In most ways, the first year in the Carroll School of Management resembles the first year in the College of Arts and Sciences. Carroll School of Management freshmen are expected to focus their study on aspects of the University's Core curriculum (described in the University Policies and Procedures section); the study of courses required in the Management Core, with the exceptions noted below, usually begins in earnest in sophomore year.
All Carroll School freshmen will enroll in MH 100 Portico, a 3-credit course, offered in the fall semester, which combines an introduction to business with ethics and attention to globalization.
During freshman year, CSOM students should also complete the Writing Seminar and the Literature requirement as well as one semester of Calculus (MT 100 or higher) and one semester of Statistics (EC 151). These five courses, or their equivalent via Advanced Placement, along with MI 021 Computers in Management, are indispensable in the first year. Note that there is no necessary sequence for the above mentioned courses; they may be taken in any order, either semester, during the first year.
What other courses should a freshman pursue? If a student has yet to fulfill the language requirement (see elsewhere in this section for the variety of ways in which it can be satisfied), language study is in order. Note that students contemplating study abroad, and cognizant of the increasingly global nature of business, are well advised to hone existing language skills and consider beginning study of another language. Proficiency in several languages constitutes a significant advantage for aspiring business people. Boston College's international programs include a number of programs—from Scandinavia to the Pacific Rim—which are especially attractive for Carroll School students.
Freshmen should also consider enrolling in one of the University's hallmark programs, PULSE and Perspectives, which fulfill both the Philosophy and the Theology Core requirements. Perspectives, with the exception of one sophomore section, is restricted to freshmen; PULSE may be taken at any time except senior year.
Other possibilities for freshman year include the Modern History sequence, the two-semester Principles of Economics sequence, and a pair of science courses.
While the preceding remarks capture a range of possibilities, even greater possibilities await a student possessed of advanced placement, transfer, or international baccalaureate credit. Such students should consult carefully with the Associate Dean and their faculty orientation advisor in crafting a plan of study for first year.