Helping you adjust to college. Helping you see how academic disciplines connect to deepen your learning.
First-Year Seminar
We want you to thrive at York, and that means helping you transition from high school to college. Our First-Year Seminar class and the Common Hour it’s paired to help you do just that. First-Year Seminar lets you explore a topic — the topics are truly wide-ranging. You'll also develop skills you need to succeed as a first-year student and for your college and professional career. All first-year students take this course, and you’ll have a First-Year Fellow (a trained student mentor) to guide you along with your professor. You’ll be meeting with them both during Fall Orientation, which means you’ll already know a professor before class begins!
The Common Hour is a one-credit course paired with FYS that gives you an in-depth look at commonly encountered challenges for first-year students — such as student habits and sleep — and offers practical advice. You’ll be picking your FYS class during New Spartan Days summer orientation, but we give you a preview of course offerings at Accepted Student Days so you can start making a mental list of a few prime options.
Note: Certain majors have specific FYS courses. Also, certain FYS courses are part of a Learning Community, which means you will be studying, and perhaps living with, your classmates. Learn more about FYS courses and Living Communities by clicking the "First-Year Seminar" button below.
Generation Next
You’re heading to a liberal arts college, which means we want you to have a well-rounded education that works with and complements your major. At York, we call that approach Gen Next. We help you design an educational plan of courses and experiences in and outside of the major that will help you have a fulfilling career and personal life. Every semester, you’ll be taking courses from your major requirements, your electives, and your general education requirements. These help you toward your bachelor’s degree and any potential minors.
Your advisor will help explain all of this, too! But right now, know that when you come to York, you’re going to get so much more than just a set of skills in your major.