First-Year Programs

The Department of First-Year Programs within University College provides oversight and operations for the following University-wide programs:

KSU 1101/First-Year Experience
Learning Communities Program

First-Year Seminars

KSU’s First-Year Seminars are an integral part of the undergraduate KSU curriculum that introduces first-year students to higher education. There are two first-year seminars offered each semester (KSU 1101 and KSU 1111), and there are special topics version (KSU 2290) offered periodically. As the name of the textbook for KSU1101 implies, the course provides the “Foundations of Academic Inquiry.” That foundation includes an introduction to the culture of the university; an opportunity to enhance students’ academic and personal success; the promotion of communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making skills; career exploration; and an appreciation for global issues and diversity. KSU 1111 is a globally focused seminar that provides academic and life skills while exploring primary drivers of local, national, and international change in the next 20 years. A defining characteristic of both of these three-hour, academically oriented courses is the close interaction of the instructor and student. This interaction is facilitated by the intentionally small size (20-25 students) of each seminar. First-Year Programs faculty also act as advisors for exploratory students who have not yet declared a major. The curriculum also includes a First-Year Common Reader program that engages students in a common experience in a global topic to promote discourse and discovery. First-Year Seminars are often featured as an anchor in Learning Communities. First-time, full-time students with fewer than 15 credit hours are required to enroll in either a first-year seminar (as an independent course) or in one of the Learning Communities.

Learning Communities Program

The Learning Communities program is a curriculum initiative that promotes the integration of General Education and other lower-division courses during a student’s first semester. A typical learning community is a theme-based cluster of courses that allows a student cohort to take 2-4 courses together while also taking advantage of faculty collaboration, out-of-class learning opportunities, and community engagement. There are general interest communities and discipline-based communities that link major courses with General Education offerings. Enrollment in a Learning Community or a First-Year Seminar is required of all first-time, full-time students who enroll in the university with fewer than 15 credit hours. Learning Communities help entering, first-year students adjust easily to college life and improve their chances for a successful college career. Learning Communities provide an enhanced environment for successful learning. Because they know each other well, first-year students in learning communities are more comfortable speaking out in class and working collaboratively. They form natural study groups and support groups with their peers. They begin to see connections between their courses through specially designed assignments. Academic research shows that participation in learning communities consistently improves students’ retention as well as their GPA—keeping them in college and helping them to be more successful.