2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This evidence-based practice complete paper focuses specifically on the redesign of a First-Year Seminar (FYS) course as a key intervention to support students during the transition to college. The first year of college is a critical period for engineering students, serving as the foundation for their academic and professional success. The First-Year Seminar (FYS) course has traditionally served as a bridge to prepare students for the transition to college. However, despite having general learning objectives, the College of Engineering at a large land-grant university has faced challenges in delivering a cohesive and consistent First-Year Seminar (FYS) experience due to a lack of specific requirements and curriculum content. Additionally, the FYS has not undergone a formal review in over two decades, leaving instructors without a clear, unified curriculum to guide their teaching.
In response to these challenges, the College of Engineering established a task force to conduct a thorough review and redesign of the FYS course. The primary goal was to develop a model that meets the diverse needs of first-year students by focusing on key areas of student development, including personal, academic, professional, and civic growth while promoting active engagement within the university community. The redesigned model also aims to offer flexibility, allowing faculty and departments to incorporate discipline-specific topics that align with their academic goals and professional interests.
This paper presents the outcomes of this initiative, introducing a newly structured FYS model designed around 12 key modules. These modules are grouped into three core themes: identity, possibility, and community. The identity modules focus on essential topics such as study skills, academic integrity, and growth mindset. The possibility modules encourage the exploration of majors, career paths, undergraduate research opportunities, and engineering ethics. The community modules aim to connect students with university resources, student organizations, and formative experiences. The redesigned FYS model will be piloted in the 2024 academic year, with initial assessments guiding further refinements. This holistic approach seeks to provide a consistent, enriching first-year experience that equips engineering students with the tools and mindset necessary for long-term success.