Education

Multiple students sitting in a laboratory classroom with some students watching another student point at a lab tool.

First-Year Seminars prove transformational to new students

  • by Ginger M Welsh

Mention First-Year Seminars to UC Davis students and alumni and you’ll most likely hear a positive recollection. 

Recalling his time in a Sports Law First-Year Seminar, attorney Scott Judson, who graduated with his undergraduate degree in 2009, said he still remembers his experience 18 years ago.

 “In my seminar, I built a relationship with the professor, had dynamic discussions with others and developed skills that helped shape me into the attorney I am today,” he said.

About UC Davis First-Year Seminars

What is a Freshman Seminar?

By Graschelle Farinas Hipolito

First-year students are often too intimidated to approach faculty, but these small classes that are capped at 19 students help break down barriers. With over 300 seminars offered each year, these unique classes offer first-year UC Davis students the opportunity to connect with faculty over unique interests and a shared sense of curiosity.

Lecturer Jerry Lundblad's "I want to Be a Consultant, I just Don't Know What They Do" class

First-Year Seminar Introduces Possibilities of Consulting Profession

By Managerial Economics News

"One of Justin Garey’s greatest takeaways from the First-Year Seminar (FYS) 'I Want to Be a Consultant, I Just Don’t Know What They Do' was learning the difference between a process and a project.

"'A process needs to be efficient and smart and a project can be quick and ugly, solving the immediate problem,' said Garey, a junior majoring in managerial economics. 'Applicable to real life, I wish I knew it 10 years ago.'"

zombies

13 First-Year Seminars for the Curious Student

By Sharon Knox

First-Year Seminars tap into the shared curiosity of UC Davis students and their instructors to create communities of people excited to learn.  With approximately 300 seminars offered each year, there’s plenty to discover.  

Check out 13 of the most unique courses offered at UC Davis, including The Cultural Life of the City of Davis, Zombies and Druids, Eating in California, and There is Life After Cheddar!

Subscribe to Education Content