For Faculty

When, where, and how often do first-year seminars meet?

First-Year Seminars meet once a week for 2-3 hours. Ladder and tenured FAS faculty may not schedule a course meeting on Tuesday afternoons between 4-5:30 PM, the time designated for faculty meetings. Seminars may meet in department rooms by agreement or our office will request a room from the Harvard Classrooms Office.

According to FAS schedule change legislation, these...

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May I hire a CA or a TF to assist me?

Because the instructor plays an important mentoring role in small-group instruction, a First-Year seminar is not provided with additional teaching staff. However, seminars with significant hours of science lab or studio art may request the hire of an Undergraduate Course Assistant or a Graduate Teaching Fellow to assist with course preparation. Please contact Toni Trainor at 617-496-3993 or firstyearseminarprogram@fas.harvard.edu for advice on your request. Read more about May I hire a CA or a TF to assist me?

May I set a prerequisite?

Some seminars, because of their specialized nature, require particular qualifications or appropriate academic background, and this fact should be specified in the course description. However, most instructors set no prerequisites other than an interest in the subject. 

Who reviews my proposal?

The Faculty of the Committee on First-Year Seminars meets throughout the spring to review all proposals. 

Do you offer suggestions or feedback for faculty about teaching first-year?

Absolutely. Please feel free to contact our Director, Ofrit Liviatan with any queries. The Bok Center for Teaching and Learning also offers opportunities for current and prospective instructors to learn more about teaching in the First-Year Seminar Program. Finally, we will be inviting instructors to get together for feedback sessions to discuss questions and observations about the Program and about teaching first-year students.