UW-Madison departments may apply for a course to fulfill the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement. Applications are reviewed each winter by the committee for effective dates of the following fall.
For courses to fulfill the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement, they must meet the CALS First-Year Seminar learning outcomes published in Guide and the course design elements noted in the CALS First-Year Seminar knowledgebase document. Instructors can apply to have their course meet the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement by completing the course application form linked further below on this page. Courses must have their own permanent course number and cannot be offered under a Topics course. As part of the review of applications, the department owner(s) of the course will be contacted to confirm a commitment to meeting the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement.
Applications are due by the end of December each year for inclusion the following fall and must be submitted through the online application. Applications require course information, a sample syllabus, and explanation of how the course meets the criteria of the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement.
It is strongly recommended that applications be discussed with your department/unit curriculum committee(s) before submission to ensure understanding of the criteria. The application process includes follow-up with department chairs to confirm a continuing commitment to maintain required elements even with any changes in instructor(s).
Courses approved for the CALS First-Year Seminar requirement will be periodically re-evaluated for continued approval.
Course Application Form
Contact Megan Ackerman-Yost at megan.ackermanyost@wisc.edu or the CALS Academic Affairs general mailbox at academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu.