Graduate Orientation 2024 (2024)

Welcome to the College of Communication!

Orientation is more than a one-day experience, so we’ve created a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide for your COM, BU, and Boston experience. New BU students must view the videos and helpful links we’ve gathered for you to self-navigate below. Please click all of the drop-down options. BU is a big place, and the information on this page will be a great place to start if you are unsure where to turn for a resource or question.

Select your program of study below to find your September 2nd orientation schedule.

All approximately two-hour in-person orientation meetings will be held at the College of Communication.

cONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE

Advertising

Journalism

Media Science

Media Science: Marketing Communication Research

Media Ventures

Public Relations

Screenwriting

Television

Please bookmark this orientation page and refer to it frequently throughout your first semester to find answers to your questions and connect with the right resource!

Below you’ll find:

A map of BU to familiarize yourself with the campus
Important staff & department contact information
An overview of COM & BU resources
An introduction to the international student experience
A guide to academic resources and information regarding academic misconduct
A list of ways students can prioritize their health and wellness
A variety of opportunities to participate in the BU community (This drop-down includes great resources!)
Information on university policies and procedures
Study space, housing, and transportation

University Calendars

Save the university calendar(s) for deadlines and holidays – www.bu.edu/reg/calendars.

COM Graduate Orientation: September 2, 2024
Fall 2024 Classes start: September 3, 2024
Fall 2024 Tuition Bill Due (for students new to BU): September 16, 2024
Last Day to Add Standard Courses: September 16, 2024
Last Day to Drop Standard Courses (no Withdrawal grade): October 8, 2024
Last Day of Classes: December 10, 2024
Final exams: December 16-20, 2024

Take a Virtual Tour of Boston University

BU’s unique urban Charles River Campus includes West Campus, South Campus, BU Central Campus, and East Campus. COM is conveniently located in East Campus. We encourage you to use this interactive map to ‘tour’ campus and familiarize yourself with important locations like the Mugar Memorial Library, Fitness and Recreation Center (University gym), Howard Thurman Center, and the International Students & Scholars Office. These locations also include categorized videos.

Explore COM

“Visit” COM through the eyes of students! These student-created videos give you a quick overview of COM Student Services, Clubs and Activities, and our academic departments:

COM Contact Information

Search the online directory for contact information or consult the COM staff directory.

Division of Emerging Media
Phone: 617-353-7733
Division Administrator: Sean Mao, ysmao@bu.edu
Division Director: Dr. Betsi Grabe, mgrabe@bu.edu

Film & Television Department
Phone: 617-353-3483
Department Contact: filmtv@bu.edu

Department Administrator: Ali Audet, aaudet@bu.edu
Department Chairman: Professor Craig Shepherd, ftvchair@bu.edu

Journalism Department
Phone: 617-353-3484
Department Contact: jodept@bu.edu
Department Administrator: Lena Sheehan, sheehanl@bu.edu
Department Chairman: Professor Brian McGrory, mcgrory@bu.edu

Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations Department
Phone: 617-353-3482
Department Contact: mcadvpr@bu.edu
Department Administrator: Laura Cafasso, lcafasso@bu.edu
Department Chairman: Dr. Sung Un Yang, yang223@bu.edu

Student Health Services (SHS) is an integrated health center that you may use if you are a full-time BU student, regardless of your insurance choice (this excludes online students) OR any student with the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). All students, regardless of status or insurance, can receive help with referrals to other health practitioners in the community.

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

SHIP is BU’s health insurance plan for students, offered through Aetna, a large national health insurer. SHIP may be the best — and most affordable — option for covering your healthcare outside of Student Health Services (SHS). Graduate students can find videos explaining the Student Health Insurance Plan here.

Student Health Services’ First-Year Students Guide

Student Health Services’ First-Year Students Guide provides information about SHS departments, services, and programs, important information and health requirements for new students, and resources to support your well-being.

Wellness Resources

We want you to feel your best in all areas of your life. Explore the resources on physical and mental health and overall well-being here and here.

Also, BU students have free access to the Headspace meditation app! Learn more here.

Primary Care: 617-353-3575, Functions primarily as an urgent-care facility to treat a wide variety of issues from strep throat to sprained ankles to abdominal pain. Offers basic reproductive health services, including STI testing, and vaccines to prevent illness in the first place!

