Carroll College :: First Year Seminar

	Program Home
	FAQs
	Goals
	Course offerings
	Information
	FYS Games

	Frequently Asked Questions

[photo] picture of FYS students

What is the First Year Seminar?
FYS is a class for freshmen at Carroll University designed to help them make the transition to university. It is content-based rather than skills-based, but it helps students improve skills through content. It is required for all new freshmen in the fall semester. It is a four-credit course in the General Education Program.
What makes the FYS program unique?
FYS is not attached to any major or program – it is its own academic area. The program is overseen by a director and the FYS Subcommittee of the General Education Committee. The committee determines the goals and outcomes for students. All sections are directed toward this common set of goals and outcomes, but individual instructors develop topics and course outlines that are unique to their own sections. Instructors have a great deal of flexibility in choosing a topic and in deciding the best way to meet the program goals.
Who teaches FYS?
FYS is taught by instructors from across the university. Preference is given to full-time faculty and administrators, but occasionally a section will be taught by an adjunct. The most important thing is interest. Any instructor who wants to work with freshmen and has a good idea for a topic is welcome to propose a new section of FYS. Topics should be challenging as well as of interest to the student transitioning from high school to college. The instructor is welcome to go beyond his or her teaching area in developing a course.
What are peer mentors?
Peer mentors are students who are assigned to some of the FYS classes. They are upper-level students who have taken FYS at Carroll and who serve as a model student and resource for the students in that section. Peer mentors go through a selection process and training before the semester begins. They attend each class meeting, keep up with the reading in the class and offer assistance and advice to students.
How is FYS different from an ordinary course?
Aside from having to meet a specific set of program goals and having a unique topic, FYS instructors are asked to serve as developmental advisers to their students. There is no class scheduling involved, but instructors meet individually with their students at least twice during the semester to get to know them better. The FYS instructor is a resource for the student, someone who can answer questions and put the student in touch with the people on campus who can help solve the student’s problems.
What are some of the special FYS sections available?
Consult the FYS brochure for more information on FYS courses. There is a special section each fall for Honors students. There is always a section in spring for students new to Carroll. Sometimes we have sections that involve a pre-course trip (there is an additional cost associated with these sections). Beginning in fall 2008, we will have several sections that are part of Living Learning Communities. These students will live together in the same wing of one of the residence halls and will interact more closely with students in their FYS classes, as well as with their instructor and peer mentor.
Who should I talk to if I have questions about FYS?
Contact Ellen Barclay, director of FYS at Carroll College, at 262.524.7107 or ebarclay@cc.edu. If you have specific questions about the FYS Living Learning Communities, contact the office of Student Affairs at 262.524.7100.