The purpose of the First Year Seminar is to provide an effective introduction for first-year students to the intellectual life of the University in the context of a small discussion-oriented course designed around a specific theme or topic.
Each First Year Seminar section includes content shared across all sections. Some of the common content is introduced the summer prior to students’ fall enrollment to engage students in intellectual content prior to their arrival on campus and to facilitate engagement with the common content during Welcome Week.
While First Year Seminar contains some common content, most of the course content is topical and varies by section. Regardless of section, all First Year Seminar topics are designed to serve as contexts through which to ask and answer questions about what it means to love God and neighbor. The topical or thematic content of each seminar is determined by the individual faculty member and approved by the Office of General Education.
A main emphasis in First Year Seminar is the process of intellectual discovery. First Year Seminars help first year students achieve critical thinking and information literacy skills essential to success in the world of academic scholarship. The seminars have no prerequisites and are not intended to provide preparation needed for advanced work in specific departmental programs.
Faculty members teaching First Year Seminars must be individuals who are equipped to come alongside first-year students as they acclimate to college life. They should be prepared to teach students to think critically, engage in healthy classroom dialogue, and support arguments with evidence through their writing and speaking. Faculty members teaching FIrst Year Seminars are required to attend periodic workshops designed to enhance teaching and learning assessment in this context.