First-Year Handbook 2009/10 - Woodsworth College - University of ...

Take Advantage of SmallGroup ExperiencesFirst-Year SeminarsLearning in a top research university meansbecoming involved in academic life by exchangingpoints of view and tackling controversial topics. TheFaculty of Arts & Science first-year seminars enablenew students to engage in academically rigorousdiscussions and develop strong written, oral andteamwork skills in the process. Small classes helpensure that all students are active participants indiscussions.The seminars are regular degree courses, runningeither the full academic year from September toApril (full-credit) or from September to Decemberor January to April (half-credit), taught by some ofthe Faculty’s leading scholars – many of the bestresearchers and teachers at U of T.The program features 100 first-year seminars,capped at 24 students each, in the humanities,social sciences, sciences and in interdisciplinarystudies. Each course focuses on issues, questionsand controversies surrounding a particular topicor theme. They are restricted to students newlyadmitted to university, and you may only enrol inone. They provide an excellent way of satisfying thedistribution requirement (see page 20), but you neednot be limited in your selection by that.First-Year Learning CommunitiesThe First-Year Learning Communities (FLCs)program is designed to improve the transitionalexperience for first-year students. FLCs (pronounced“flicks”) provide first-year students with theopportunity to meet classmates, develop friendships,form study groups, and develop academic andpersonal skills while introducing students to theresources and opportunities available on campus andin the surrounding community. FLCs are offered insix areas of study: life sciences, commerce, computerscience, humanities, psychology and economics.The 24 students in each FLC will be enrolledin some of the same core courses and will meetregularly outside of class time for useful funactivities including sessions on time management orbetter health for better grades. Each FLC group isfacilitated by upper-year student peer mentors, underthe guidance of a staff or faculty advisor.Space is limited and occurs on a first-come, firstservedbasis. Register for FLC online via theFLC website from June 15-10, 2009. For moreinformation visit www.flc.utoronto.ca.First-year seminar course titles are listed on page 18 and 19