First Year Seminars

A First Year Seminar:

• Helps integrate first-year students into academic culture.

• Sharpens students' writing, critical thinking, verbal communication and information literacy.

• Focuses on a topic, approach or theme.

• Encourages active participation by students in class.

• Focuses on ways of knowing as well as content.

• Invites connections among several areas of study or disciplines.

• Aims to establish a sense of community among members.

First Year Seminar Writing:
The First Year Seminar should offer a writing-intensive experience for students. Typically, this will involve a series of short writing assignments beginning early in the term and totaling at least 20 pages in length. The instructor should provide substantive feedback and students should be allowed an opportunity for correction and revision on at least some assignments.

First Year Seminar Critical Thinking:
The First Year Seminar should engage critical thinking. The Drake Curriculum revisions adopted last spring by the Faculty Senate expanded and clarified the goal of developing critical thinking skills.

See the First Year Seminar site for more information.