Behavioral Medicine: 617-353-3569, Staff of psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical nurse specialists, licensed mental health clinicians, and clinical social workers well versed in the many issues that can crop up over an academic career.

: 617-358-0485, Helps students stay well throughout their time on campus by providing programs and services that promote physical and mental health.

: 617-353-7277, Provides free-of-charge counseling and advocacy to students who have experienced a traumatic event. We respond to traumas such as sexual assault, dating violence, and other types of interpersonal violence.

: Group therapy to support your mental health and well-being.

Title IX requires universities to respond promptly and effectively to complaints of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. Universities must take immediate action to eliminate the offending conduct, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects.

Local Discounts

Cultural and Other Discounts
Perks 4 Terriers

The COM Career Services Office works exclusively with College of Communication students and alumni to help them plan their careers. Students can make an appointment with COM Career Services or attend a group workshop. Career Services uses the Handshake platform to post events and schedule appointments. Link: https://bu.joinhandshake.com/login

Getting Started with COM Career Services

Part of students’ larger career community, BU’s central Center for Career Development (CCD) works with students, collaborates with BU colleagues, and partners with employers. CCD offers a seasoned professional staff, online resources, and a variety of events and programs for students as they navigate their way from the first day of class through graduation and beyond.

Resources

Career Guides: From how to build a resume to explore career paths to nailing an interview, all of your how-to guides are here. Doing the research and being prepared are important steps to landing the job.

Join Handshake: Handshake is BU’s online career development hub, exclusively for students and alumni, to access resources, opportunities, and events. Make an individual appointment, register for an event, and explore employers and internships/jobs.

The provides professional expertise on immigration and employment and helps to ensure student, scholar, and institutional compliance with federal regulations. ISSO staff are available to guide students and scholars through the often complicated requirements for foreign nationals studying and working in the United States.

New Student FAQ
Advising
Immigration assistance, including:
- Maintaining status
- Changing status
- Extensions
Traveling outside the US (and returning)
Social Security Number application
Working outside BU

You can contact ISSO if you have questions or need assistance. The ISSO also holds virtual Advisor-On-Call (AOC) hours. Their office is located at 888 Commonwealth Avenue.

International Student Experience

International Student Frequently Asked Questions

Here you’ll find information about everything from what to expect from your classroom and social experiences to finding a home and getting around in Boston to immigration and healthcare insurance. You can scroll through to browse questions or jump immediately to the section that interests you.

International Student Voices

Where better to get answers to your questions than from international students like yourself? Just click here to find short videos on topics of interest to you with an inside perspective from an international BU graduate student.

BU First Class: Global Programs launched an online noncredit pre-arrival course designed to prepare incoming international students for the transition to BU and the American classroom. BU First Class is delivered on the edX platform Edge and consists of short videos, polls, and self-checks designed to be completed from anywhere on any device.

Faculty Advising

Graduate students are academically advised by faculty within their departments, department administrators, and the Graduate Affairs Office. You will be assigned a faculty advisor and/or program director upon the start of your program. If you have questions about this process, contact comgrad@bu.edu or your department administrator.

Faculty advisors can best answer any questions about your professional and academic goals. Professors are experts in their fields and can help you decide which electives can help you build skills and how to network and navigate their industry.

How to address a professor: Most professors at COM will use their last or family name. Example: Professor Smith. It is ok to ask a professor what they would like to be called. Some professors prefer first names and some will use Dr. Smith.

What are office hours: Professors and teaching assistants schedule time outside class when students can meet with professors to discuss the material being presented in class or other related interests. Professors usually announce weekly or by appointment office hours on their syllabus.

Graduate Affairs Advising: Schedule an advising appointment with COM’s Assistant Director of Advising and Academic Student Success, Lu He, or the Director of Graduate Affairs, Kayla Ring, via Handshake. Use this link and select COM Graduate Affairs Academic Advising. If you cannot find a time through Handshake, email comgrad@bu.edu. Link: https://bu.joinhandshake.com/login

Lu He and Kayla Ring help students navigate their academic curriculum, BU resources, and academic/ISSO policies… They also certify students for graduation and help ensure that students graduate in a timely manner.

BU Educational Resource Center

The Educational Resource Center (ERC) is here to support you as you navigate the rigorous academic landscape at Boston University. The ERC offers peer tutoring, writing assistance, language conversation groups, academic skills advising, and workshops on topics such as time management, work/life balance, study habits, note-taking, and test anxiety.

