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Faculty from all academic units are invited to offer 1 credit-hour seminars targeted at first-year students. Enrollment is capped at 18 students and interdisciplinary seminars are encouraged. Faculty are provided a $3,000 stipend.
Faculty interested in developing a First-Year Seminar followed by a short study abroad experience are encouraged to contact the office to explore options.
Why should I teach a seminar?
(Comments from current and past faculty)
- It encourages innovation, and allows faculty to "think outside the box" within a structure that streamlines the bureaucracy.
- It's a good way to get freshmen involved with the academic community.
- I really liked the freshman attitude. They were open (a little wary) but overall interesting, bright, creative individuals. I also never had even one unexcused absence!
- I like this idea of introducing the students to an area they are not familiar with and giving them an opportunity to find out about the nature and scope of a professor's field of scholarly research.
- It’s fun to meet incoming students and help them see OSU as a place to expand their minds (rather than fulfilling requirements only).
- I think this is a good way of giving entering students some notion of the intellectual rigor and demands that are characteristic of programs at the university level.
- Since I don't really work with undergraduate students on a regular basis, this course allowed me to experience teaching a whole new group of students. I highly recommend teaching a First Year Seminar to other faculty.
- Small and group-oriented, these seminars provide students an oasis of intellectual discussion and social support in a semester filled with huge lecture courses. The possibility of taking such a seminar communicates to students that the university cares about their transition into post-secondary education.
