Welcome, freshmen

In "Bugs in the System," Professor David Horn teaches students about insects, the most diverse and numerous organism on the planet.

First-year student Sheeva Mostoufi was at a crossroads two years ago, when she signed up for a freshman seminar in social psychology.

She was unhappy with her major, and had been thinking about switching to psychology. But she worried about making the same mistake twice.

So Mostoufi took advantage of Ohio State's Freshman Seminar Program. She signed up for a one-credit class on social psychology with Dr. Robert Arkin--and found what she had been looking for.

"I absolutely loved my seminar," said Mostoufi, now a junior. "The studies that we talked about were so different and interesting to me. I really looked forward to going to my classes and doing my readings."

Since President Karen Holbrook instituted the freshman seminar program in 2003, students like Mostoufi have enjoyed taking the classes, which tackle subjects ranging from biochemical research to the psychology of The Simpsons.

The advantages are plentiful: The classes give new students access to tenure-track professors. They're small, with 18 students at most. And because they are freshman-only, first-year students get a chance to participate in discussions without having to compete with more academically-experienced upperclassmen.

"It's a chance to introduce freshmen to the academic climate at the university," said Dr. Rod Romesburg, coordinator of the program. "It gives them a connection to a professor."

"It's really valuable for freshmen to get in a small class like this, where they are encouraged to discuss and participate."

The classes are only one or two credit hours, compared to five for most classes. They generally meet only once a week and don't require a lot of work--so students can "risk" taking seminars in subjects they're not sure they're interested in.

"They really like this because they get to taste something without having to take a full class," said Dr. Rod Romesburg, coordinator of the program.

Related links:

Freshman seminars.

First Year Experience.

Current Students.

(text/images: University Marketing Communications)

What they're learning:

• In God, Guns, Gay Rights and Google: Researching Controversial Issues on the Web, students learn to separate fact from fiction on the web.
• Students in Fact, Fantasy, Fallacy: Science in Cinema learn about the science in Jurassic Park.
• Big Macs, Big Tobacco, and Big SUVs focuses on tort reform and product liability.
• Freshmen figure out the best way to tell family and cultural stories in Storytelling in Classroom and Community.
• Backstage in Columbus: Exploring the Great Concert Halls of Ohio's Capital City, takes students on tours of the city's music venues, where they learn about acoustics and culture.