Academic Courses

As an incoming first-year student, you will take classes within the First-Year Program that help you develop skills and perspectives that enhance your academic and personal experiences at Fisher. What you learn in these courses can easily be applied throughout your studies within your chosen major.

First-Year Seminar and Learning Community are taken in the fall semester, while Research-Based Writing is a spring semester offering.

First-Year Seminar (ITDY 101)

First-Year Seminar is a 1-credit course that fosters academic success, personal growth, and career exploration. This class is led by your first-year academic advisor and a current student peer mentor. It is designed as an orientation to university life and meets once a week. Class discussions include issues such as personal wellness, community, diversity, goal-setting, study skills, time and stress management, and the ins-and-outs of successfully navigating the academic world of St. John Fisher University.

Learning Communities (LC)

In your Learning Community, faculty from two different academic disciplines teach two linked courses sharing a common theme, giving you the opportunity to learn about a topic from at least two perspectives. You will explore topics of social importance both in discussions and in writing.

Past Learning Community Topics

  • Work in America
  • The Fog of War
  • YRU? Nature and Nurture in Human Development
  • Living with Other Gods
  • Empowering the Powerless

Learning Communities target writing, discussion, research, and group work skills as the first step in improving your ability to succeed in college. Since you will be meeting with the same group of students for both classes, you’ll form close friendships that will complement the academic objectives of your first semester.

Research-based Writing (DEPT 1299)

In this course, you will learn the basics of writing an academic research paper, with an emphasis on the research process, elements of persuasive argumentation, proper use and documentation of sources, integration of more than one perspective on an issue, and the revision process. You will also learn to make an effective oral presentation of your research.

You may choose to register for a 1299 section in any department, regardless of your major. Explore Soaring for examples of first-year student research writing