Contemporary Topics in Finance. Molecular Gastronomy. The Energy Future. What do these topics have in common? They were all subjects of a first-year seminar.
First year seminars are designed to help students make the transition to college-level learning through active participation in their own learning. These classes are taught by faculty members to a small group (fewer than 20) of first-year students. Faculty members choose the theme of the seminar because it's related to their research, it's something that's always fascinated them, or it provides a glimpse into their academic area.
Students can learn about being a doctor, what it takes to be a math or science teacher, or the roots of terrorism. On average, the classes meet one a week for 50 minutes, and grades are based on participation and short assignments.
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Students who have taken first-year seminars say that they'd recommend them to others because they got to meet students with similar interests and got to know a faculty member one-on-one. Here are comments from two of them:
- "It is very nice to be in a small class with a teacher who is truly passionate about what they are teaching."
- "This class is by far my favorite this semester. Every class we learn about something new and very interesting ... The assignments are very relevant and applicable to life outside of the class. I wish it was more than once a week!"
