College advisors are here to help you navigate the course selection process and have created materials and tools to help you prepare for your first semester at Holy Cross.
The normal course load for students at the College is four courses, excluding labs and language practicum. All first-year students will enroll in one Montserrat seminar and three additional courses each semester. Review the courses open to first-year students before enrollment. All of the courses listed have either some space reserved for first-year students or are only open to first-year students.
Class sizes are small at Holy Cross. We pride ourselves on low faculty-to-student ratios, as they provide an opportunity for meaningful interaction between students and faculty in and out of the classroom. However, small classes can also mean that you will not always obtain your first choice of courses. Therefore, we suggest that you have multiple alternate course options. As you make your choices, keep several things in mind. You should use your first year to explore the curriculum as a means of discovering where your interests lie. If you are interested in exploring a particular major or are interested in pursuing post-graduate options in the health professions, you will find suggestions for appropriate course options in the first-year course list. You can also use the College’s Common Area Requirements to guide you in your selection.
If you have any questions throughout this process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Registrar’s Office at registraroffice@holycross.edu.
Montserrat is an innovative program for all first-year students that provides an intensive introduction to the liberal arts through a rigorous, multi-dimensional academic experience. The seminar — a small, yearlong class in which students work closely with professors on a variety of topics — lies at the heart of the program. Students engage in shared inquiry, explore a diverse intellectual approaches to big questions, and develop the writing, speaking and critical thinking skills necessary for success in their Holy Cross education and life after graduation.
Montserrat seminars are grouped into six different thematic clusters (Contemporary Challenges, Core Human Questions, Divine, Global Society, Natural World, and Self). Cluster faculty organize cocurricular events that develop each cluster's annual theme and bring cluster students together to enhance their seminar experiences. Students in a particular cluster also live together in the same residence hall to facilitate the discussion of ideas in informal settings outside class and to cultivate meaningful relationships with peers.
Examples of cocurricular events include panel discussions, mindfulness workshops, trips to museums, lectures by authors of books that students have read, films, theatrical performances, musical concerts, residential coffeehouses, field trips and environmental initiatives in the residence halls. All of these experiences are designed to foster a sense of belonging in the Holy Cross community, encourage a passionate commitment to local and global community and fuel an enduring quest for intellectual, personal and spiritual challenges.
Your year-long Montserrat seminar counts for two courses (one each semester) toward your Holy Cross graduation requirement, as well as one Common Area Requirement. We encourage you to look for Montserrat seminars that will allow you to explore new areas of the curriculum that are outside of your potential majors but still of interest to you. For example, if you are thinking about majoring in Psychology, you might want to consider Montserrat seminars that count for a common requirement other than “Social Science”.
You can explore the Montserrat seminar options using our new Exploration Tool. After you have identified at least six seminars, you can submit your preferences for processing by the Registrar via Student Academic Records system (STAR) beginning May 26 through June 12. You may list more than six seminars if you like. Be advised that you are not ranking seminars in any particular order, but are indicating an interest in all six courses. It is essential that you review the course descriptions carefully; you will be in one of these courses for the full academic year. Please note that you are selecting the year-long seminar titles; they consist of a fall course and an associated spring course. Also note that once you submit your seminar preferences, you will not be able to update your list.
If you have questions, please reach out to the director of Montserrat, Professor Bridget Franco, at bfranco@holycross.edu.You must submit your list of at least six preferred Montserrat seminars online by June 12, 2026.
To access the Montserrat seminars and create your list of preferred seminars, you will need to log in to STAR.
To view the course description for each seminar, click on the Seminar ID, e.g., CORE 01. After reading the course description, return to the list of seminars and then select this seminar as a preference, if desired. After you have placed a minimum of six seminars on your preferred seminar list, you should select the link View My Preferred Seminars and click on Submit to submit your final list. We remind you that once you have submitted your list, you cannot change your preferences. You must submit your list by June 12, 2026.
In addition to selecting your Montserrat seminar preferences, you must complete the online First-Year Questionnaire and Course Preference Form by June 19, 2026. Using this form, you will be able to give us information about your academic interests and your academic background. In addition, you are asked to identify six courses that you would like to enroll in during your first year at the College. One of these courses should be identified as your first choice, and a second should be identified as your second choice. The College will enroll you in either your first choice or your second choice before your enrollment period begins.
