First-Year Seminar Proposal

Office of First-Year Experience

145 Strong Hall

Faculty are invited to submit a First-Year Seminar proposal by September 30, 2013, to . The proposal instructions/prompts are provided on the next page.

For additional support in developing your FYS course proposal please consider any or all of the following:

  • Submit an optional course pitch to . Feedback will be provided prior to the proposal development workshops.
  • Attend one of the proposal development workshops (locations TBA; RSVP to ):
  • Friday, September 13, 3:30-4:45
  • Thursday September 19, 1-2:15
  • Review the program materials on the First-Year Experience website:
  • Contact Rob Bayliss, First-Year Experience faculty fellow,, with questions about seminar topics and course design.

About First Year Seminars:

First-Year Seminars are 3-credit hour, faculty-taught courses that introduce KU freshmen to the intellectual life and research culture of the university. FYSs focus on exciting content areas connected to the instructor’s own expertise and provide students with an early opportunity to deeply explore big and exciting questions in an academic content area. FYS prioritize student-faculty interaction and have less than 20 students enrolled. Each FYS offering is unique, but all are organized around common learning outcomes:

  • Critical Thinking. FYS meet Goal 1, Learning Outcome 1 of the KU Core: Students will be able to analyze and evaluate assumptions, claims, evidence, arguments, and forms of expression; select and apply appropriate interpretive tools
  • Information Literacy. Students will develop information literacy skills, including identifying an information need, distinguishing between different kinds of information sources, composing search strategies, and retrieving useful and relevant information.
  • Communication. Students will be able to more effectively develop and articulate critical analysis and application through writing, media, and/or oral communication.
  • Experiential Learning. Students will become aware of experiential learning opportunities and ways to extend their learning outside the classroom.

Additional guidelines for FYS design:

  • No prerequisites; FYS are designed for students from any discipline who have an interest in the topic.
  • FYS involve active learning, discussion, and engagement with peers.
  • FYS are organized around applied problems and expose students to hands-on or experiential learning (e.g., field trips, service projects, laboratory experiences/research, artistic performances, exhibits, discussions/interactions with professionals in the field).
  • FYS include at least one integrative assignment or project and a plan for gauging students’ achievement of course learning outcomes on this assignment.
  • FYS promote collaborations with other units on campus (e.g., Center for Service Learning, Spencer Museum of Art, Writing Center).
  • Interdisciplinary courses or cross-course connections between individual FYS are encouraged.

First-Year Seminar Proposal Instructions

Please provide the following information using this proposal form. Please submit completed proposals to by September 30, 2013.

1. Your name, position, department, and seminar title.

2. Course description. Please insert a 100-200 word description of your seminar. The description should describe big questions and issues addressed in the seminar, describe why the topic is important, and make it clear how first-year students will relate to and engage with the topic.

3. FYS learning outcomes. How will your seminar address FYS learning outcomes listed on the previous page? Please provide brief description (approximately 100 words) of what these skills will look like in your course and how your course will help students achieve these outcomes.

4. Integrative assignment. Each FYS should have an integrative assignment that captures student achievement on the first three FYS learning outcomes. Typically these assignments are completed in stages with support and feedback provided to the students at each stage. Briefly describe an assignment you might use, and how you will know whether students have achieved the outcomes (will you use a rubric or other tools?)

Note. Performance on these assignments will be used by the FYS program to document students’ achievement of KU Core goal 1, learning outcome 1, as required by the University Core Curriculum Committee.

5. Additional course features (optional). Creativity is encouraged in designing a FYS. If you have anything else to add about your FYS that you have not conveyed already, please do so here. For example:

  • Do you have plans to connect your seminar to other seminars?
  • Are you planning to collaborate with other units or programs on or off campus?
  • What else do you want us to know about your course?

6. Chair endorsement. Please attach a letter from your department chair indicating approval for you to teach the seminar if selected for fall 2014.

Please direct any questions about the proposal process to Sarah Crawford-Parker, assistant vice provost, .

FYS Proposal, August 2013