First-Year Seminar
Let's face it—classes, homework, and tests in college are nothing like high school. We realize this is often a shock for new students, so we offer a First-Year Seminar program, where you can get a feel for the rigors of college academics in a way that emphasizes small-class instruction, group discussion, and college writing.
You begin by choosing a First-Year Seminar course for the fall term. We offer a number of courses for you to choose from, covering a range of subjects—from Art and the Creative Process to Economics and the Public Interest, from Probability: A World of Chance to Introduction to Cinema Studies—that will pique your interest, as well as, in many cases, fulfill a General Education requirement. If you're already certain which area you will major in, you may also choose a course in your department of study.
All of the First-Year Seminar courses are Writing Emphasis courses, meaning a number of writing exercises will be incorporated into your class. At the end of the term, you will have the opportunity to put together a portfolio of your best papers, which will be read by two faculty members from different departments. From this, you will experience cross-disciplinary standards for college-level writing, and receive further recommendation for writing courses based on this evaluation of your portfolio.
Marc Falk (Music)
"One of my favorite Coe performing moments was our Concert Choir tour to Costa Rica last January, a transformative trip for me and many of our students."
