Generation Next at York College

• First Year Seminar

  

  What it's about: The purpose of the York College First Year Seminar (FYS) is to prepare new students for the creative, interdisciplinary, and rigorous modes of inquiry that characterize a York College education as is expected in major and non-major (general education) courses. 

  Why we think it's important: The FYS will get you off to a fast start in college, help you make new friends, give you a boost in your approach to taking on college academics, and give you an idea what we have to offer. Learn more about it - and the more than 20 challenging, innovative courses - here.

  What you have to take: 3 credits

   

• Foundations Courses

  

  What it's about: Foundations courses in Communication, Advanced Communication, Quantitative Fluency, American Citizenship, and Global Citizenship serve as the initial and essential building blocks for higher level learning, knowledge, and skills in these key areas of a YCP education.

  Why we think it's important: This is where you start building the skills that will be the basis of what you learn throughout college and beyond. Courses in the Foundations range will let you dive into your major, but we think you'll find what you learn in Foundation courses also will serve you well in other areas.

  What you have to take: 6-12 credits

  • The second Advanced Communication requirement, the Quantitative Fluency requirement, and the American or Global Citizenship requirement may be satisfied by major program requirements.
  • Programs may choose to require additional Foundation courses at their discretion
• Disciplinary Perspectives

  

  What it's about: Disciplinary Perspectives courses demonstrate the ways that knowledge is constructed in various academic disciplines. The courses taken within Disciplinary Perspectives introduce students to concepts and methodologies of that particular broad disciplinary realm. These courses use the content to expose the methodologies that disciplines use to arrive at that knowledge. Provided with such an understanding, students are better prepared to take on more in-depth work in a variety of disciplines, and apply other disciplinary approaches to their own major-specific work.

  Why we think it's important: This is where you get the broad knowledge and understanding needed to better make connections in your learning, such as taking a science class and learning how to use a methodology to arrive to a conclusion, and then use elements of that approach to better approach a project in the student's own major. We believe you'll be better prepared to take on more in-depth work in a variety disciplines.

  What you have to take: 9-12 credits

  • Taken in Arts, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Science, and/or Natural and Physical Sciences
  • One of the four Disciplinary Perspective areas may be satisfied by major requirements
  • Programs may choose to require additional Disciplinary Perspective courses at their discretion
• Constellations

  

  What it's about: Constellations are groupings of courses around broad themes that can be addressed using multi- and interdisciplinary perspectives. Constellations build upon the skills acquired in the Foundations courses and the base of knowledge and learning methods acquired in the Disciplinary Perspectives courses. Constellations will allow you to apply higher-level thinking and communication skills while increasing the breadth and depth of your education. The Constellations are designed to give you an intentional, noticeable benefit of bringing in ideas from across several academic areas. 

  Why we think it's important: This set of courses will allow you to see the connections between what you have learned in different general education courses, as well as help you make connections between the general education curriculum and your major. It's the answer to that age-old conundrum of college students of years past, sitting in a general ed course wondering what this has to do with what they want to do in life. We see the Constellation courses bringing it all together.

  What you have to take: 9-12 credits

  • Students will take 4 courses drawn from a minimum of three disciplines
  • One of the 4 courses may also serve as a major program requirement
  • Constellation themes are: Big Ideas!, Children and the Family, Community, Creativity and the Arts (formerly Aesthetics and Creativity), Diversity, Environmental Sustainability, Globalization, Health and Wellness, Leadership and Professional Development (formerly Professionalism, Leadership and Entrepreneurship), Media and Popular Culture, Peace and Conflict, & Science and Technology.

  Useful Resources

  • Constellation Descriptions
  • Constellation Class Schedule

What We Think You'll Get Out of a Generation Next Experience

Gen Next Skills & Abilities