First Year Seminars as a High- Impact Educational Practice

The Association of American Colleges and Universities has identified first year seminars as a high-impact educational practice. Hunter and Linder (2005) define a first-year seminar as a course designed to “assist students in their academic and social development and in their transition to college”. Keup (2016) provides information on national trends and has identified six different types of first year seminars.

The Ignite Seminar adopted by the Saint Louis University Core is an example of what Keup (2016) identifies as an "academic seminar on various topics". Some examples of what other Jesuit universities have done that are similar to the philosophical approach taken by our Ignite Seminar can be found here. More information on first-year seminars can be found at the National Resource Center for the first year experience and students in transition hosted by the University of South Carolina.