First-Year Seminars (FYS)
First-Year Seminars provide students with a structured opportunity to explore three basic common content goals:
- Goal #1: Build connections intellectually and interpersonally with their instructor and fellow students and become a member of the UMass Amherst community
- Goal #2: Enhance Engagement through discovery of the wide array of useful resources and opportunities that will assist in their transition to and experience in college
- Goal #3: Become self -guided learners through the realization of the value of utilizing targeted study strategies, and intentional planning for academic achievement and personal success.
We have two basic models for the First-Year Seminar (FYS) program:
School/College/Major/FYS
Each school/college determines the format of their FYS, some will be skills based, others will be topic based. Some academic departments offer seminars designed specifically for their majors. All include the Common Content Goals.
Faculty First-year Seminars (FFYS)
Taught by faculty from across the university, these FYS are open to students from any major or Exploratory Track (regardless of the department the faculty instructor is affiliated with). FFYS are all topic based and include the university Common Content goals.
The following materials are posted on the RAP website (link coming soon):
- A chart of FFYS – Title/Faculty name & department/Grading/Day & time/Spire #
- A document with full descriptions of each seminar.
All FYSs offer engaging learning opportunities in a small class setting with a capacity of 19. As an incoming first-year student, you will enroll in a FYS in the fall semester. Your Academic Advisor will inform you, based on your major, if you should choose a school/college based first-year seminar or a FFYS.
How to Find a FYS on Spire
School/College/Department FYS are listed in Spire under the rubric of the school/college/major
- Choose the course subject (ie; CNS is “Natural Sciences”)
- Course Number – choose “begins with” “191”
- Choose “show open classes only”
Faculty First-year Seminars (FFYS)
- Choose the course subject Faculty First Year Seminar
- Course Number – choose “begins with” “191”
- Choose “show open classes only”
Transfer Success Seminar
As a transfer student, you have the opportunity to enroll in our Transfer Success Seminar! In this seminar, students will investigate the wealth of resources and services on campus to support their success. (Libraries, Learning Resource Center, Writing Center, OURS, CMASS, Health….). You will identify which programs and services you want to connect with, make connections with other transfer students, and learn about the various academic and social support services UMass has to offer.
