To support first-year transition, First-Year Experience courses incorporate High-Impact Practices that benefit college students of all backgrounds, resulting in higher grade point averages and higher student satisfaction with their education. These first-year courses fulfill general education (GE) graduation requirements and help students explore their identities and interests, develop successful skills and habits, and make close connections to peers and faculty. They include collaborative and active learning, peer support, and immediate engagement as scholars and members of the community.
Research clearly shows that students who become active and engaged members of the university community in their first year are more likely to make it to graduation than students who do not.
University Academics (UNIV) Courses
UNIV 101 Introduction to University Life 3 Units GE
Prerequisite: Freshman standing or faculty permission.
Typically Offered: Fall and spring
This is a project-based course for all majors. Students participate in high-impact practices designed to increase academic success, including collaborative and active learning, connection with student peer mentors, and engagement with public issues. Students serve as researchers, using data to examine what works to support student success, and simultaneously explore their own academic identity. While learning to do library research, synthesize theories, conduct interviews, interpret data, and present findings, students also learn about campus resources and reflect on habits and mindsets for success. 3 hours lecture. (009580)
General Education: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (E)
Grade Basis: Graded
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units
Course Attributes: Lower Division
UNIV 105W Self, Identity, and Sustainability (W) 3 Units GE, W
Typically Offered: Fall and spring
This course introduces several methods for considering identity formation using students' direct experiences and researched examples of "emerging adult identity" and "eco-identity". Students read, write, discuss, and do case analyses and problem-solving to examine tensions among the idea of a consistent "self", the concept of "identity" as a set of ongoing processes, and the gaps between self-presentation and environmental commitments. 3 hours lecture. (021144)
General Education: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (E)
Grade Basis: Graded
Repeatability: You may take this course for a maximum of 3 units
Course Attributes: Lower Division; Writing Course
U-Courses
U-Courses provide a non-traditional approach to learning in GE courses and are carefully designed based on national student success research. In U-Courses students are treated as emerging professionals and innovators, and all course activities serve to advance a real-world project. Students are supported by peer mentors who act as writing coaches, subject matter advisors, and project managers. Courses produce public-facing work that may include research proposals and policy recommendations, community dialogues, resource websites, simulations, films, interactive exhibits, and much more.
See the FYE website for current U-Course offerings.
