OfficeofUndergraduateExperiences
DRAFT12-2016
HIPBEST-PRACTICESGUIDELINES
FIRST-YEARSEMINARSANDEXPERIENCES
1.DefinitionandOverview
FirstYearSeminars(FYSs)arecoursesintendedtoenhancetheacademicandsocialintegration
offirst-yearstudentsbyintroducingthemtoessentialskillsforcollegesuccessandasupportive
campuscommunitycomprisedofcollaboratingfaculty,staff,andpeers.
FYSsemphasizethelearninganddemonstrationofskillsandstrategiesforacademicsuccess.
Theseincludetransition-to-collegeskills,suchnavigationofacademicdegreestructureand
requirements,timemanagement,utilizationofappropriatecampusresources,and
participationinco-curricularengagementactivities.
Secondly,FYSspreparestudentsinbroadacademicskillsanddispositionsessentialtosuccessin
anydiscipline,suchascriticalinquiry,writingproficiency,informationliteracy,quantitative
literacy,creativeproblem-solving,and/orcollaborativelearning.
Finally,someFYSsalsofeaturerigorousdiscipline-basedknowledgeandskills.
CUDenverhasanestablishedFYSprogramoverseenbytheOfficeofUndergraduate
Experiences(http://www.ucdenver.edu/fye).ThatprogramcurrentlyofferstwotypesofFYSs:
a. First-YearSeminar:TheCUDenverFYSprogramoffersspecial-topic,faculty-designed,
CUDenverCoreCurriculum-approvedcoursesthatfeaturebothrigorousacademic
content(usingadepartment/programcourseprefix)andtransition-to-collegeskillsand
engagementopportunities.Thesecoursesareopentoallfreshman-levelstudents.
b. CollegeSuccess(UNIV1110/1111):Thisextended-orientationmodelofFYSfocuseson
keycollege-successstrategies,suchasacademicskills,universityengagement,personal
strengthsandgoals,anddiversityawareness.Both1-and3-creditcourseoptionsare
available.Sectionsofthiscoursemayberestrictedtoparticularstudentcohorts.
ThesetwoFYSmodelsaredesignedinreferencetonationalbestpracticesandexhibitallofthe
definingcharacteristicsofthisHIP.Therefore,theremainderofthisdocumentwillfocusupona
thirdtypeofFYScourse:
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c. Discipline-specificFYSs:Discipline-specificFYSsareintentionallydesignedtoserve
particularcohortsofincomingstudents,suchasmajorsofaparticulardepartment,field,
orschool/college.LikeotherFYScourses,discipline-specificFYScoursesworkto
enhancetheacademicandsocialintegrationoffirst-yearstudents.Whatdistinguishes
thistypeofFYSisitsfocusonthecontent,methodology,skills,and/orapplicationofa
particularfieldofstudy.ThetotalcredithoursandwhetherofferedasanFYSoraUNIV
aredeterminedbytheacademicunit.
2.Best-PracticesGuidelines
Theminimumstandardfeaturesofadiscipline-specificFYS,accordingtonationalbestpractices,
areasfollows:
q TargetedPopulation:designedfor,marketedto,andservingspecificpopulationsof
first-yearstudents,suchasmajorsinspecificdepartmentsorschools/colleges,orpremajorstoparticularschools/colleges,etc.
q OrientationtoField/Discipline/Profession/Methodology:offeranorientationtoa
particularfield,includingcontent,methodology,application,and/orprofessional
training.
q AcademicSkills:developandimproveessentialskillsforcollegesuccessandforsuccess
intherangeofcareersinwhichstudentsareprojectedtowork.
q Co-curricularprogramming:atleastoneco-curricularactivityduringclasstimeandone
outsideclasstimearebuiltintothecourseschedule,andlearningoutsidetheclassroom
isintegratedwithlearningintheclassroom.Co-curricularpiecesmayincludeofficevisits
tofieldsites,paneldiscussionswithprofessionals,jobshadowingexperiences,etc.,as
wellaspresentationsandworkshopsledbycampus-basedresourceoffices.
q Community-buildingandCollaboration:provideopportunitiesforcommunity-building,
socialintegrationonthecampusand,ifappropriatetothediscipline,inthewider
community,andcollaborativelearning.
3.LearningOutcomesforFirst-YearSeminars
Nationalbestpracticesrecommendthatdiscipline-specificFYSswilldeliverthelearningoftwo
typesofacademiclearningoutcomes:1)thoserepresentingthediscipline’sowncontent,skills,
anddispositions;2)thoserepresentingbroadessentialskillsanddispositions,namelythe
AAC&UEssentialLearningOutcomes(ELOs).
