The academic linchpin of the First Year Program is the Liberal Arts Seminar (LAS), a small class limited to 18 first-year students. Each LAS is a modified version of an existing course in the Simpson curriculum and differs from the standard section by meeting one additional time a week and by carrying an additional academic credit. This additional credit allows the instructor the time to integrate significant orientation components into the course. For example, rather than simply tour the library, new students will find themselves faced with practical class assignments that require use of the library's search tools.

Even though the discipline-specific content of the Liberal Arts Seminars varies, all seminars are designed to meet the same goals promoting student growth (although the way the goals are met differs across the seminars).

Connecting with the Simpson Community
The instructor of this course is also your academic advisor, so each student has an advisor who knows him or her well. You will be introduced to the people on campus who can be of use to your all-important entry into college life, such as the research librarian, a career counselor, the academic resources director and a peer mentor. Through these personal interactions you will begin to build a network of faculty, staff and students that will last through graduation.

Conversations about the Liberal Arts
The Liberal Arts Seminar will help you develop a better sense of the value and benefits of a liberal arts education. Getting a liberal arts education is not about filling a specific set of requirements; it is about liberating people.

Diversity and the Common Good
To prepare you to live and work in communities that are becoming increasingly diverse, the seminars have a goal of heightening your awareness of otherness (i.e., race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) as a social and political construct. In addition, you will consider what it means to be a responsible member of a community in which diversity is the norm.

Vocational Exploration and Career Development
Although selecting a major and a career path are important things to do, determining what to do with your life involves more than that. In the seminars, you will be asked to reflect on your gifts and talents, to ponder the big questions of seeking meaning in life, and to consider ways of using your talents and abilities to make a positive difference in the world in which you live.

Academic and Library Research Skills
College success takes more than just intelligence; it also requires good time management, good study skills, and an understanding of how to use the resources available in the library. Each seminar focuses attention on developing your academic skills and on providing you with knowledge of the resources available on campus.

 

For more information, contact:

Nicolas Proctor
First Year Program Director
(515) 961-1632