Purpose/Philosophy of Course

Research suggests that First Year Experience courses help students make a successful transition from high school to colleges and universities in a number of domains. Participating in these courses has been linked with higher grades, increased retention, higher satisfaction with one’s college experience, greater connection to faculty, more opportunities to make friends, and more involvement on campus. In light of these outcomes, we at UNC believe that students should have the best opportunity to experience success in college, which is why we offer this course to all incoming first-year students.

UNC’s FYE 108 course encourages discussion and engagement through active learning. In a safe and supportive environment in which to experiment and develop, students will learn and practice skills that they can apply in their other classes. This course makes room for experimentation and the inevitable trial and error that accompanies true growth. Instructors for UNC's FYE 108 class tend to be more “hands-on” with students, making sure they are staying on track with their academic coursework. This philosophy is based on the idea that students cannot be expected to completely change their environment and be perfect students, rather, they must learn how to be more effective in navigating their new environment. For this reason, course content focuses on what UNC expects of students, how to manage the heavier workloads of college academics, how to interact with professionals on campus, and how to manage one’s time in college’s highly independent environment in which more time is spent working outside of class than inside the classroom.

Finally, UNC’s FYE 108 is a course designed to connect students with their intended majors and with happenings on campus. We work closely with different schools and School Directors to develop a curriculum that addresses the details of students’ major and graduation requirements.



ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ADVISING ORIENTATION ACADEMIC ADVISING TUTORING FIRST YEAR LINKED COURSES How to Join Resources for Prospective Students and Parents FAQs Resources for Instructors First Year Linked Courses Examples FYE Outcomes and Goals Certification to teach Get involved with FYE 108 Purpose/Philosophy of Course Required Elements Sample Syllabi Student Success Modules Four Year Plan Textbook resources Blackboard Resources Instructor list Teaching & Learning book reviews Research and Assessment Excellence in First Year Teaching Awards Contact Information Staff FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SUPPORT	Purpose/Philosophy of Course Research suggests that First Year Experience courses help students make a successful transition from high school to colleges and universities in a number of domains. Participating in these courses has been linked with higher grades, increased retention, higher satisfaction with one’s college experience, greater connection to faculty, more opportunities to make friends, and more involvement on campus. In light of these outcomes, we at UNC believe that students should have the best opportunity to experience success in college, which is why we offer this course to all incoming first-year students. UNC’s FYE 108 course encourages discussion and engagement through active learning. In a safe and supportive environment in which to experiment and develop, students will learn and practice skills that they can apply in their other classes. This course makes room for experimentation and the inevitable trial and error that accompanies true growth. Instructors for UNC's FYE 108 class tend to be more “hands-on” with students, making sure they are staying on track with their academic coursework. This philosophy is based on the idea that students cannot be expected to completely change their environment and be perfect students, rather, they must learn how to be more effective in navigating their new environment. For this reason, course content focuses on what UNC expects of students, how to manage the heavier workloads of college academics, how to interact with professionals on campus, and how to manage one’s time in college’s highly independent environment in which more time is spent working outside of class than inside the classroom. Finally, UNC’s FYE 108 is a course designed to connect students with their intended majors and with happenings on campus. We work closely with different schools and School Directors to develop a curriculum that addresses the details of students’ major and graduation requirements.
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