First Year Seminar
An innovative gateway to NAU’s Liberal Studies program
NAU’s First Year Seminar (FYS) is a three-credit, topics-based seminar with 40 students per section, taught by highly trained and engaged faculty who specialize in a variety of content areas. Our faculty is composed of experienced educators with a history of research on best practices, support, and advocacy for first-year college students.
FYS serves as an entry point for NAU’s interdisciplinary Liberal Studies Program, promoting students’ progression toward graduation. All FYS courses are academically rigorous and built to:
- support the intent of NAU’s innovative First Year Learning Initiative (FYLI)
- help students in the construction of new knowledge
- foster positive study habits
- develop strong academic skills necessary for success across the Liberal Studies Program, the students’ majors, and beyond
The FYS program is guided by the following four goals:
- to foster a diverse, inclusive academic community through high engagement with interdisciplinary faculty and students from diverse backgrounds
- to construct a student-centered teaching and learning experience in small classroom settings that focus on engaging, relevant topics with a strong emphasis on developing critical thinking and written and oral communication skills through a shared process of inquiry
- to build student resilience and success by creating a strong sense of academic community and belonging by actively engaging students in their learning experiences
- to provide students with an introduction to the mission and four goals of a liberal education at NAU by exploring contemporary, meaningful topics aligned to majors and interests which partially fulfill their Liberal Studies degree requirement
