Trinity’s First-Year Experiences (FYE) are a series of interdisciplinary courses where incoming students get an introduction to the demands of university-level reading, writing, and thinking.
Students have compared taking an FYE as “basic training” in the military but for interdisciplinary academics. Each FYE is taught by two professors, usually from different disciplines.
An FYE typically revolves around an unusual, innovative topic that draws on professors from multiple fields to teach. These courses cover a broad range of topics, from climate change and social justice to “great books” and are thoroughly interdisciplinary. A typical FYE science fiction class might include one French professor and one Greek scholar, for example.
The concept of the FYE dates back to the 1980s, when the English department began conducting small, 15-student seminars and writing workshops. In 2015, this method was revamped, as Trinity added a whole new list of FYEs that continues to expand, including such topics as science fiction, creativity, and African American Studies. Every FYE places the same emphasis on research, writing, and critical thinking.
The six-hour courses steep incoming students in the demands of a university-level workload. In addition to preparing newcomers for Trinity’s high classroom expectations, students begin to acquire the skills and disciplinary perspectives necessary to navigate complex questions in their post-graduate lives.
All FYE courses offer a once-per-week common learning experience attended by all enrolled students and all participating faculty. These common learning experiences feature lectures by faculty teaching the course or by visiting colleagues from Trinity or other institutions. Common learning experiences also include field trips, panel discussions, and films. Together, faculty lead discussions and teach writing in individual sections no larger than sixteen students each. Thanks to their interdisciplinary nature and emphasis on discussion, FYEs are learning experiences for both students and professors.
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