BUA Curriculum Overview 2023-2024

challenged BE

Our Distinctive Program

At Boston University Academy, high school students who love learning are challenged to think critically and read deeply, and to explore adventurously the wider world of learning on the campus of a global research university.

Boston University Academy’s academic program pairs a liberal arts core high school curriculum with courses at Boston University. It’s an optimal blend of small classes and individualized teacher attention at BUA and the vast educational resources available through BU. Students’ zeal for learning can take them as far as they are capable: there are no limits to learning at BUA.

The BUA curriculum — the only one of its kind in New England — enables students to gain exposure to new disciplines and to pursue their particular interests at advanced levels. It is a program built for students’ growth as thinkers and as individuals. By design, the curriculum evolves to provide an appropriate level of challenge and support for each grade level, preparing students for the myriad of opportunities offered at BU in their junior and senior years. Boston University Academy’s program is mindful of each student’s unique interests and needs.

Best of Both Worlds

Boston University Academy classes are all honors level. Every student gains a solid foundation in the humanities—English, history, and language. Ninth and tenth graders also study biology and chemistry, a visual or performing art, and the level of mathematics they are prepared for, from advanced algebra to multivariate calculus and beyond. BUA’s core curriculum prepares students for in-depth study of just about anything.

While ninth- and tenth-grade students follow a classically-based, globally focused liberal arts curriculum, eleventh and twelfth graders have the freedom to choose from more than 2,000 classes from Boston University’s course catalog. In their BU courses, eleventh- and twelfth-grade students build upon their underclassmen experience to pursue their individual interests at advanced levels.

Grades 9 & 10

Liberal arts curriculum that includes English, history, science, mathematics, classical language, the arts, and physical education

Two-year study of Latin or ancient Greek; tenth graders who test into the third semester of a modern language may choose to take that course at BU instead of the second year of classical language

Elective modern language courses offered online through Middlebury Interactive Languages in 9th and 10th grades

Ninth- and Tenth-Grade Seminars, courses on issues of relevance to today's teenagers (more info on p. 9) Interdisciplinary approach to humanities through immersion in the classic works of Western civilization in conversation with global texts and with emphasis on close reading and writing

A shared academic experience to support study across a wide variety of disciplines in eleventh and twelfth grades

The BUA approach prompts students to understand historical perspectives, to think critically and delve deeply, to master the use of primary texts, and to hone their interpretive skills. BUA students learn to question what they read, to craft a well-reasoned argument, and to appreciate the connections between literature, history, philosophy, religion, science, and political theory. Classes focus on the debate of “why” and “how.”

Master Class Schedule

Sample Ninth-Grade Schedule

Sample Tenth-Grade Schedule

Grades 11 & 12

All eleventh and twelfth graders enroll in courses at BUA and BU; juniors typically take two courses a semester at the University, while seniors can take as many as four courses a semester at BU

Students can pick from over 2,000 BU courses including 27 modern languages

All University courses are taken for credit with Boston University faculty and students; most students earn as many as 48 college credits (the equivalent of 12 college courses or 1 ½ years) prior to graduating

Course credits may be transferred at the discretion of the college at which a student matriculates

Most students graduate with proficiency in two languages: one classical and one modern (students often achieve in two years the equivalent of four years of high school language study)

All students must complete calculus by the end of their senior year

Most juniors enroll in Biology 107 and Biology 108, completing the science sequence that began with physics and chemistry at BUA, and a modern language at the University

All seniors complete a year-long thesis project under the guidance of a University professor and a BUA faculty advisor

Sample Eleventh-Grade Schedule

The courses shaded in red are undergraduate-level classes taken at Boston University.

Sample Twelfth Grade Schedule

Graduation Requirements

The non-shaded areas represent required coursework, while the shaded boxes represent elective options.

ENGLISH The Literary Canon in Conversation: Self in Society

HISTORY SCIENCE

LANGUAGE

MATH

Program Highlights

British Literature: Global Citizenship Senior Seminar at BUA or an English course at BU

American Literature: Identity and Belonging

Power and Wisdom in the Ancient World Makings of the Modern World United States History

27 modern languages offered at BU; placement is determined by exam (not grade level)

Typical course progression: Advanced Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus I, Calculus II, and Multivariate Calculus. Placement is determined by ability and exposure, not grade level; completion of Calculus I is a graduation requirement. Students can take up to Multivariate Calculus at BUA, after which higher level math courses are available at BU.

Chamber Ensemble, Chorus, Jazz Band, Drama or Visual Art

Ninth-Grade

Ninth- and Tenth-Grade Seminars — required

The Ninth- and Tenth-Grade Seminars are opportunities for fun, hands-on learning without the added pressures of grades or homework. These courses meet once per week, and rotate through various topics of study: Health & Wellness; Cultural Competency; Computer Science; Design Thinking at the BU Innovate and BUild Lab; Engineering at BU's Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC); and Foundations in Language and Logic. These themes were chosen based on their broad applicability to adolescents and their importance in preparing students for their futures as responsible, productive citizens in society.

Modern Language Program — elective for 9th and 10th graders; by application

This full-credit elective program enables underclassmen to study a modern language alongside the five full-credit course load. There are two ways in which ninth and tenth graders can study a modern language: the first is an online program through Middlebury Interactive Languages; the second is advanced modern language study at BU for those tenth graders who demonstrate proficiency equivalent to two years of high school language (by placing into a third semester language course at BU).

Tenth-Grade Seminar

Advanced seminars available at BUA and BU

Physical Education — required of all 9th and 10th graders

BUA’s physical education program utilizes BU’s extraordinary athletic facilities and program offerings. Students in ninth and tenth grade can choose from over two dozen PE electives to fulfill this requirement. Upperclassmen may choose to use any of the fitness equipment; weight rooms; multipurpose fitness studios; aquatic facilities; and squash, racquetball, and basketball courts housed within BU’s 270,000-squarefoot Fitness and Recreation Center (FitRec).

Junior Research Seminars — optional ½ credit elective for 11th graders

Juniors with defined academic interests may enroll in one of two optional, honors-level seminars. These ½ credit electives provide students with skills in research methodology, and introduce students to University faculty and research being undertaken at Boston University. For many students, these seminars become the basis for their Senior Thesis.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Students tour various laboratories and examine current science periodicals; many students opt to conclude the course by participating in summer research internships.

Latin or Ancient Greek Latin or Ancient Greek Modern Language Program Modern Language Program

Program Highlights

History, Arts, and Letters (HAL) optional

½ credit elective for 11th graders

Students examine research methods in the humanities and social sciences, including how to navigate the myriad of University resources in developing research papers.

Advanced Art Seminars — ½ credit elective for 11th and 12th graders

Topics for these year-long electives vary from year to year; recent offerings have included: Independent Study in 2D Design, Shakespeare Study, Music Theory, and Musicianship.

Senior Thesis — required coursework for all 12th graders

A culminating BUA experience, this year-long project provides students with the opportunity to follow an intellectual passion in depth with the guidance of a university professor and BUA faculty advisor.

Ninth- & Tenth-Grade Seminars: A Deeper Dive

Educating and supporting the whole student is a fundamental part of our philosophy at BUA.

The Health & Wellness unit offers engaging lessons on physical and emotional health and wellbeing with special attention to topics of relevance to today’s teenagers, including nutrition; mental health; sexual health; social interactions; and social media and technology use.

It is critical that BUA students learn to be thoughtful, informed, and culturally competent citizens in an increasingly diverse world. The Cultural Competency unit provides a chance to discover our common humanity through active, experiential workshops exploring identity, empathy, stereotypes and bias, and the eight core cultural identifiers.

Computer Science has broad application in today’s job market, and is a key life skill no matter what field of study one chooses to pursue. Students learn the fundamentals of Computer Science through interactive lessons in coding (using Python) and other basics.

BU's Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) hosts technology clinics where students are introduced to hand tools, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and 3D printing.

In the BU Innovate and BUild Lab, students learn to apply design thinking skills to real-world problems.

Foundations in Language and Logic introduces students to concepts of writtten argument and style. This unit aims to develop an early awareness in students of words as both fun and powerful, and of the ways in which language and logic are working on us every waking hour.

Community Moments

All-School Meeting (ASM) takes place every Tuesday morning during the academic year and is an essential part of the BUA program. It is a time for the BUA community to come together to learn, to share news and announcements, and to discuss important issues facing our school and society at large. These weekly gatherings often include talks given by BU professors, visiting scholars, or BUA faculty on their areas of expertise.

Academic Block provides opportunities for students to get a jump-start on homework and to seek out support from teachers and tutors. Academic Blocks are quiet, proctored hours carved out of the school day for all underclassmen. Advising and Student Support takes on many forms at BUA. Every student is paired with an advisor who supports and encourages that student’s academic and social-emotional wellbeing. Ninth- and tenth-grade students meet with their advisor and advising group three times per week. Class advisors coordinate weekly grade-wide meetings that focus on community norms, adjusting to life at BUA, as well as student health and wellness. The BUA Student Support team also includes the school counselor, learning specialist, and the University liaison who serves as a conduit of communication between BUA and BU instructors.

Student Clubs and Activities provide meaningful ways for students to pursue non-academic interests, enjoy creative outlets, reduce stress, and build community. With more than 50 clubs and 15 interscholastic and recreational sports to choose from, there are more extracurricular opportunities than there are hours in a day!

BUA’s connection to Boston University opens all kinds of doors for our curious and motivated students. BU’s resources are our resources, including cutting edge-learning and athletic facilities, an expansive course catalog, and distinguished faculty.

BU Course Catalog

When it comes time to choose courses at the University, there are over 2,000 available to BUA students. From Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics to the History of Piracy, Philosophy and Film to Foundations of Data Science, if a student is passionate about something, they will be able to pursue it. The active partnership we maintain with Boston University offers one-of-a-kind possibilities: BUA students have the opportunity to gain exposure to new disciplines as well as to follow their passions and pursue particular interests at advanced levels. All University courses are taken with Boston University faculty and students.

Laboratories

Because we’re part of a major research university, BUA students utilize resources that other high schoolers can only dream of. Our unrivaled access to Boston University’s professional laboratories and research facilities allows BUA students interested in STEM to explore their interests in actual—not virtual—reality.

Libraries

BUA students have more than 2.4 million physical volumes and 77,000 media titles available to them through BU’s library system. In addition to books, BU Libraries provide limitless search tools, access to databases and global resources, research materials

and tutorials, and specialty subject research guides developed in-house by librarian experts.

Athletics and Fitness

Students enjoy access to University resources both inside and out of the classroom. Our physical education classes take place at BU’s 270,000-square-foot Fitness & Recreation Center (FitRec), where students choose from more than 25 physical education electives. Students 16 and older are also able to work out independently at FitRec, where they have access to weight rooms; multipurpose fitness studios; aquatic facilities; and squash, racquetball, and basketball courts.

BUA’s 15 interscholastic and recreational sports also utilize BU’s world-class athletic facilities, from Nickerson Field for soccer, to sailing and rowing out of the DeWolfe Boathouse.

Dining Options

BUA students can opt to buy lunch from over a dozen options in BU’s George Sherman Union (GSU) next door — not your average high school cafeteria. Choices include sushi, fresh salads, global street food, gourmet sandwiches, and much more. Ninth and tenth graders eat in a reserved dining room, while eleventh and twelfth graders can explore the restaurants and cafes along Commonwealth Avenue.

Boston University Admission Agreement

All BUA students in good academic and disciplinary standing are ensured admission to most of BU’s four-year undergraduate programs with a financial aid package that meets 100% of their calculated need.

How’s that for a perk?

Imagine going into the competitive college application process with the certainty that you will be admitted to one of the nation’s top research universities. Of all our peer schools, Boston University Academy alone is able to offer this assurance to our students.

Tuition Remission for BU Employees

Boston University employees may be eligible to apply their tuition remission benefit toward a portion of their child’s tuition at Boston University Academy. Because seniors at BUA take the majority of their coursework at the University, BU allows employees to participate in the tuition remission program during this year. University families who enroll at BUA may also apply for need-based financial aid to assist in the cost of tuition for all four years.

Boston University Academy students must complete an application and submit all required testing in full if they wish to be considered for admission to BU. BUA students who apply to BU will be granted admission to most of BU’s undergraduate 4-year programs if they meet the following criteria:

Earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA in Academy and University coursework by the time of application

Have no grade of D or F in any BUA or University course(s)

Have no reportable disciplinary infraction(s)

Transferable College Credits

In eleventh and twelfth grade, students regularly complete up to 12 courses (equivalent to approximately 48 college credits) from the University’s undergraduate curriculum. These credits represent a value of $91,575, based on the current undergraduate tuition cost at BU, and thereby potentially minimize future college tuition costs.

are

BOSTON UNIVERSITY ACADEMY STUDENTS HAVE ENROLLED IN A COMBINED

2,689

CLASSES AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

This figure represents an impressive across DEPARTMENTS & INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS

DISTINCT COURSES

— BU Professor

“

I have always enjoyed having BUA students in my classes. They

very well prepared and motivated to learn. I would say that they often push other students to up their game.

University Coursework

The following is a complete list of the Boston University courses that BUA students enrolled in during the 2022–2023 academic year. Most students take as many as two University courses a semester as juniors and up to four classes a semester during senior year. BUA graduates are likely to have completed up to 12 courses for 48 college credits, some of which may be transferable to their selected college. All University courses are taken with Boston University faculty and students. Students graduate with transcripts from Boston University Academy and from Boston University.

The following are courses taken in BU’s College of Arts and Sciences

Anthropology

CAS AN 102 Human Behavioral Biology & Evolution

CAS AN 210 Medical Anthropology

CAS AN 260 Sex and Gender in Anthropological Perspective

CAS AN 263 Behavioral Biology of Women

CAS AN 290 Anthropology: Children and Culture

Archaeology

CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology

Art History

CAS AAH 112 Art History II

Astronomy

CAS AS 101 The Solar System

CAS AS 102 The Astronomical Universe

CAS AS 105 Alien Worlds

CAS AS 202 Principles of Astronomy I

Biology

CAS BI 107 Biology I

CAS BI 108 Biology II

CAS BI 203 Cell Biology

CAS BI 206 Genetics

CAS BI 210 Human Anatomy

CAS BI 211 Human Physiology

CAS BI 216 Intensive Genetics

CAS BI 260 Marine Biology

CAS BI 303 Evolutionary Ecology

CAS BI 306 Biology of Global Change

CAS BI 309 Evolution

CAS BI 315 Systems Physiology

Chemistry

CAS CH 204 Organic Chemistry II

CAS CH 211 Intensive Organic Chemistry I

CAS CH 212 Intensive Organic Chemistry II

CAS CH 232 Inorganic Chemistry

CAS CH 351 Physical Chemistry I

CAS CH 352 Physical Chemistry II

CAS CH 541 Natural Products Chemistry

Cinema & Media Studies

CAS CI 102 Global Cinema II

CAS CI 268 Religion and Film

CAS CI 390 Special Topics in Cinema and Media Studies

Classical Studies

CAS CL 102

Classical Civilization of Rome

CAS CL 351 Latin Seminar

CAS CL 391

CAS CL 451

Greek Seminar: Thucydides

Advanced Latin Seminar

CAS CL 530 Latin Prose Composition

Computer Science

CAS CS 101

CAS CS 103

Introduction to Computers

Intro to Internet Technologies and Web Programming

CAS CS 105 Databases

CAS CS 108

Introduction to Applications Programming

CAS CS 111 Intro Computer Science I

CAS CS 112

Introduction to Computer Science II

CAS CS 131 Combinatoric Structures

CAS CS 132 Geometric Algorithms

CAS CS 210 Computer Systems

CAS CS 330

Introduction to Analysis of Algorithms

CAS CS 332 Elements of the Theory of Computation

CAS CS 410

Advanced Software Systems

Earth and Environment

CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth

CAS EE 107

CAS EE 144

Intro to Climate and Earth System Science

Introduction to Oceanography

CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Tech, Resources, Society, and Environment

Economics

CAS EC 101

CAS EC 102

CAS EC 202

Introductory Microeconomic Analysis

Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis

Intermediate Macroeconomics

CAS EC 203 Empirical Economics I

CAS EC 348 Dynamic Macroeconomics

CAS EC 356 Economics of the Labor Market

English

CAS EN 122 Medieval Worlds

CAS EN 125 Readings in Modern Literature

CAS EN 127 Readings in American Literature I

CAS EN 130 Science/Fiction

CAS EN 142 Introduction to Poetry

CAS EN 163 Readings in Shakespeare

CAS EN 170 The Graphic Novel

CAS EN 176 Introduction to Film and Media Aesthetics

CAS EN 177 Asian American Literature

CAS EN 180 Post-Apocalyptic Narratives

CAS EN 195 Literature and Ideas

CAS EN 202 Introduction to Creative Writing

CAS EN 220 Seminar in Literature

Earth Sciences

CAS ES 105 Environmental Earth Science

CAS ES 107 Introduction to Climate & Earth System Science

History

CAS HI 190 History of Boston

CAS HI 214 History of Piracy

CAS HI 218 Power and Authority in Europe Since WWI

International Relations

CAS IR 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development

CAS IR 337 Religion and Politics

CAS IR 343 African Politics Today

CAS IR 350 History of International Relations since 1945

CAS IR 354 Gender and Global Politics

CAS IR 374 Introduction to Security Studies

CAS IR 376 American Foreign Policy

CAS IR 517 Balkan Politics and International Relations

CAS IR 542 The Reemergence of Russia

Linguistics

CAS LX 110 Say What? Accents, Dialects, and Society

CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics

Mathematics and Statistics

CAS MA 113 Elementary Statistics

CAS MA 115 Statistics I

CAS MA 116 Statistics II

CAS MA 119 Applied Mathematics for Personal Finance

CAS MA 124 Calculus II

CAS MA 213 Basic Statistics and Probability

CAS MA 214 Applied Statistics

CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus

CAS MA 242 Linear Algebra

CAS MA 433 Graph Theory

CAS MA 442 Honors Level Linear Algebra

CAS MA 511 Introduction to Analysis I

CAS MA 531 Mathematical Logic

CAS MA 541 Modern Algebra I

CAS MA 542 Modern Algebra II

CAS MA 581 Probability

Neuroscience

CAS NE 101 Introduction to Neuroscience

CAS NE 102 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology

Philosophy

CAS PH 100 Introduction to Philosophy

CAS PH 159 Philosophy and Film

CAS PH 247 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy

Physics

CAS PY 211 General Physics

CAS PY 351 Modern Physics I

CAS PY 355 Methods of Theoretical Physics

CAS PY 408 Intermediate Mechanics

Psychological & Brain Sciences

CAS PS 101 General Psychology

CAS PS 222 Perception and Behavior

CAS PS 231 Physiological Psychology

CAS PS 261 Social Psychology

CAS PS 333 Drugs and Behavior

CAS PS 371 Abnormal Psychology

Religion

CAS RN 239 Religion and Science

CAS RN 248 Food and Religion

Romance Studies

CAS LF 111 First Semester French

CAS LF 212 Fourth Semester French

CAS LF 307 French Arts and Society

CAS LF 308 French through Film and Media

CAS LF 311 French Popular Culture

CAS LF 313 French through Translation

CAS LF 462 Cinema-Monde: Mapping French Film

CAS LF 571 Topics in Nineteenth-Century French Literature

CAS LI 111 First Semester Italian

CAS LI 112 Second Semester Italian

CAS LS 112 Second Semester Spanish

CAS LS 211 Third Semester Spanish

CAS LS 307 Spanish Literature and Arts

CAS LS 308 Spanish Film & Media

CAS LS 350 Introduction to Analysis of Hispanic Texts

Sociology

CAS SO 100 Principles in Sociology

CAS SO 205 American Family

CAS SO 215 Sociology of Health Care

CAS SO 225 Law and Society

CAS SO 230 Crime and Justice

CAS SO 240 Sex and Social Life

World Languages and Literatures

CAS LC 111 First Semester Chinese

CAS LC 112 Second Semester Chinese

CAS LC 211 Third Semester Chinese

CAS LC 212 Fourth Semester Chinese

CAS LC 250 Premodern Chinese Literature

CAS LC 311 Third Year Modern Chinese

CAS LC 319 Practical Chinese: Chinese in Intercultural Communications

CAS LC 320 Advanced Classical Chinese

CAS LC 322 Business Chinese

CAS LC 416 Chinese through Literary Masterpieces

CAS LG 111 First Semester German

CAS LG 211 Third Semester German

CAS LG 307 Modern Society and Culture

CAS LG 308 Food Culture in German- Speaking Countries

CAS LG 309 German for the Professions

CAS LG 335 Music, Art, and History in the German Speaking World

CAS LH 111 First Semester Hebrew

CAS LH 311 Advanced Modern Hebrew

CAS LK 116 First Year Korean for Heritage Speakers

CAS LK 212

CAS LK 216

Fourth-Semester Korean

Second-Year Korean for Heritage Speakers

CAS LK 250 Intro Korean Literature

CAS LK 322 Korean for the Professions

CAS LN 111

CAS LN 112

CAS LN 211

Hindi-Urdu

Second-Semester Hindi-Urdu

Third-Semester Hindi-Urdu

CAS LR 250 Classics of Russian Prose

CAS LR 280 Dostoyevsky (in English translation)

Writing Program

CAS WR 120

First-Year Writing Seminar: Corporation in American Culture

CAS WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar

CAS WR 151 Writing, Research, and Inquiry with Oral and/or Signed Expression

CAS WR 152 Writing, Research, & Inquiry w Digital/ Multimedia Expression

The following are courses taken in BU schools and colleges other than the College of Arts and Sciences

Communications

COM CM 180 Understanding Media

COM CO 101 The Human Storyteller

COM JO 205 Visual Storytelling

COM JO 350 Law and Ethics of Journalism

Chemistry

PLB CH 203 Organic Chemistry I Pre-Lab

PLB CH 204 Organic Chemistry II Prelab

Data Sciences

CDS DS 100 Data Speaks Louder Than Words

CDS DS 120 Foundations of Data Science

CDS DS 199 Computing and Data Science Workshop

Engineering

ENG BE 209 Principles of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology

ENG EK 125 Introduction to Programming for Engineers

ENG EK 131 Topics in Engineering

Fine Arts

CFA TH 220 Acting & Performance II

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

GRS CH 642 Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Physical Development

PDP DA 150 Cardio-Jazz Funk

PDP DA 229 Ballet, Low Intermediate

PDP DA 240 Modern Dance

Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences

SAR HS 325 Introduction to Global Health

School of Education

SED AP 526

SED DE 382

SED DE 383

SED DE 384

SED DE 570

Family and Community Engagement

American Sign Language II

American Sign Language III

American Sign Language IV

American Sign Language V

School of Hospitality Administration

SHA HF 100

Introduction to Hospitality

School of Theology

STH TN 816

STH TN 817

Greek Reading I

Greek Reading II

Questrom School of Business

QST IS 223

QST SM 275

Introduction to Information Systems

Management Communications

Research Opportunities

Being a part of a major research university means BUA students utilize resources that other high schoolers can only dream about. Our Junior Research Seminar exposes students to research at Boston University and provides students with the opportunity to begin initial research on their thesis work.

History, Arts and Letters (HAL)

University professors share their approach to research, and students learn how to effectively initiate a research project, including using a variety of libraries, web-based resources, and bibliographies.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Students gain insight into scientific research by taking weekly tours of Boston University’s laboratories and examining current science periodicals during the fall and winter. In the spring, tours are replaced with laboratory rotations, which often develop into summer internships. The following is a list of participating labs during the 2022–2023 academic year.

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Astronomy

Professor JJ Hermes, Astronomy

Biology

Professor John Quackenbush, Biostatistics

Senior Thesis Project

Professor Randi Rotjan, Marine Biology

Professor Preston Thakral, Neuroscience

Chemistry/Biochemistry

Professor Linda Doerrer, Chemistry

Professor Sean Elliott, Chemistry

Professor Daniel Segre, Biochemistry

Engineering

Dr. Drew Bennett, MIT Sea Grant, Engineering & Marine Biology

Environmental Science

Professor Cedric Fichot, Environmental Science

Professor Dan Li, Environmental Science

Physics

Professor Karl Ludwig, Physics

Professor Alex Sushkov, Condensed Matter Physics

Life Sciences

Medicine

Professor Andrew Henderson, New England Infectious Disease Lab

Dr. Mark Poznansky, MGH Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center

A culminating experience for all BUA students, the Senior Thesis is an independent research project that provides students with the opportunity to follow an intellectual passion in depth with the guidance of a university professor. The year-long project is designed to demonstrate students’ ability to read closely, research thoroughly, think analytically, and write coherently in a scholarly fashion. All students present their research to the BUA community prior to graduation. Thesis topics run the gamut of academic and artistic fields and disciplines, and reflect the many and varied interests and passions of BUA students.

List of senior thesis topics for the Class of 2023 (mind, prepare to explode!)

• A Voice Without a Body: The Usage of Voiceover in French Films

• Boston Reimagined: Using Art to Depict and Promote Sustainable Change

• The Balance of Game Design

• Against Assimilationist Approaches to Women’s Liberation: An Advisory from Virginia Woolf

• Seasons of Change: A Short Story Inspired by the Themes Perpetuated in Murasaki Shikibu’s "The Tale of Genji"

• An Evaluation Of The Potential And Feasibility Of Harnessing PMEPA1’s Oncogenic Abilities For Use As A Targeted Therapy Or Diagnostic Aid For Varying Cancer Types

• Resolving the Abortion Debate

• Love, War, and Aliens in Slaughterhouse-Five and Arrival: Time as a Coping Mechanism

• On the Brink of Death: Ophelia in the PreRaphaelite Imagination

• Women and Witchcraft, Medieval to Modern: Women’s Persecution Throughout History

• Masculine futility in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

• Shared Humanity and Role Reversals Between Opposing Forces in Homer’s Iliad

• "Iter Iuliae": A Latin Novella

• "Ceres 1" and Song

• Beethoven’s Tempest Sonata and the Translation of Music to Emotion

• The Genetic Pathway of Artemisinin in the A. Annua Plant

• The Ancient Stigmatization of Powerful Women and the Modern Reclamation of the Witch Stereotype

• Applications of Machine Learning in Computational Medicine

• Statistical Methods for Visualizing Gene Regulatory Network Differences

• Effects of Two Species of Excess Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen on the Physiological Health of Astrangia Poculata in the Context of Anthropogenic Environmental Stressors

• Dynamic Genome-scale Metabolic Modeling Reveals Optimal Resource Partition Ratio

• Humanized Murine Model Study of the b-globin Locus and Fetal Globin Switching in Relation to Hemoglobinopathies such as Sickle Cell Disease

• Inflammatory Markers in Covid Disease Mortality and Severity Prediction

• Identifying a Potential Novel Obesity Drug Candidate Using Bioinformatics

• Finding Correlation between Socioeconomic Status and Access to Green Space in Boston

• Identifying Sorafenib as a Potential Lifespan Extending Candidate

• The Enduring Health Risks of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Attachment Theories on Promoting Resilient Development, and Implications for Clinicians and Policy Makers

• A Mount for Zippy: Mechanical Engineering and Structural Design in a Marine Environment

• Irreducible Polynomials over Finite Fields: An Analogy to Prime Numbers

• Development of a New Iteration of the SeaPerch National Program for Marine Robotics Education

• Impact of IT Spending and Vendor Interactions on Innovation Deployment in Hospitals

• Gene-regulatory Networks within Single-cell Resolution in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

• Superconducting Resonant Circuits for Attenuation of Ferroelectric Sample Noise and Amplification of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Readings in CASPEr-Electric

• Exploring the Use of Stem Cells to Grow Transplantable Cardiac Tissue

• Examining the Impact of Sex Differences on Biological Aging in Cancer Patients Through Epigenetic Clocks

• Understanding Stress, Accommodations, and Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism and Autism + ADHD in the Workplace

• The Wearability of Textile-to-Textile Recycling: A New Closed-Loop Fashion

• Synthesis of an Anti-Aging Natural Product: Computational Aided Enzyme Design of EanB for Selenoneine Biosynthesis

• The Importance of Income on Home Ownership

• Quality of Life Outcomes in Adolescent Female Dancers

• Integrase Inhibitors have Variable Effects on Adipocyte Biology

• The Biogeographic Origin and Intraspecific Genealogical Relations of Current Populations of the Synanthropic Tineola bisselliella

• An SEIRD+V Model for the Effect of Vaccination and Social Distancing on SARSCoV-2 Infection and Mortality

• The Economic Reasons for the Fall of the Soviet Union

In our caring high-school community, students who love learning are challenged to think critically and read deeply, and to explore adventurously the wider world of learning at Boston University.