The Freshman Seminar Program
Freshman Seminars locate students at the center of the classroom during their first semester at UWM and invite them to take an active role in their own education throughout their time here. These transitional courses allow instructors and students to explore subjects of mutual interest, to talk to and learn from each other in spite of and because of their differences, to connect past and present as well as campus and community, to develop a collective consensus about what college work involves, to enhance the analytical and communicative skills that we all need in the 21st century. Your Freshman Seminar instructors want to welcome you to UWM and engage you in the kind of intellectual activity that defines our work as scholars and teachers. Please join us by enrolling in a Freshman Seminar. For more information about the Seminars to be offered in the fall, please use the list to the left.Jeffrey Merrick, Professor of History, Associate Dean for the Humanities, veteran Freshman Seminar instructor (most recently “Marie Antoinette: Villain or Victim?”)
FAQ
What is a “Seminar”?A course with a limited enrollment (in this case, 20) involving discussion (rather than lecture) and other work that engages you and your fellow students in active learning. The instructor facilitates, you participate, and we collaborate in the discovery and application of knowledge.
How much time and credit do Freshman Seminars involve?
These 15-week, 3-credit courses meet for 150 minutes per week. In these, as in other courses, you should expect to do as much as six additional hours per week of reading, writing, or other assignments outside the classroom.
Do Freshman Seminars count toward General Education requirements?
Yes. These courses explore a wide variety of engaging subjects in the Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences (see the "credit" line in the individual course descriptions), but they all develop skills that you will need during and after college.
Why should I take a Freshman Seminar?
Take a Freshman Seminar in order to explore a topic in depth and have an intellectual adventure, get to know an instructor and other students in a supportive learning environment, enhance your ability to work independently and collaboratively. Convinced?
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact Kyla Moore, the Associate Director of the Program, at kylam@uwm.edu.