First Year Experience Courses

Program basics

Supplementary courses or seminars instructing new college students on subjects that can improve their college experience academically, personally, and socially
Focus on studying skills, social interactions, and access to institutional support
Studies suggest these programs increase credit accumulation, the likelihood students will complete their degree, and general achievement

Students enrolled in post-secondary education

Not available

1970s-present

Note: This content is under review
Consider making the program mandatory for target populations (such as students enrolled in remedial courses or in a specific major).
Design a holistic program that incorporates academic (like study and technology skillbuilding), personal (such as goal setting and responsibilities), and community development (i.e. relationship building and experiential education) programming.
Provide faculty members with substantial training and workshop opportunities, such as in teaching, course planning, and facilitating a sense of belonging for students.
Keep cohorts relatively small (15-20 students) to allow for more individualized skill- and relationship-building opportunities.
Recruit faculty members to serve as cohort leaders, and older students to serve as teaching assistants and informal counselors.
Incorporate events into the program frequently, such as career services events, study abroad fairs, campus organization fairs, university sporting events, and picnics.
Encourage faculty members to clearly define both academic and nonacademic goals for the course, and to tie any grades or student feedback to both sets of goals.