Transitioning from high school to college is not easy. New students are figuring out how to live on their own, manage their time, and make new friends.
Perhaps the biggest challenge is figuring out how to adapt to the college classroom. This is why we have a First-Year Experience, a carefully planned and coordinated set of programs and resources from across the university- and the cornerstone of that experience is the First-Year Seminar, or FSEM.
What are FSEMS?
The FSEM was designed by Mary Washington’s faculty through a careful study and review of what it takes to prepare incoming students for success. The FSEM is offered for all new students in their first semester, and is taught by master instructors from virtually every discipline across campus.
In designing the FSEM, the goal was to provide incoming students with an educational opportunity that represents what faculty would describe as the ideal intellectual experience – a small class that studies primary texts to dig into topics of interest to the faculty and students.
FSEM topics are selected by the faculty, and are typically drawn from that faculty member’s personal expertise and interests. The FSEM is capped at fifteen students, and class time is devoted to group discussion of important texts and ideas.
We have identified five key learning outcomes for the FSEM that support our mission to equip first-year students with effective skills in speaking, writing, and research- all of which they will draw upon throughout their academic career (and beyond!).
What will students do in class?
After reading primary texts, and discussing them in class, students are expected to research their own projects, which are then written about and presented. We have excellent academic support centers on campus that support the FSEM, including:
Each of these centers provide workshops, class visits, and individual tutoring to help FSEM students prepare for their class assignments.
We have also developed a host of online learning materials in support of the FSEM’s learning outcomes. These online learning modules provide complementary support for class instruction, and include such topics as the writing process, presentation basics, class discussion, and source citation and credibility.
Academic Advising and FSEMs
In addition to their work in the classroom, FSEM instructors also serve as academic advisors for FSEM students. Advisors meet regularly with their advisees outside of class, and teach their advisees how to register for classes, navigate the curriculum, and select the right major. When asked about their advising relationship, students overwhelmingly responded that they had a very positive experience in working with their advisor, and we see that they are better equipped to select a major and progress through their coursework as a result.
Student Success
Students are expected to work hard in the FSEM, but they are given tremendous support and guidance to help them not only do their best work, but to develop a sophisticated set of skills in research and both written and oral communication that prepares them for success in their upper-level courses.
We are proud of the educational experience that we have developed for our first-year students in the FSEM. Our goal is our students’ success, and we continually work to give our students every opportunity to fully transition into the young scholars that we know they can be.
For questions about the FSEM program, please contact Anand Rao, arao@umw.edu.
Anand Rao, Professor of Communication; Interim Director, UMW QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan)