Freshman Research Courses
Unique Undergraduate Research Opportunities for Freshmen
Freshman Academic Seminars, Fall 2008
have been remarkable experiences for many Baylor students over the past ten years. The FAS classes (limited to 20 students) encourage close working relationships between the students and the professors. Each of these three- or four-hour credit courses has been approved to meet a specific core requirement on certain degree plans. These FAS seminars are open to Honors Program students but are also open to freshmen interested in these themes, across disciplines. Minimal pre-requisites are ACT 21 or SAT 550 (verbal). Students may not register for both an Freshman Academic Seminar (prefix is FAS) and a First-Year Seminar (prefix of FYS) course.
The FYS courses are introductory courses within Honors. Only students enrolled in Honors Program may register for these seminars. Limited to 19 students, each course explores subject matter through reading, discussion, research, and writing.
Three New Engaged Learning Groups for 2008 - 2009.
As a part of Baylor University's plan to strengthen scholarly engagement and to enhance research experiences for our undergraduates, engaged learning group course have been added to the Freshman Academic Seminar (FAS) program and have been received to great reviews by our students. Three new Engaged Learning Groups have been added beginning Fall 2008 and running as one-hour courses for three or in some cases four terms.
These courses provide the opportunity for students to become part of an academically and socially nurturing, active learning environment. Students are exploring important interdisciplinary topics (one-hour course each semester) with a team of faculty members who have a varied areas of expertise. These academically rich peer environments are complemented by co-curricular experiences, friendship, and support for the transition to college. Students can count the three, one-hour seminars (one seminar each of the first three semesters) toward a degree requirement depending in many cases. Students will have the option to complete a fourth-semester research capstone experience with a faculty member. Those courses in operation during 2007 - 08 that are continuing into 2008 - 09 are
•Film & Global Culture directed by Christopher Hansen (with James Kendrick and Xin Wang)
•Hispanic Families in Transition: A study of literacy and education directed by Randy Wood (with Doug Rogers and Mona Choucair)
•Energy and Society: The costs and benefits of an energy-dependent civilization directed by Ian Gravagne (with Larry Lehr and Kenneth Van Treuren).
