First-Year Seminars are 1-credit courses that cover a university-level topic, idea, or area of research in a small, discussion-based setting. First Year Seminars have a twin focus, with time spent on both the subject of the seminar and the skills incoming students need to succeed. Capped at nineteen students, each course provides a supportive environment that promotes students’ transition to college.
Yes! We expect all first-year students to enroll in a First-Year Seminar and the course is worth 1 credit towards graduation.
Seminars meet once each week for 50 minutes.
Most seminars are graded, although a few instructors evaluate students on a Pass/Fail basis.
As with all college courses, First-Year Seminars involve reading, some writing, and maybe even research. But remember, these courses count for only one credit. This means they entail no more than one to two hours of work per week outside of class. Also, keep in mind that instructors know students might be coming to their field for the first time. They will not assume any previous knowledge of the material they cover.
Most students will take a section of FYS 191 as their First-Year Seminar. Students in the Isenberg School of Management take SCH-MGMT 191T, and students in the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing take NURSING 150. If your program, department, or college requires students to enroll in a specific class as your First-Year Seminar, your advisor will let you know during your Advising & Course Registration meeting.
Your advisor will help you select a seminar that is best for you. Some programs will direct you toward a specific seminar, while some may offer a limited suite of options. Other programs allow you to select from any unrestricted seminar on campus. In those cases, many students choose to take a seminar that aligns with their major field of study. But others use a seminar to explore a new field of interest. The choice is yours.
Just like any other course, work with an advisor to sort through your options. You can see available First-Year Seminars using Schedule Builder or the Class Search function in SPIRE. Your advising team can help you search for available seminar sections.
No, the University offers only one of these small, targeted courses for each new student.
Most First-Year Seminars are scheduled for the fall semester, but we do offer a few First-Year Seminars during the spring semester for new students. Connect with your advisor to determine if a First-Year Seminar is right for you!
No, First-Year Seminars are designed for students who are brand new to college. However, the Undergraduate Student Success Center and some schools and colleges offer Success Seminars for Transfer students.
First-year seminar instruction is coordinated at the college level. Contact Undergraduate Student Success Academic Programs and we would be happy to connect you with your school or college’s First-Year Seminar coordinator.