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Description

According to 2012-2013 National Survey of First-Year Seminars (Skipper, 2017), first-year seminars are offered at 90% of four-year institutions and the most frequently reported objectives for first-year seminars are to help students:

• Develop a sense of belonging at the institution
• Provide “extended orientation” to campus resources and services
• Develop study skills (e.g., note taking, close reading, time management)
• Obtain academic advising/learn about a major
• Develop critical thinking skills & engage in intellectual discourse within the context of an academic theme or discipline

The major types of first-year seminars fall into one of two categories: extended orientation seminars and academic seminars. Extended orientation seminars prioritize topics such as academic planning or advising, campus resources, study skills, campus engagement, and time management. Academic seminars span a much wider array of topics and are much more diverse in content and structure than extended orientation seminars. The content of academic seminars is presented within a disciplinary or multidisciplinary context.

The majority of extended orientation seminars meet for 1 hr/week, while academic seminars meet for 3 hrs/week. More credits are typically awarded for academic seminars vs. extended orientation seminars. Nationally, letter grades are typically assigned to all types of first-year seminars.

First-year seminars are usually capped in size (~20 students), most often one semester in length, and typically elective. Some first-year seminars may be required for academically underprepared students, honors students, or students in specific majors or programs.

Benefits for Students

Research shows that first-year seminars positively correlate with a number of educational, personal, and interpersonal outcomes (Greenfield, Keup, & Gardner, 2013; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005).

Educational outcomes:

• Persistence to the 2^nd year
• Persistence to graduation
• Academic performance (GPA)

Personal & Interpersonal outcomes:

• Meaningful interaction w/faculty & peers
• Involvement in campus activities
• Use of campus services
• Satisfaction w/the college experience

Critical Components

The literature review did not unearth experimental studies that examined the specific, critical components of first-year seminars that lead to social, emotional, and cognitive gains for students. That said, it is important to keep in mind the general components of high-impact practices (elements that have been tied to persistence, graduation rates, and desired learning outcomes) and include as many as possible in first-year seminars (Kuh, 2008):

• High performance expectations
• Opportunities for formal and informal interactions with faculty and peers about “substantive” matters
• Intended learning outcomes that necessitate students to examine cultures, worldviews, and perspectives different from their own
• Structured opportunities for reflection
• Connections to the real-world
• Opportunities for oral and/or written communication

Overview | Examples | References | Printable PDF