A first-year seminar is a graduation requirement for all Penn State students. The seminars in the Liberal Arts are limited to twenty-four students and are offered in various Liberal Arts disciplines—English, psychology, history, philosophy, anthropology, political science, etc. The small size of the seminars allows for more discussion in class, interaction with the professor, and attention to writing skills. In addition to fulfilling the University’s first-year seminar requirement, each 3-credit seminar fulfills a General Education requirement in either the humanities or social and behavioral sciences.
First-year seminars allow students to learn more about the College of the Liberal Arts and Penn State. The seminars center around helping students become acclimated to the University, as well as begin to identify with the college, their peers, and their teachers. First-year engagement is an important component of every first-year seminar.
Liberal Arts first-year seminar objectives:
- Introduce students to:
- University study
- Their responsibilities as part of the University community
- Learning tools and resources available at Penn State
- Penn State as an academic community, including fields of study and areas of interest available to students
- Provide an opportunity for students to develop relationships with full-time faculty and other students in an academic area of interest to them.
Available First-Year Semesters
First-year seminars for the fall 2023 semester will be announced soon.
First-Year Seminar Substitution Process
Students in the College of the Liberal Arts who do not complete a first-year seminar in their first year at Penn State must meet with their academic adviser to propose a course substitute to fulfill the degree requirement.
Course Eligibility
- Must be successfully completed with a final grade
- Must be a small class (fewer than fifty students)
- Cannot be a large lecture with a small breakouts
Instructions
To have a course reviewed for substitution, you must meet with your academic adviser and detail how the course satisfies at least three of the active learning elements below.
- Active use of writing, speaking, and other forms of self-expression
- Opportunity for information gathering, synthesis, and analysis in solving problems
- Engagement in collaborative learning and teamwork
- Application of intercultural and international competence
- Dialogue pertaining to social behavior, community, and scholarly conduct
Available First-Year Seminars
AFAM 83 (M/W/F 11:15 a.m.–12:05 p.m.)
First-Year Seminar in African American and Diaspora Studies
This course is usable toward the AFAM major/minor.
AFAM 83 has two primary purposes. First, it is designed to introduce students to college life and help them identify the resources and opportunities that will be most helpful to their future personal and professional path. Secondly, this seminar will introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of African American and Diaspora Studies. They will learn about major themes and topics in the field and meet faculty from various disciplines (History, English, Anthropology, Religion, Communication) who are researching those topics. Both aspects of the course will give students a clearer sense of the academic and personal opportunities available at Penn State and in African American Studies.
ANTH 83S (M/W/F 10:10–11:00 a.m.)
Anthropology: The Past, Present, and Future of Our Species
This course is usable toward the ANTH major/minor.
This seminar introduces students to anthropology as a scientific discipline with ties to other social and natural sciences. Through active participation in the seminar, students will be exposed to the different subfields of anthropology to explore the origins of our species and consider the diversity and cultural variation that exists among humans across the globe. Students will be introduced to the variety of research that is performed by scholars in the Department of Anthropology at Penn State. By the end of the semester, students will see that anthropology surrounds them in their daily lives and studies. They will also have an increased appreciation for the interconnectedness of all humans today and the roles that evolution and culture have played in shaping diversity in our species.
APLNG 83.001 (T/Th 10:35–11:50 a.m.)
Language as Social Practice
This course is usable toward the APLNG minor.
This course is an introduction to the idea of looking at language use as social practice. Specifically , we will look at how language serves to represent and to constrain its speakers in various social and cultural contexts. We will look at language use in social contexts from multiple perspectives, seeing how it both reflects, and shapes, identity in context (while at the same time allowing speakers to modify and shape those very contexts).
ASIA 83S (M/W 4:00–5:15 p.m.)
First-Year Seminar in Asian Studies
This course is usable toward the ASIA Studies major/minor.
ASIA 083S Asian Studies First Year Seminar (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course provides an introduction to the meaning and advantages of a liberal arts education in the context of Asian Studies. Through reading, discussion, research, and writing, students in this course will develop many of the basic skills central to a liberal arts education. The specific topic will vary by instructor, but will address one or more countries of Asia. Materials may include works of fiction and literary criticism, historical documents and analysis, or other scholarship and primary materials related to the specific discipline of the instructor. Through reading, discussing, and further exploring such materials, students will build their skills of critical analysis, research, and argumentation, as well as enhancing their intercultural and international perspectives. The course fulfills the first-year seminar requirement as well as a general education or a Bachelor of Arts humanities requirement.
CAMS 83Y (T/Th 1:35–2:50 p.m.)
Ancient Jewish and Christian Magic
This course is usable toward the Classics/Ancient Mediterranian Studies major and/or minor.
Description: Is there a meaningful difference between religion and magic? What distinguishes prayers from incantations? Consecrated foods from arcane recipes? Religious symbols from amulets and talismans? The Bible from a book of spells? This course introduces students to the study of magic in the ancient world with particular emphasis on Jewish and Christian traditions. We will consider how ancient people and modern scholars have constructed the category magic both in opposition to religion or science, and in and of itself. We will examine the different types of experts and practices involved in the production and use of magical materials by relating them to the social and cultural histories of Judaism and Christianity across the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Finally, we will explore the possibilities and problems of using magical artifacts as evidence of wider developments in ancient Judaism and Christianity.
