FYS Information for Students
FYS FAQs
What is FYS?
First Year Seminar is part of Rhode Island College's General Education Program, and is a required class for all first year students at the College.
What makes First Year Seminars special?
First Year Seminars provide you with a great opportunity to explore a fascinating subject with a full-time faculty member and a small group of your classmates. The class size (no more than twenty students) and intensity of the work fosters lasting connections with faculty and other students. Plus, you get to hone academic skills crucial to success at college and beyond.
What can I expect to do in my First Year Seminar?
- Explore the academic world. Read the most recent scholarship on a topic. Join others in addressing topics from disciplines across the College.
- Connect with scholars. Work closely with other first year students and a full-time Rhode Island College professor. Make connections that can last a lifetime.
- Expand horizons. Pose questions, identify solutions, and communicate your newfound knowledge to others.
Are there specific academic skills that I can expect to polish in this class?
In your First Year Seminar, you will sharpen skills that will be crucial in your studies at the College, and in your life beyond: critical and creative thinking, effective oral and written communication, group collaboration, and the ability to research efficiently and ethically.
The FYS topic I’m interested in seems pretty advanced. Are you sure that that I am qualified to take the class?
Each First Year Seminar is designed for students with no previous knowledge in the field. So, for example, if you are interested in a physics based class, but have no background in physics, have no fear. The class will be designed to provide whatever introduction is necessary for in-depth discussion.
When do I have to take FYS?
All First Year Students (those entering the College with 23 or fewer credits transferred from another college) must complete a First Year Seminar in one of their first two semesters on the campus.
What if I am a second or third year RIC student? May I still enroll in a First Year Seminar?
Unfortunately, First Year Seminars are only open to first year students. If you are interested in a particular topic, please feel free to contact the professor to see if she or he will be looking at similar material in other classes.
Who do I contact if I have any other questions?
Please direct any questions to the First Year Seminar Coordinator, Dr. Maureen Reddy, at
mreddy@ric.edu.
