CALS First-Year Seminar Requirement

Overview

The CALS First-Year Seminar requirement gives students a strong start to their undergraduate experience. Courses that meet the first-year seminar requirement provide an introduction to the opportunities and resources available at UW-Madison. They foster connections, community, and positive relationships through small-group discussions. Students collaborate with instructors and peers to explore complex questions and develop important academic and personal skills.  

The list of courses that satisfy the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement can be found in Guide. 

Standardized First-Year Seminar Course Learning Outcomes

To provide a consistent experience for all first-year students in CALS, courses approved to meet the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement must include the learning outcomes below, either as written or with minor modifications to represent the specific content of the course. Courses can also include additional learning outcomes to reflect the skills and knowledge unique to a particular course. 

Standardized Course Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify resources and services available through CALS and UW-Madison. 
2. Describe the skills of a successful college student [examples may include organizational and study skills, critical thinking skills, appropriate interactions with peers/instructors, or self-awareness and metacognitive skills, etc.]
3. Reflect on academic, career, and personal goals [at a level appropriate for a first-year student]
4. Discuss complex issues [related to...] with peers and instructors, considering multiple evidence-based perspectives. [examples may include faculty research, current issues in a specific field of study, or challenges related to college and career success]

Course Design Elements

In addition to including the learning outcomes listed above, courses that meet the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement must meet the course design criteria listed below. 

All CALS First-Year Seminar courses: 

1. Are offered for a letter grade and for one or more credits.
2. Encourage a sense of belonging among students.
1. Enrollment of 25 students maximum, or if enrollment exceeds 25 students, provide frequent opportunities for small group instruction and interaction 
2. Opportunities to meet and develop positive relationships with classmates through structured small group discussions.
3. Include discussions, readings, and assignments related to complex, meaningful topics that develop critical thinking skills. These complex topics may be discipline-specific issues, cross-cutting challenges in agricultural or life sciences, or in-depth explorations of the skills and knowledge required for college success.
4. Incorporate instruction and activities that support a strong academic and personal transition to college. For example a course may provide:
1. Explicit instruction in how to navigate the "hidden curriculum", including what information should be learned from the syllabus and the learning management system (Canvas), expectations around email response times, why students attend office hours etc.
2. Activities related to information literacy, using evidence and source materials, early research skills, etc.
3. Activities related to participation at a campus or college event, library visits, or attending office hours
5. Clear expectations for course success. For example,
1. The course should be well-organized (clear due dates for graded and non-graded work) and course assignments should be described through rubrics or detailed instructions.
2. Instructor availability should be described for students by listing office hours and contact information.

Requests from Departments for Courses to Satisfy the CALS First-Year Seminar Requirement

• Instructors interested in developing a new CALS First-Year Seminar must meet with CALS First-Year Program Manager and CALS Academic Planning.

• Instructors new to teaching a CALS First-Year Seminar must meet with the CALS First-Year Program Manager.

• A link to the application for courses to meet the CALS First-Year Seminar can be found here.

This requirement was reviewed and updated by the CALS Curriculum Committee on March 11, 2025 and the changes are effective fall 2026.