CAS 84.002 (M/W/F 10:10–11:00 a.m.)
Rhetoric of War and Peace
This course is usable toward the CAS major.
CMLIT 83S (M/W/F 2:30–3:20 p.m.)
Poetry and Poetics
This course is usable toward the CMLIT major/minor.
Theoretical and practical concepts in the comparative, global history of poetry and/or poetics. CMLIT 471 Poetry and Poetics (3) (IL)This course explores theoretical and practical concepts in the history of poetry and/or poetics. Like all comparative literature courses, it pursues this task through discussions of poetry from a wide variety of national or linguistic origins and ranges widely across historical period, medium, and social form, where appropriate. Students will develop a broad array of interpretive skills appropriate to poetry and poetics; they will acquire a knowledge of a wide variety of poetic forms; they will undertake comparative analyses of poems and poetic structures; they will learn how to think about poetics outside poetry.
CMLIT 83S.003 (M/W/F 2:30–3:20 p.m.)
Poetry and Poetics
This course is usable toward the CMLIT major/minor.
Theoretical and practical concepts in the comparative, global history of poetry and/or poetics. CMLIT 471 Poetry and Poetics (3) (IL)This course explores theoretical and practical concepts in the history of poetry and/or poetics. Like all comparative literature courses, it pursues this task through discussions of poetry from a wide variety of national or linguistic origins and ranges widely across historical period, medium, and social form, where appropriate. Students will develop a broad array of interpretive skills appropriate to poetry and poetics; they will acquire a knowledge of a wide variety of poetic forms; they will undertake comparative analyses of poems and poetic structures; they will learn how to think about poetics outside poetry.
GER 83.001 (M/W/F 2:30–3:45 p.m.)
Queer Berlin
This course is usable toward the GER major.
Germany’s cultural past and present. GER 083S First-Year Seminar in German (3) (GH;FYS;US;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course is designed to give the student an introductory overview of certain important aspects of German culture and its development during the past 1500 years. The topics selected will give the student an introduction to major periods and representative thinkers that have helped shape the destiny of German-speaking countries and much of Europe as well. As Goethe noted, our views of the past are a mirror in which we dimly see our own reflection. Serious examination of the issues raised in this course also result in learning something about one’s self and the world in which s/he live today. This course can be used to fulfill the General Education or Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, the Intercultural/International Competence requirement, and the first year seminar requirement. A series of short papers will enable students to develop the skills of information gathering and written expression. The course grade will be based on oral participation and on the grade for the papers, which will be evaluated both for content and writing. This course will help to prepare students for a variety of additional courses in the fields of literature and German-speaking area studies. In addition to the academic topic and issues of this course, students can expect to gain a general introduction to the University as an academic community and have the opportunity to explore their responsibilities as members of that community. Students will develop an understanding of the learning tools and resources available to them, including the opportunity to develop relationships with faculty and other students who share their academic interests. The course will be offered once per year to an audience of 20 students.
GER 83.002 (T/Th 9:05–10:20 a.m.)
German Reactions to the Holocaust:
From the Nazi Years to the Present
This course is usable toward the GER major.
In the first part of this course, we will look at the different attitudes and reactions of Germans to the persecution and murder of the Jews. Were people in Germany aware that the Holocaust was taking place? Which reactions were possible under a dictatorship and what caused people to make different choices on how to behave and what to believe? We will try to understand the varying reactions and motivations of the German populace to the reality around them, beginning with those who were actively involved in the mass killing of Jews, to the bystanders and rescuers of Jews. In the second part of the course, we will look at postwar attempts made by Germans (and Austrians) of different generations to work through this difficult past. How did they integrate the persecution and mass murder of the Jews into their personal and national history? How did their own experiences have an influence on the way in which they approached the topic? What was the role of family stories, public debates, and cultural representations in shaping their attitudes toward this event?
HIST 83 (M/W/F 1:25–2:15 p.m.)
Manuscripts of the Middle East
This course is usable toward the HIST major/minor.
From ancient Qur’an manuscripts hidden in the ceiling of the Great Mosque of Sanaa to the mysterious St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai desert, Middle Eastern libraries hold astonishing cultural treasures from 1,000 years ago and more. In this class, we will survey several of these archives, learning about their history and the people who study and conserve these treasures. Students will gain a unique insight into the diversity and depth of Middle Eastern history, while also learning some of the crafts of archival research.
IT 83 (T/Th 12:05–1:20 p.m.)