Check out their Academic Resource Guide to explore additional academic support options.

COM Writing Center

COM Writing Center’s mission is to assist writers in the writing process, from brainstorming ideas to revising the final draft. They also have a collection of online writing reference sheets.

Purdue OWL – Online Writing Lab

Purdue OWL serves as a great free resource and reference guide for writing research papers in proper APA, MLA, or Chicago citation and format style.

Read & Write Gold is a literacy software that helps students with reading, writing, research, and organization. This software is free to download for the BU community. It is a useful tool, especially in language-learning classes. You can read an article about this software in BU Today.

BU Library
Collections
Borrowing
Help
Avoid plagiarism! Use a citation manager to collect and organize your reference materials

Student Central

The Student Central site is designed as a one-stop shop for helpful BU websites — links to various offices and services around campus, such as a quick link to the BU Bulletin, a course search of BU classes.

MyBU Student Portal

MyBU Student portal (https://mybustudent.bu.edu/) is used by enrolled and active students at Boston University to navigate to key administrative services of the University (Academics,Tuition Bill,Student Employment,Class Schedule.)

Blackboard/BU Learn

Blackboard Learn is available to anyone with a BU login name and Kerberos password at learn.bu.edu (for on-campus students). The IT Help Center will answer any questions you have concerning your Blackboard Learn course site. You can get in touch with them online at www.bu.edu/help/blackboard (or by clicking on the Help tab on any screen in Blackboard), by e-mail at ithelp@bu.edu, or by phone at 353-HELP(4357).

COM IT provides equipment & room reservations, as well as how-to information regarding the facilities and technology in COM. If you need help in a hurry, email comhelp@bu.edu.

BU’s Academic Bulletin

The College of Communication (COM) includes the Division of Emerging Media Studies (dems@bu.edu), the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations (mcadvpr@bu.edu), the Department of Film and Television (filmtv@bu.edu) and the Department of Journalism (jodept@bu.edu). These divisions and departments work collaboratively to prepare students for challenging careers in constantly changing media industries. Please visit the COM section of BU’s Academic Bulletin for specific program requirements and policies related to your degree and program.

BU Academic Policies

Here you’ll find BU’s academic policies, covering everything from registration and full-time enrollment to academic conduct and more. For policies related to student life and campus regulations, browse the Dean of Students’ Lifebook.

COM-specific information can be found in the COM Graduate Handbook.

BU Academic Conduct Code

Boston University’s Academic Conduct Code is designed to assist in the development of a supportive and productive learning environment. It is both a description of the University’s ethical expectations of students as well as a guarantee of students’ rights and responsibilities as members of a learning community. The Code provides clarity related to policies and procedures regarding academic conduct.

As the document of authority for all students, the Bulletin is your guide to the departments, programs, policies, and courses. Requirements listed here take precedence over information found elsewhere.

COM Graduate Academic Contract
COM Graduate Handbook

Boston University policies help connect our daily activities with the University’s mission by setting expectations and clarifying processes for individual members of our community.

The Code of Student Responsibilities is administered by BU’s Dean of Students office. “The Code of Student Responsibilities presupposes that there will be civility and respect for others within the University.” This document outlines students’ rights and responsibilities, as well as the code of student conduct.

BU’s (D&I) leads the University’s efforts to advance a culture that values and supports diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across our campuses.

Visit the website & subscribe to BU’s Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground newsletter
Check out an archive of BU’s D&I events here, including recordings regarding microaggressions, race, intersectional identities, and race, and BU’s Day of Collective Engagement.
View BU Diversity & Inclusion’s “Curated, Crowdsourced, Cultural Guide to Boston”
Also, here’s an article on Eastern vs. Western cultural differences that our team likes.

The College of Communication Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee exists to elevate and ensure a culture of inclusion in which all members of our community are valued and respected. We strive to create an inclusive and equitable environment that recruits, supports, and retains a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. We celebrate the diversity of identity, culture, perspective, and expression. As professional communicators, we have a responsibility to:

foster an environment that cultivates diverse storytellers,
promote the value of research and telling stories in academia and the various fields of professional communication that emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion, and
inform, enlighten, and prepare the next generation of communicators to thrive in a diverse and inclusive world.

COM resources:

Visit COM’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page and join our Facebook group.

