What type of seminar will you share with first-year students?

Every year, First-Year Seminars offers over 300 courses taught by creative instructors who are asking questions that are dear to their hearts about the world. Students value the opportunity to take a small class and get to know their instructors and other students. Review the current First-Year Seminar Schedule to see what others are doing as part of this unique and exciting program.

Eligibility

In light of the recent side-letters between Academic Affairs and the Academic Federation, Unit 18 Lecturers, Researchers and Senate Faculty are eligible to offer First Year Seminars.  Other UC Davis employees who are interested in teaching with FYS (eg. academic coordinators, librarians) should inquire with Academic Affairs about eligibility to teach for the program.  Instructors on sabbatical are not eligible to teach.

For Researchers

Researchers are now eligible but will require an educator WOS appointment through their department to participate..

For Graduate Students and Post-Docs  

Postdoctoral Scholars and graduate students are not eligible to serve as IORs, nor are they allowed to hold Educator Without Salary (EWOS) positions. However, they may collaborate in leading the seminar with an eligible instructor of record if the instructor of record will participate fully in teaching the Seminar and attend a majority, if not all, class sessions. 

For Emeriti  

If they have been recalled to teach by their home department for other courses, emeriti faculty are eligible to serve as FYS instructors.  Please refer to the emeriti guidelines on the Academic Affairs webpage for specifics on Academic Enrichment Funds (AEFs). 

Funding

Academic Enrichment Funds (AEF)

The instructor of record (IOR) for each seminar is eligible for an AEF allocation of $2,500 for a one-unit course or $3,000 for a two-unit course. These funds are issued to the IOR's home department and may be used towards University-related business expenses in support of academic or professional endeavors. These funds cannot be used as additional faculty compensation. More information on Academic Enrichment Fund Accounts can be found on the Academic Affairs website.

FYS Direct Course Support (aka Mini-grant)

Instructors may request up to $500 to cover direct course-related expenses for each seminar offering. These requests are included as part of the proposal process. More information on what expenses these funds can cover and how funds are allocated can be found on the FYS Direct Course Support page. 

Seminar Categories

Seminar categories reflect the strengths and values of the UC Davis community. Explore each seminar category and choose the seminar that suits you and your instructional goals.