First-Year Experience
Overview
Chico State's First-Year Experience (FYE) program offers General Education (GE) courses designed to support the transition into college with collaborative, active, and engaging teaching methods. These High-Impact courses foster success for students of all backgrounds, leading to higher GPAs, improved retention and graduation rates, and greater satisfaction with their college experience. FYE courses help students:
- Explore their academic identities and interests
- Develop essential academic skills and habits
- Build meaningful connections with peers and faculty
Courses integrate some combination of peer support, opportunities for undergraduate research, and community connections, allowing students to engage as active scholars and decision-makers from the start. Beyond these courses, FYE also hosts events for first-time college students, transfer students, and undeclared majors, aiming to welcome, guide, and help students build a strong sense of belonging at Chico State and within the surrounding community.
Research has shown that students who engage actively in their first year are more likely to succeed and graduate.
High Impact FYE General Education Courses
Our High-Impact FYE GE courses use Chico’s own Public Sphere Pedagogy to drive learning and explore interests. Through these courses, students experience learning as active and authentic participants. Coursework culminates in public projects with the possibility of direct impacts on campus or in the community. Many courses include an embedded peer mentor—a model student who provides guidance, collaboration, and support throughout assignments, group work, and resource exploration.
Course Highlights: Students develop skills in research, group collaboration, presentation design, and critical discussions. Each course culminates in a public sphere experience that connects students to experts, professionals, and like-minded peers on issues they care about.
See the FYE website for additional High Impact General Education Course offerings.