Thelatterwillbeintegratedintotheformer,suchthattheELOsserveasavehiclefordelivering
disciplinarylearning,andalsoviceversa.Thelistoflearningoutcomesthatappearsinthe
coursesyllabusshouldreflectthesegoalsandtheintegrationofthem,andthecourse’slearning
outcomesshouldbeclearlyidentifiablebothinassignments/activitiesandingrading.
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Ideally,alldiscipline-specificFYSsyllabiwillreferenceandusetheELOVALUErubricforthis
ELO:FoundationsandSkillsforLifelongLearning,allpurposefullearningthatisundertakenon
anongoingbasiswiththeaimofimprovingknowledge,skills,andcompetence.Thistypeof
learningincludesthedevelopmentofdispositionsnecessaryforengagedinquiry(curiosity,
initiative,independence,transferofknowledgeandskills,andreflection)andtheskillstobuild
competenciesthatareessentialtoalldisciplinesandprofessions,suchasCriticalThinking,
WrittenCommunication,andInformationLiteracy.AcertainELO,forexampleQuantitative
Literacy,maybeadefinitiveskillinsomedisciplines,forexampleEngineeringorEconomics,
whileCreativeThinkingandCivicKnowledgeandEngagementmaybemorespecifictoArts
andPublicAffairsdisciplines,respectively(butinfactusefulinboth).Instructorsare
encouragedtoselectandteachessentiallearningoutcomesthataremostappropriatetothe
disciplineinwhichtheFYSisoffered.
ThisconcludestheabbreviatedFYSbest-practicesguidelinesdocument.Thecompleteversion
additionallyincludesaSuggestedResourcesorreferencessectionandaSampleCourses
section.
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4.SuggestedResources
TheNationalResourceCenterfortheFirst-YearExperienceandStudentsinTransitionatthe
UniversityofSouthCarolina(www.sc.edu/fye)servesastheinternationallyrecognizedleader
andclearinghouseforscholarship,policy,andbestpracticeforallpostsecondarystudent
transitions.
ExamplesofrecentarticlesfromtheJournaloftheFirst-YearExperience&Studentsin
Transitioninclude:
Elliott,DianeCárdenas.2014.“Trailblazing:ExploringFirst-GenerationCollegeStudents'SelfEfficacyBeliefsandAcademicAdjustment.”JournalofTheFirst-YearExperience&
StudentsinTransition,26(2),29-49.
Soria,KristaM.andRobinStubblefield.2014.“First-YearCollegeStudents'Strengths
Awareness:BuildingaFoundationforStudentEngagementandAcademicExcellence.”
JournalofTheFirst-YearExperience&StudentsinTransition,26(2),69-88.
Torres,VastiandLucyLePeau.2013.“MakingtheConnection:TheUseofStudent
DevelopmentTheoryinFirst-YearandTransitionPrograms.”JournalofTheFirst-Year
Experience&StudentsinTransition,25(2),13-26.
5.SampleFirstYearSeminarsatCUDenver
a. First-YearSeminar(Core):
PHIL1111:TheEthicsofGlobalPoverty(Humanities)
Whataretheethicalissuesandquestionsthatpertaintoglobalpoverty?Whois
responsible(ornot)foraddressingthispressingmoralissue?Thiscoursewillexplore
ourethicalresponsibilitiestooneanother,bothnearandfar,andleadustoan
evaluationofourowndailyandlong-termchoices.
PSYC1111:BehavingandMisbehavingBrains(BehavioralScience)
Thiscourseintroducesstudentstohowthebrainfunctionsinnormalandabnormal
behaviorthroughdiscussionofexcitingadvancesinneuroscienceresearch.Learnhow
thebrainworks,whathappenstothebrainindisorderslikeaddictionandPTSD,and
howadvanceslikethebrain-machineinterfaceletthoughtscontrolrobots.
b. CollegeSuccess(UNIV1110/1111):
UNIV1110/1111:CollegeSuccess
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Thisfirst-yearcoursesupportsstudentsbyfosteringacademicskillsandstrategies,
universityengagement,personalstrengthsandgoals,anddiversityawarenessand
inclusion.
c. Discipline-specificFirst-YearSeminars:
ENGR1000:IntrotoEngineering
Thiscourseintroducesstudentstothevariousfieldswithinengineeringandengages
studentsinhands-onandcollaborativelearning.
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