First-Year Seminar

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• You will learn about the various countries and cultures represented on the WSU campus. In addition, you will learn speaking and writing skills to improve your own communication with people from other cultures.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Examines ways in which various cultures are depicted in popular media and how stereotypical depictions may contrast with reality in areas such as East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Introduces the history of the diverse Latino subgroups in the Midwest, as well as the experiences of Latinos and Latinas in the U.S. and the Midwest.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Do you want to make an impact in the global workplace? Learn how to think outside the box and engage people from different backgrounds.
• Syllabus

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• We will investigate the emergence and development of rock’n’roll in the Anglo-American world by examining how political, economic, social and cultural trends have informed the creation and use of popular music from its origins in the 19th-century until the present day. In particular, we will focus on how we can use popular music to investigate historical trends and developments.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• You know who you are. You love to geek out on books and literature.  Maybe you secretly think that going to museums is fun.  You probably also get that “but what can you do with that?”  This is more than just a discussion of jobs…although it is that.  This seminar will help you think about how to think about how you can make a difference by applying your love of the humanities.
• Syllabus

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• We will consider how imaginative literature might help inform us about a scientific and social topic like climate change, engaging us in debate about it and promoting an ethic of climate change awareness based on critical reflection and shared responsibility.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Through the use of the scientific method--which is often used in forensic science and criminal investigations—we will examine how to apply these elements in creative thinking and resourceful problem-solving skills. Students will also get to practice Criminology.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• You will explore much of what WSU has to offer and document your experiences using photographs and words to create an illustrated journal. This fun, creative project will be a way to tell your personal story, while learning about the helpful people, places and policies for thriving in college.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• We will look at the diversity of families in America. You will be asked to think and talk about how the notion of family has played a role in your own life and formation, as well as reflect upon the literature and research regarding family and current debates and dilemmas.

• Math and Natural Sciences
• This course aims to help you envision what it would take to “build” a sustainable planet. We’ll look at current environmental issues and controversies as well as covering several key topics in depth. You will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of people and professions involved with these topics and be exposed to a wide range of views.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• We will focus on three important questions:

1. How does society foster a culture of innovation?

2.  Can we create a culture where everyone who wants to work hard has an opportunity to succeed?

3. How do we promote civil debate and the free exchange of ideas in a changing world?

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Examinations common superhero attributes and narratives, specifically in school or educational settings. Projects are related to personal development and preparation for ongoing learning and growth.
• Syllabus

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• What is race or ethnicity—what do those things even mean? Why does it matter today, and why do people get so upset?  We will engage with scholarship and popular debates on race, ethnicity, racism, and ethnocentrism, all in our modern lives.  And we’ll do it with a certain amount of joy and fun, promise.
• Syllabus

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Enroll in this FYS course to expand your use of creative thinking to solve problems and to nurture the creative being inside you. Have fun tapping your creative potential.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• This seminar will critically examine how the horror genre contributes to bias against people with physical, mental, cognitive, and social disabilities. You will also learn relevant scholarship on ability representation, exploitation of people with exceptionalities, and current debates/dilemmas.  And we watch horror films!

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Learn the design thinking process to develop innovative and creative problem-solving skills! Students build a working prototype that addresses a specific identified need in the community, third-world country, or society at large.
• Syllabus

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• The women and men of WWII banded together to create one of the biggest innovation/invention booms of our time, but how did they pull it off? Students learn about specific inventors, top secret laboratories, learn from failed inventions, and see Wichita’s contribution to the war effort.
• Syllabus

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Take part in hands-on projects to practice the design thinking process, a value-creation mindset, and teamwork skills. Work in a collaborative team, assess economic and societal impact, and participate in a formal project presentation.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Provides students with an opportunity to form a current music advocacy philosophy while developing leadership skills for a variety of music activities and scenarios.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• This course helps you better understand and appreciate the process of Creativity and the value of Play. You will learn techniques for improving the flexibility and originality in your thinking through hands-on activities and, if you do it right, you should have fun.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• We will explore personal leadership and your role in your community and university. You will learn about your strengths, areas to develop, and work with others in projects to improve your immediate surroundings.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Learn about the Election while it is happening, and also participate in the election. Students will learn in the classroom, and by volunteering for candidates and causes they support.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• Creativity: Nature, nurture, or nominal? Come and discover. Come together around a topic that currently defines an educational trend, but has multiple meanings across time, locations, disciplines, occupations, and peoples.

• Fine Arts and Humanities
• In this age of technology, we must continue to consider what it means to be human. Students will tackle this big question by reading selections from classical and modern fiction, philosophy, and poetry; volunteering in the community; researching a topic of interest to them; and reflecting on their own intellectual and professional development.

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Explore your own roots and the experiences that have shaped who you are today. Engage with others who have different stories from your own and will examine how you can collaboratively make a difference locally and globally on issues that are important to you.
• Syllabus