Course Objectives (N=821)
Respondents were asked to identify the three most important course objectives of their first-year seminar. The three most frequently reported objectives were:

1. Develop academic skills (n=527, 64.2%)
2. Provide an orientation to campus resources and services (n=434, 52.9%)
3. Self-exploration/personal development (n=303, 36.9%)

Course Topics (N=821)
Respondents were asked to identify the five most important topics that comprise the content of the first-year seminars. The five most frequently reported topics were:

1. Study skills (n=335, 40.8%)
2. Critical Thinking (n=333, 40.6%)
3. Campus resources (n=313, 38.1%)
4. Academic Planning/Advising (n=301, 36.7%)
5. Time management (n=235, 28.6%)

Academic Credit (N=805)
92.2% of institutions who responded indicate that their first-year seminars are offered for academic credit (n=742)

Of the institutions who responded that their seminars count for academic credit (N=737):
42.5% offer seminars carrying 1 credit (n=313)
12.6% offer seminars carrying 2 credits (n=93)
32.7% offer seminars carrying 3 credits(n=241)
9.0% offer seminars carrying 4 credits (n=66)
0.7% offer seminars carrying 5 credits (n=5)
2.6% offer seminars carrying more than 5  credits (n=19)

Application of Credit (N=821)
50.4% of institutions allow seminar to apply towards general education requirements (n=414)
40.3% of institutions allow seminar to apply as an elective (n=331)
9.3% of institutions allow seminar to apply towards major requirements (n=76)
6.1% of institutions specified other (n=50)   One example of a common ‘other’ response was graduation requirement.

Grading (N=810)
82% indicate that seminars are graded using a letter grade system (n=664)
15.6% indicate that seminars are graded pass/fail (n=126)
2.5% indicate that seminars are not graded (n=20)

Students Required to Take Seminar (N=804)
46% of institutions require their first-year seminars for ALL first-year students (n=370)
34.6% of institutions indicate that the seminar is required for some, but not all, students (n=278)
19.4% of institutions do not require the seminar for any of its first-year students (n=156)

Seminar Size (N=808)
0.7% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections in under 10 students (n=6) 
18.2% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections is 10-15 students (n=147)
36.9% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections is 16-20 students (n=298)
29.8% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections is 21-25 students (n=241)  
7.5% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections is 26-30 students (n=61)
6.8% indicate that approximate class size for their seminar sections was over 30 (n=55)

Administrative Unit (N=791)
50.8% of institutions administer their seminars directly through the office of academic affairs (n=402) 13.5% of institutions administer their seminars directly through academic departments (n=107)
12.9% of institutions administer their seminars directly through the office of student affairs (n=102)
10.5% of institutions administer their seminars directly through a first-year program office (n=83)   12.3% of institutions reported ‘other’ (n=97)

Learning Communities (N=794)
35.3% of institutions report linking first-year seminars to one or more other courses (n=280)

Service Learning (N=801)
40.2% of institutions report including service-learning as a part of their first-year seminars (n=322)

Instructors (N=821)
90% indicate that faculty members teach their first-year seminars (n=739)
45.2% indicate that student affairs professionals teach their first-year seminars (n=371)
7.7% indicate that undergraduate students teach their first-year seminars (n=63)
5.2% indicate that graduate students teach their first-year seminars (n=43)
26.8% indicate that “other campus professionals” teach their first-year seminars (n=220)
*Note. Percentages add up to more that 100% because several institutions use instructors from multiple categories.

Instructor Training
76.8% of responding institutions offer training for their first-year seminar instructors (612 of 797 respondents)
52.3% of responding institutions require training of their first-year seminar instructors (416 of 796 respondents)

Academic Advising (N=802)
31.9% indicate that they offer sections in which the instructor is also the students' academic advisor (n=256).

Team Teaching (N=789)
43.7% of institutions who responded report using teams to teach their seminars (n=345)

Seminar Evaluation (N=811)
60.2% indicate that they have conducted a formal program evaluation since fall 2003 (n=488)

Results of First-Year Seminars (N=491)
Respondents who had performed a formal program evaluation since fall 2003 were asked to select all applicable results that could be attributed to the first-year seminar.

43.4% report increased persistence to sophomore year (n=212)
41.2% report improved peer connections (n=201)
38.1% report increased student satisfaction with the institution (n=186)
33.8% report increased use of campus services (n=165)
33.8% report increased out-of-class faculty/student interaction (n=165)
32.4% report increased level of student participation in campus activities (n=158)
30.1% report increased student satisfaction with faculty (n=147)
29.1% report increased academic abilities (n=142)
17.8% report increased persistence to graduation (n=87)
17.6% report improved grade-point-averages (n=86)
18% report ‘other’ (n=88)

Age of Seminars (N=810)
9.8% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for 2 years or less (n=79)
42.5% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for 3 - 10 years (n=344)
47.8% of institutions report having first-year seminars that have been offered for more than 10 years (n=387)

The following links offer other sources of information pertaining to first-year seminars.

2003 Seminar Survey Summary

2000 Seminar Survey Summary

*Note. Because of changes to the survey instrument, data may not be appropriate for longitudinal analysis.