduction to Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation
- ENG 12a Decolonizing Tongues: Language in African Literature
The interdepartmental minor in Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation offers students the opportunity to explore theory and practice at the center of arts and culture, peace and justice, and creativity. A minor in Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation is designed for students in the arts who want to connect their creative talents to their concerns for social change, and for students in the humanities and social sciences to explore music, theater, literature and visual arts as resources for justice and peace.
Students in the minor are required to take an introductory course, Introduction to Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation (CAST 150b). All minors will choose from a list of elective courses, one each from the Creative Arts, the Humanities and Social Sciences. To complete the minor, students are required to complete a capstone experience.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- CHIN 10a Beginning Chinese I (or higher level by placement)
- HIST 80a Introduction to East Asian Civilization
- JAPN 10a Beginning Japanese (or higher level by placement)
- FA 71 b The Art of Japan
- KOR 10a Beginning Korean (or higher level by placement)
Interested in learning more about the East Asian civilization? East Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with a deeper understanding of both current and historic East Asia while exploring history, politics, economics, arts and the languages of East Asia.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- ECON 10a Introduction to Microeconomics
- MATH 10a Techniques of Calculus (a)Professor Redenius as soon as possible to apply transfer credits to the major and discuss appropriate courses to take during their first semester at Brandeis.
- Recommended first courses:
- ED 10a Introduction to Teaching and Learning
- ED 155b Education and Social Policy
The Education Studies program offers both a major and a minor for undergraduates who are interested in education itself as well as in education-related fields. For more information regarding major and minor requirements please refer to the University Bulletin.Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- ENG 10b Poetry: A Basic Course
- ENG 12a Decolonizing Tongues: Language in African Literature
- ENG 33a Shakespeare Now
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first course/s:
- ENVS 2a Fundamentals of Environmental Challenges
- BIOL 16a Evolution and Biodiversity
- ENVS 107b Foundations of Global Environmental Diplomacy
The Environmental Studies program equips students to address the profound challenges facing our global environment. It combines the academic excellence and rigor of Brandeis coursework, faculty and teaching across the disciplines of the natural and social sciences, with considerable hands-on, experiential learning opportunities.
A fundamental component of the ENVS major and minor is the Applied Learning Experience (AppLE), which the vast majority of students fulfill with either an internship or a study abroad. Our students have completed internships in government, public interest, field research, nonprofit, and industry related jobs in the Boston area and beyond, working alongside environmental professionals in the field. Our study abroad partners offer a range of experiences that expose students to hands-on research and environmental management around the globe in places like Panama, Antarctica, Iceland and Tanzania.
Environmental Studies students learn research techniques, report-writing, oral communication, mapping, and quantitative problem-solving skills that prepare them for their later work and studies — whether or not they pursue a career in an environmental field.
It is recommended that ENVS majors and minors complete ENVS 2a in their first year or at the latest in their second year. The Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH) can help students determine which additional ENVS electives will best help them meet their professional goals. The Climate Justice, Science & Policy minor can be completed along with the ENVS major or minor.
Course of Study: Major
- Recommended first course:
- CLAS 133a The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece
- GECS 188b Human/Nature: European Perspectives on the Climate Crisis and What to Do About It
- HIST 103a Roman History to 455 CE
Feeling intellectually adventurous? European Cultural Studies (ECS) is for students who want to explore the interrelationships of literature with the fine arts, history, music, philosophy and politics. Many ECS students study abroad to experience the cultures they are interested in first hand. ECS majors have gone on to graduate school, law school, business school and advanced programs in international studies.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first course/s:
- AMST 35a Hollywood and American Culture
- CHIN 130b China on Film: The Changes of Chinese Culture
- ENG 180b Romanic Comedy/ Matrimonial Tragedy
- ENG 62a - Documentary: Techniques and Controversies
- FA 8a - Introduction to Video Art
Gain insight into motion picture media through a major or minor in film studies. This curriculum provides students with knowledge about the dominant medium of our age — the moving image. Students develop an informed background in motion picture history, cinematic style and a critical appreciation of the cultural meanings of film. The minor in film studies complements a range of disciplines including American studies, English, history, politics, sociology, fine arts, theater arts and German, Russian, Asian languages and literature.
Course of Study: Major, Minor
- Recommended first courses:
- FREN 10a Beginning Frenchplacement)
- FREN 20b Continuing French (or higher level by placement)
- FREN 32a Intermediate French: Conversation (or higher level by placement)
- FREN 104b Advanced Language Skills through Culture (or higher level by placement)
- FREN 105 The Francophone World Today: Advanced Language Skills through Culture II (or higher level by placement)
- FREN 106b Writing Workshop
The French-speaking world is vast in both geographical scope, historical depth, and cultural variety. French is a first language for many in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and North America, and it is also an important second language in other parts of the globe. The French and Francophone Studies program brings this world to students in all of its diversity, from the lais of Marie de France to the comedies of Molière, the plays of Olympe de Gouge, the films of the Dardenne brothers, the novels of Marie NDiaye, the bandes dessinées of Riad Sattouf, and the music of Stromae, for example. Students in this program develop strong oral and written interpretive skills as they discover the past achievements of French-speaking peoples and the challenges currently facing them. Moreover, learners enhance their sensitivity to cultural differences while deepening their understanding of the linguistic, social, artistic, economic, and political complexities of the Francophone world.
Placement Guidelines
For information about placement/enrollment for French classes, please see the ROMS Language Programs Placement page.
Still have questions? Contact our Director of the French Language Program, Hollie Harder.
- Recommended first courses: