Non-Degree and Special Students

These instructions are for students who wish to enroll as graduate non-degree students at the College of Communication. Instructions are not applicable to students who would like to enroll in a course in another college at BU (MET, CFA…).

The College of Communication (COM) at Boston University welcomes applications from special/non-degree students. You may be investigating graduate degrees, completing requirements for other degree programs or looking for exciting and challenging courses for personal development.

The fee for auditing courses or taking courses for credit is the same. The current cost per credit for the 2019-2020 academic year is $1,710 per credit. If you were to enroll in a 4 credit course, the cost of tuition would be 4 credits x $1,710 per credit = $6,840. All information regarding tuition and fees can be found here.

Non-degree students are not eligible for financial assistance in the form of federal loans or COM merit scholarship.

COM offers a full schedule of courses at all levels. COM Non-degree students can only look at College = COM courses and graduate level courses that are 500 level and above.

  • Students cannot enroll in COM undergraduate courses as a non-degree student.
  • Please be aware of flagged or prerequisite courses.
  • Interested applicants must have an undergraduate degree conferred from an accredited university prior to submitting an application to enroll in a COM course.
  • No more than two courses (8 credits) may be transferable if the student is admitted to a master’s or doctoral program. This is a total of 8 credits taken at BU or elsewhere.
  • Please note, you must reapply each academic semester (fall and spring) to enroll in classes as a non-degree student.
  • Admission to any course is contingent upon: (1) the instructor’s approval, (2) fulfillment of any prerequisites and (3) space availability in the course.
  • The College of Communication allows all degree seeking students to enroll before a non-degree student may enroll in a course.

Registration Information

Taking courses as a non-degree or special student at COM requires that you follow several steps that must be completed before the start of the first day of class each semester. Calendar: http://www.bu.edu/reg/calendars/

  1. Identify the class that you would like to take. Link: http://www.bu.edu/link/bin/uiscgi_studentlink/uismpl?ModuleName=univschs.pl
    • Enter the correct search terms below to find a COM course.
    • Semester: Fall or Spring
    • College: COM
    • Dept.: Choose either FTV (Film and TV), EM (Emerging Media Studies), JO (Journalism) or CM (Mass Communication)
    • Class Number: 500 or above
  2. Email or forward the following forms/documents to the Assistant Director of Graduate Affairs, Kayla Ring, at kbring10@bu.edu.
    • Special Student Application 
    • Emailed approval from course’s professor. Please contact kbring10@bu.edu if you do not have the professor’s email address. Many COM faculty can be found here.
    • Unofficial or official undergraduate transcript
  3. Once your application is accepted by COM’s Graduate Affairs Office, you will be registered for the course on Boston University’s Student Link.
  4. Pay for your course(s) in full with Boston University’s Student Accounting Services office.

Postregistration Refund Information

After registration, please take note of the tuition refund schedule on BU’s Registrar’s website.  Registration and other fees are non-refundable as of the first day of the semester.

Academic Record as a Special Student

An academic record is maintained for each special student, and the student’s work will be graded and recorded in accordance with the prevailing policies of the College of Communication.

If you decide in the future to seek admission to a graduate program as a degree candidate, you will be doing so in competition with all other applicants for admission to that program. If admission is gained as a degree candidate, credits earned as a special student may not necessarily apply toward the degree. No more than two courses taken for credit may be transferable if the student is admitted to a master’s or doctoral program.

International Students and Scholars

Generally, international students are ineligible to apply as a Non-Degree Special Students.  Questions regarding visa status and or eligibility should be referred to the International Students and Scholars Office at Boston University.

Boston University/WBUR Employees and Tuition Remission

All BU employees will follow the same process/policies mentioned above. It is the employee’s responsibility to apply for tuition remission with Human Resources.

Summer Classes

The process and policies mentioned above are only applicable for courses offered during the academic year (fall and spring semesters). Students who wish to take classes in the summer should see the Boston University Summer Term. Please follow the instructions listed there and direct all questions to BU Summer Term.

  • Keep in mind that no more than two courses (8 credits) may be transferable if the student is admitted to a master’s or doctoral program. Even if those courses are taken at Boston University.