Freshman Seminars

The Freshman Seminar Program offers first-year students access to small, discussion-oriented classes that many UW students may not experience until they are juniors or seniors. Distinguished UW faculty members teach these seminars on a topic of personal or professional interest. Freshman Seminars provide an intimate setting for engaging discussion between students and the professor. These seminars are particularly appropriate for students who want a first look at an unfamiliar field of study.

Academic and Personal Discovery: Enriching Your College Experience

Instructor: Tom Bouchard and Dr. Sara Mackenzie
Tuesday 3:30pm-4:20pm

This seminar allows you to explore and develop goals to enrich your academic experiences by: 1) looking beyond the walls of the traditional classroom for opportunities and experiences and 2) helping you evaluate life choices that affect physical and mental well being. You will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of professionals and peers through presentations and discussions. Academic Discovery topics include: choosing a major and preparing for a career; student organizations; service learning; volunteer opportunities; internships; undergraduate research; and study abroad. Personal Discovery topics include: nutrition; fitness; mental well-being; and relationships.

Educational Planning: The Second-year and Beyond

Instructor: Laura Avila and Andrea Griggs

What does it mean to 'get the most' out of your education? This seminar will provide a structured introduction to educational planning. You will explore and learn about academic majors and the experiential learning opportunities that can strengthen a student's educational plan and provide a link to your evolving professional and personal goals. You will meet representatives from various academic disciplines to gain insight into the variety of majors and departments available at the UW. As you learn about yourself and the University, and develop your plans you will be asked to be creative and challenge yourself to think how your plan relates to other important areas of life. The plan you develop will not only lead to graduation, but to a fuller sense of who you are as a learner and how you engage in the community around you.

Personal and Professional Development through Inventories and Resume Building

Instructor: Katie DeWilde and Dr. Tom Bouchard
Thursday 2:30-3:20

In this seminar students will learn about their personal identities and their strengths and weaknesses through the use of several inventories including the Enneagram, Meyers-Briggs and StrengthsQuest. This discovery will aid students in making choices about majors and careers. They will also learn about the Millennial Generation and what that means for their peer group. The second part of the seminar will prepare students for the professional world and how to apply for jobs and internships. Building a resume, developing a cover letter and preparing for interviews will be among the major tools discussed.

Escaping the Cave: From Plato to the Sophomore Year

Instructor: Kurt Xyst

We all perform better when we know what is expected of us, but those expectations are often cloudy or unclear. This is all the more true when it comes to being a UW sophomore. This seminar course will reflect on the history and philosophical tradition of the Western university in order to shed (more) light on what college means for you and how to wrestle effectively with all the big decisions. The course will involve in-depth weekly readings, reflection and, most importantly, discussion. Topics covered will range from ancient Greek thinking about education to the UW General Education requirements and from research about the experiences of other UW students to research about what motivates us.

Exploring Paths to Health Careers

Instructor:Dr. Tom Bouchard
Thursday 3:30-4:20

Every year, 2500 freshman come to UW identifying as pre-med. However, only 400 apply to medical school. Many students go into other health-related professions or switch concentrations completely. This seminar will addressthe concerns of a freshman who is completing the general chemistry series and is looking to continue the pre-health sciences path next year. This seminar will broadly examine all the facets of a strong pre-health resume. Topics covered include: academic success in pre-health classes, advising, and extracurricular activities such as undergraduate research, volunteering, and experiential learning.