Frequently Asked Questions

How do I determine whether the course is speaking intensive or writing intensive?

      The Second Year Seminars are to be designated by the department as either speaking intensive or writing intensive.

• If the course is speaking intensive, it should have as a goal that the students enhance their abilities to speak clearly, effectively, and confidently in both large and small groups, as when presenting a report, participating on a panel, debating, or articulating judgments and opinions

• If writing intensive, it should have as a goal that the students enhance their abilities to write clearly, effectively and appropriately for academic or general audiences. This could be satisfied by three papers, each being a minimum of five pages, or any requirement comparable to this. In addition to the number of pages, the student must be given regular feedback on his/her work.

What support is available for faculty who want to teach a SYS course?

• Assistance in creating, assigning, and assessing material for a speaking intensive course will be available from the SYS webpage, the Second
  Year Seminar Coordinator, and faculty development workshops.

• Assistance in creating, assigning, and assessing material for a writing intensive course will be available from the SYS webpage, the Second
  Year Seminar Coordinator, the Writing Across the Curriculum Director and faculty development workshops.

What are the learning outcomes of the Second Year Seminars?

SYS are discipline based. In the language of the document describing the SYS which has been approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee:  “SYS courses engage students in a specific academic area of interest and provide them with the opportunity to reinforce, share, and interpret knowledge. Students will improve their writing, reading, research, and basic information and technology skills while building the connections between scholarship and action that are required for lifelong learning."

What is the relationship of the SYS to the major?

• SYS may be used by the major, if permitted by the major.
• SYS may not fulfill the Skills requirement or the additional Writing Intensive requirement in the major.
• SYS is not the same as an introductory course.
• No department may offer any current course as a SYS.

Does the Second Year Seminar satisfy any other requirements?

SYS may satisfy one of the distribution areas (Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, Natural Science, or Social and Behavioral Science).  If a SYS satisfies a distribution area, then it must address the outcomes of knowing and understanding the intellectual frameworks, and methodologies of that distribution area.  The SYS does not have to satisfy a distribution area.

Who may offer a Second Year Seminar?

Any department may offer a Second Year Seminar. If the sponsoring department is designated as normally offering courses in a given distribution area, approval beyond the departmental level is not required for a Second Year Seminar.  However, if the course lies outside of a distribution area, then that course does NOT automatically satisfy a Core Curriculum Distribution requirement. In order to receive approval for satisfying a distribution area, the course must be submitted to ACC and UCC for approval. 

A faculty member can offer a SYS in a department other than her/his home department if the department to offer the course approves it.  Any faculty member may teach a SYS as long as it meets the SYS requirements. If the SYS is not intended to meet a distribution requirement, approval from ACC and UCC are not required.

Last Modified: November 1, 2006