Teaching a Freshman Seminar
The office of First Year Programs would like to encourage faculty, staff, or graduate students to consider teaching a Freshman Seminar.
What are Freshman Seminars?
Freshmen Seminars are 1-2 credit, discussion-based courses that maximize faculty student interaction by limiting class size to 15-20 students. Freshman seminars are offered Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters. These seminars allow faculty to explore and introduce new academic material to entering students or to examine a discipline or current event from creative or interdisciplinary perspectives. Freshman seminars provide an important forum to introduce disciplines in intimate settings to students who are contemplating what their majors will be.
What is the History of the Program?
The Freshman Seminar Program was instituted during Autumn Quarter 1993 as a means of bringing faculty and students together to dialogue in small settings. Since that time, more than 200 faculty members from over 90 departments have participated in the program, providing freshmen with a unique learning and community-building experience.
Who Can Teach a Freshman Seminar?
The Office of First Year Programs has expanded the Freshman Seminars program to allow for a greater number of course offerings and increased participation by faculty, staff, and advanced graduate students. (See descriptions below) In addition to the traditional Freshman Seminar led by one faculty member we envision topic driven seminars facilitated by an FYP staff person and taught by several faculty either within a department or across disciplines. We are also open to instruction by advanced graduate students, in need of teaching experiences, recommended by Department Chairs or Faculty Advisors.
What are the format options?
- Faculty Seminars: Seminar topics determined by faculty members who will be responsible for 10 weeks of instruction.
- Department/Interdisciplinary Seminars: Seminars are topic driven and facilitated by FYP staff. The goal will be to help students develop critical thinking skills and the capacity to analyze an issue from a variety of perspectives. Instruction will be provided by a rotating schedule of faculty. This model will increase faculty participation by lessening the time commitment required. Students will have the benefit of interacting with a variety of faculty members.
- Graduate Seminars: Seminar topics determined by graduate students who will be responsible for 10 weeks of instruction. This will provide graduate students with an opportunity to teach and interact with students. Freshman will gain early insight into the interests of graduate students and nature of graduate level work.
Who should I call if I'm interested in teaching a Freshman Seminar?
Interested faculty or graduate students please contact Grant Kollet, First Year Programs Director, or call 206-616-7260 for additional information.