LGBTQIA+ Community Boston University

(CGSA)
Queer Activist Collective(Q)
LGBTQIA+ Community Resource Guide
LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center

Boston University is committed to being a family-friendly community for graduate students with children, with many resources and benefits available.

Visit the Office of Family Resources and BU Children’s Center here.

Contact: 617-353-3413; chldcntr@bu.edu

The Boston University Arts Initiative wants the arts to have a presence in and impact on students’ lives. You can sign up for their weekly newsletter here to learn more about weekly art events on and off campus, as well as student memberships and discounts.

Contact: 775 Commonwealth Avenue; 617-358-0489

In addition to COM’s Graduate Student Council, learn more about COM’s student media, clubs, & activities here.

You can also explore BU’s Build Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center, an on-campus collaboration space and information center used for new ventures and projects.

The Thurman Centeris Boston University’s cultural hub, and, unlike many colleges and universities that have separate Centers based on race, Boston University’s Howard Thurman Center does not. The Thurman Center is intentionally inclusive and emphasizes the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone to build relationships and share experiences with others. The Thurman Center is a place where cultural expression in all of its forms is embraced and encouraged.

Checkherefor programming throughout the year, orhereto imagine ways to use this beautiful space to make your time on campus more meaningful.

TheNewbury Centerwas created to foster the success of first-generation students at Boston University. The center’s goal is to become a highly visible, transformative unit of Boston University, offering programming and services designed to ensure that first-generation students experience the same sense of well-being, belonging, self-efficacy, and academic accomplishment as their continuing-generation peers.

The center offersresources and helpful information for first-generation graduate and professional students.

Contact:newburycenter@bu.edu; (617) 353-3400

BU Sustainability webpage
BU Sustainability Welcomes Incoming Graduate Students

Office of the Ombuds at Boston University

The Office of the Ombuds is an independent, impartial, informal problem-solving resource serving BU faculty, staff, and students. The Office maintains strict confidentiality and provides a safe place for you to have off-the-record conversations on issues related to life, work, or study at Boston University. Talking to the Ombuds can be a good first step if you have a concern and you don’t know where to turn for help.

Contact: 617-358-5961; ombuds@bu.edu

The goal of the is to provide services and support to ensure that students can access and participate in the opportunities available at BU. Students are encouraged to utilize the resources of Disability & Access Services to the degree they determine necessary. Although a significant amount of independence is expected of students, Disability & Access Services is available to assist, should the need arise.

Contact: 25 Buick Street, 617-353-3658

The College of Communication has a student lounge on the first floor of the building that all students have access to. There are many quiet places to study at BU, both at COM and the University at large.

BU Today Article: “Best Places to Study for Finals”
Study Spaces at the BU Library

To begin exploring off-campus housing opportunities (where the majority of our graduate students live), we recommend that you start with the resources below:

Learn more about BU’s surrounding neighborhoods and housing options through the Neighborhood Guide on the Graduate Education Website.
Explore BU’s off-campus housing webpage to peruse property listings throughout the city.

Contact BU Off-Campus Services: 25 Buick Street, 1st Floor; 617-353-3523; och@bu.edu

Contact BU On-Campus Services: 25 Buick Street, 1st Floor; 617-353-3511; gradhous@bu.edu

Navigating Public Transportation, Parking, and Driving in Boston

BU Parking and Transportation Services is located at 1010 Commonwealth Avenue and is your source of information for navigating campus and the city of Boston. The links below have information on MBTA passes (Riding the T), the BU BUS (BU Shuttle), parking passes, and bike safety.

Terrier Transit, “a powerful standalone multimodal transportation app, is custom-made for the BU community. The app helps you plan trips by providing real-time data from the BU Shuttle, the MBTA, and Bluebikes.”
The BU Bus: Free and convenient shuttle to travel all of BU’s campuses.
MBTA: Order your Transit pass here! The Fall deadline is August 10th.
Bike Safety: Your safety is our mission. With hundreds of pedestrians, cars, trucks, buses, and T trolleys rolling up and down campus, biking in Boston can be an adventure, to say the least. We’re here to help keep your rides enjoyable and safe.
ZipCar: As the world’s leading car-sharing network, Zipcar lets you rent a car on demand, by the hour or the day.
Student Parking Permits

Contact: parking@bu.edu; (617) 353-2160