Italian Comedy
This course is NOT usable toward the Italian major or minor
From Dante’s medieval period forward, the Italian literary tradition offers a rich range of comedies. Through their ability to provoke laughter or to provide an alternative vision of possible realities, these texts have served a variety of functions: as forms of political subversion, as modes of social critique, as avenues of psychological escape, and as opportunities for spiritual healing and rejuvenation. This course examines a selection of Italian comedies from the medieval period to the late twentieth century: we look at Boccaccio’s racy and ribald Decameron, set during the Black Death; the cross-dressing escapades of Renaissance “erudite comedy;” the “Commedia dell’arte” tradition from which terms such as “zany” and “slapstick” originate; and twentieth century films that mock gender norms. We study each comedy in light of such contextual issues as patronage, audience, and contemporary political landscape. Through our analyses, we will ask how writers achieve comic effects, and we will probe the potentials and the limits of comedy. Conducted in English.
LHR 83S.001 (T/Th 3:05–4:20 p.m.)
Leadership Lessons From the Arts and Humanities
This course is usable toward the LHR major/minor.
This course is for explorers. Rather than boring lectures, we delve deep into the meaning of life…and how it is enacted through leadership. Leadership is omnipresent in life. Arts and Humanities are the lifeblood of culture. Together, we will discuss, dissect and dissemble important works in the arts and humanities in the search for deeper meaning and insightful lessons that can be applied in everyday life. The format of the course is that of a salon-style conversation, where topics are introduced on particular themes (e.g., power; vision; conflict; perception), which we then explore, together, in deep discussions. A typical assignment to prepare a class session will consist of a reading selection of short stories from literature, viewing a film, reading professional articles from psychology and/or business, as well as viewing or listening to works of art. We will also incorporate “field trips” to visit museums, view architecture, and attend performances. This is a course for profound thinking—not for memorizing tidbits. You will come away from this course with useful knowledge to apply to everyday life, through the lens of leadership.
LHR 83S.002 (T/Th 1:35–2:50 p.m.)
Leadership Lessons From the Arts and Humanities
This course is usable toward the LHR major/minor.
This course is for explorers. Rather than boring lectures, we delve deep into the meaning of life…and how it is enacted through leadership. Leadership is omnipresent in life. Arts and Humanities are the lifeblood of culture. Together, we will discuss, dissect and dissemble important works in the arts and humanities in the search for deeper meaning and insightful lessons that can be applied in everyday life. The format of the course is that of a salon-style conversation, where topics are introduced on particular themes (e.g., power; vision; conflict; perception), which we then explore, together, in deep discussions. A typical assignment to prepare a class session will consist of a reading selection of short stories from literature, viewing a film, reading professional articles from psychology and/or business, as well as viewing or listening to works of art. We will also incorporate “field trips” to visit museums, view architecture, and attend performances. This is a course for profound thinking—not for memorizing tidbits. You will come away from this course with useful knowledge to apply to everyday life, through the lens of leadership.
LHR 83S.003 (T/Th 10:35–11:50 a.m.)
All in a Day’s Work:
Exploring the World of Employment
This course is usable toward the LHR major/minor.
PHIL 83 (M/W/F 2:30–3:20 p.m.)
Nonviolence
This course is usable toward the PHIL major/minor.
Philosophical examination of nonviolence, including inner peace, nonviolent communication, nonviolent resistance, and antiwar pacifism, along with challenges from opposing perspectives. Tolstoy, Gandhi, King, and Nhat Hanh are among the figures covered.
PSYCH 83S (T/Th 12:05–1:20 p.m.)
Implications of Contemporary Psychological
Research and Theory
This course is NOT usable toward the Psychology major/minor.
PSYCH 83S First-Year Seminar in Psychology (3) (GS;FYS) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Modern science provides perspectives on human beings that may conflict with our intuitive and conventional views of ourselves as individuals capable of free choice and responsibility. These perspectives raise important questions for how we understand ourselves and others. The goal of this course is to help students to understand the basis of these contemporary scientific views of human beings, and to think critically about the ways in which these views shape human experience. The specific research and theories discuss will vary by section. Students will read selections from the scholarly literature in psychology, as well as popular or media selections related to the topic. The class format will be open discussion, and students will be expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Evaluation will be based on short writing assignments, exams, in-class presentations, and class participation. Writing assignments will generally require that students apply concepts discussed in class to particular topics, or that they use library and Web resources to find relevant material. In addition to the academic topic and issues of this course, students can expect to gain a general introduction to the University as an academic community and have the opportunity to explore their responsibilities as members of that community. Students will develop an understanding of the learning tools and resources available to them including the opportunity to develop relationships with faculty and other students who share their academic interests. This course fulfills the first-year seminar requirement as well as a general education or Bachelor of Arts social/behavioral science requirement.
WMNST 83N (T/Th 10:35–11:50 a.m.)
Women Writers: The Literature of Resistance
This course is usable toward the Women’s Studies major/minor.
Can a short story, a novel or a poem be experienced as a form of personal, social, and political interrogation and still remain primarily a work of art? Without recourse to essentialist definitions of ‘women’s writing,’ can we postulate ways in which an awareness of ‘female’ identity influences acts of literary resistance? In framing our responses to these and related questions through a close reading of selected texts, we’ll explore the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, art, and culture.