Before completing the Questionnaire and Course Preference Form, you should review the first-year course descriptions. You should complete the form after consulting with a faculty advisor during your Academic Advising Meeting. If you have any questions, you can also contact your Class Dean, Shawn Maurer, at classdean2030@holycross.edu.
You can begin filling out the online First-Year Questionnaire and Course Preference Form on May 26. Your First-Year Questionnaire and Courses Preference Form must be submitted no later than June 19. You can access the First-Year Questionnaire and Course Preference Form using the following navigation:
Beginning July 14 at 5:30 p.m. (EDT), you must go to the Student Academic Records system (STAR) to enroll in two additional courses to complete your schedule.
We will enroll you in a Montserrat seminar and in either your first or second choice course before your enrollment period begins. Once we have completed course placement, you will be notified by the registrar that you can view your schedule. Once you’ve been notified, you can view your schedule, and prior to July 14, you should access STAR to review your Montserrat seminar and the other course in which you were enrolled. You can access this information by selecting the Manage Classes Tile on the STAR homepage and then View My Classes/Schedule. After reviewing your schedule, you should then consider the other courses you listed on your Course Preference Form and, using the Search for Classes feature in STAR, determine which section of a particular course would fit best in your schedule.
To prepare for enrollment, you should add these particular classes to your Enrollment Backpack in STAR. Some courses will have required related classes (for example, required laboratories for science courses, or required practica for language courses). In addition, it is helpful if you enter alternative choices in your Enrollment Backpack in case your preferred classes fill before you can enroll in them. Detailed instructions for placing courses in your Enrollment Backpack and enrolling in courses from your Backpack can be found on the Office of the Registrar's Ignite page.
The online enrollment process begins July 14 at 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) and continues through July 17 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). You must access the Student Academic Records System (STAR) and enroll in classes to complete your schedule during this time. You will not be automatically enrolled in the courses in your Enrollment Backpack.
If you have any questions about selecting course preferences or enrolling in classes, you can contact your Class Dean, Shawn Maurer at classdean2030@holycross.edu, or the registrar at registraroffice@holycross.edu. On July 14, the first day of online enrollment, the registrar will have extended hours to assist you should you have questions or problems. Please feel free to call 508-793-2511 between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. (EDT) on July 14, or during regular business hours for the remainder of the enrollment period, Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Textbooks are available for purchase through MBS Direct/BNC Services. All books must be purchased online and shipped to your campus box number as textbooks are not in stock on campus. You will need to search by course number (i.e. ANTH101.01). If you do not see a course, it means that the professor has not yet placed an order for that class. Please keep checking back on the website. Do not order the books for a different section number. Keep in mind that textbooks ship from Missouri and will take a few days to arrive.
Your box number can be found on STAR. Please use the below format and simply put the four digits on the same line as your last name for all mail and packages that you have sent to campus. Please do not use the words "P.O. Box" as these are not true P.O. boxes, and packages addressed in this manner may instead be delivered to the central Post Office in downtown Worcester.
Student Name – #### (four-digit mailroom number from STAR)
College of the Holy Cross
1 College St.
Worcester, MA 01610-2395
Each year, the first-year class dean asks students to read a common text. The first-year reading connects you to the Holy Cross community through a shared reading experience, welcoming you to a culture that values the thoughtful discussion of ideas. This year's selection is “Chain-Gang All-Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
In early June, transfer students will receive a Course Interest Form to submit 6 courses they would like to take in their first semester. The Office of the Registrar will enroll students in 2 of their choices. Students will enroll in 2 additional courses beginning July 13, 2026 at 10 a.m. and ending on July 17 at 5 p.m.
Throughout your time at Holy Cross, your class dean and your academic advisor will assist you with your academic program and will be important resources for you as you adjust to college life. During the summer, you can address questions to your class dean.
At the end of the summer, you will be assigned an academic advisor. You’ll meet several times with your advisor during your first year. We will set up the first meeting with your advisor at the beginning of the semester so that you can introduce yourself and begin discussing issues of interest to you.
