With a wide variety of topics to choose from, these courses offer a low-stakes way to engage in your passion or explore something new. Students can choose from a range of topics, from considering sex and gender manifestations in the brain, debating the impacts of mass incarceration in the US, or learning the engineering principals that will drive the smart cities of the future. Whatever the subject, these classes will encourage you to think big thoughts, participate in robust discussions or debates, approach an instructor or advisor outside of class, and investigate a subject of interest.
First-Year Seminars are also designed to support your transition to college. Capped at nineteen students, each course provides a close, supportive environment, where participants can learn from each other and develop personal relationships with their peers and their instructor. First Year Seminars are often taught by graduate students; closer themselves to the college experience, graduate instructors have practical advice for their students and bring empathy to their courses. They are also keen to teach in their own field of research and share topics that have motivated them.
- Core Practices
- Demystify the College Experience
- Make connections
- Maintain a balance and attend to self-care
First Year Seminars have a twin focus, with time spent on both the topic of the seminar and the skills incoming students need to succeed. While the balance between those two areas can vary from seminar to seminar, all sections seek to address three core student practices.
When students come to college, they know they need to go to their classes. But many will need to learn how to learn at the college level. The unstated, or hidden, part of the college curriculum includes learning to take notes or read for class, developing a system to keep track of assignments, and knowing how to email a professor or advisor. FYS instructors help develop these skills in many ways, teaching strategies to approach college level reading assignments and examinations and connecting students to academic supports such as the Learning Resource Center or The UMass Writing Center.
College brings a fresh start and a brand-new environment. Research shows that students who connect with their new community and foster a sense of belonging have the best chance at success. The first year seminar is an ideal environment to begin those connections, a place for collaboration and discussion with a small-group of likeminded peers. Additionally, instructors work to encourage connections outside the classroom, through office visits, the promotion of campus events and groups, or connecting with programs in the larger Amherst community.
Starting at college means learning to manage your time and your life in a brand new way, and that process can have pitfalls. For some students, this means an over-focus on school work. For others, it might be too much social time and not enough studying. FYS instructors will talk to students about ways to maintain a balance, through time management and prioritization. Instructors will also provide connections to places on campus to go for support, including the Rec Center for physical health, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health for emotional support, or the many resource centers on campus.
With over 250 sections offered every Fall, there is a seminar to suit your needs. Many departments offer seminars that allow for a deep dive into your new major, while schools and colleges run seminars that more broadly overview their area of study. If you are enrolled in a Residential Academic Program (RAP), a seminar with students from your dorm may already be part of your schedule.
You can also check out some of the seminars listed in other colleges to see if you’d like to explore something new.