First-Year Seminar FAQs
Seminars focus on exciting questions that provide students with opportunities to explore issues, gather and evaluate evidence, and develop ideas. Learn more about taking an FYS below.
- Taking a First-Year or Transfer Seminar will enable you to explore an unfamiliar area that intrigues you or delve into a topic related to your academic interests.
- First-Year or Transfer Seminar are designed to help you develop university-level skills in critical thinking and writing that you will use at KU and throughout your professional career.
- All First-Year and Transfer Seminar have fewer than 24 students. You will get to know other students in your class and your professor.
- Your First-Year or Transfer Seminar Seminar will introduce you to different cultures and satisfy either the US or Global Culture goal in the KU Core 34.
- First-Year and Transfer Seminars involve active learning, discussion, and engagement with peers in your class.
- First-Year and Transfer Seminars provide hands-on experiential learning opportunities, such as field trips, research, service projects, or attending artistic performances or exhibits.
- First-Year and Transfer Seminars offer opportunities for you to participate in on-campus events and explore interesting places and traditions at KU.
- The only prerequisite to enroll in a First-Year Seminar is first-year status. Prior knowledge of the subject matter is not expected.
Your academic advisor is a fantastic resource when it comes to selecting first-year or transfer seminars or any class! All first-year seminars are listed by their subject (eg. COMS, FREN, BIOL) and number 176 or 177. All transfer seminars listed by their subject and 276 or 277.
Courses using the 176/276 number satisfy the US Culture goal of KU Core 34. Courses using the 177/277 satisfy the Global Culture goal of KU Core 34.