Your first year will be exciting, especially at CALS!
Our first-year students do more than just take their introductory classes. From joining a first-year seminar and making friends in a student organization to working alongside faculty in the Honors in Research program, CALS first-year students are busy learning skills for their future.
Learn new things and explore your passions
First-Year Seminar Courses
Every CALS student takes a first-year seminar course! First-year seminars are designed to connect you with opportunities and resources at UW–Madison. You’ll join a cohort of students and together, you’ll build academic and personal skills, foster relationships with instructors, and learn how to make the most out of your time on campus.
CALS Honors in Research Program
Many first-year students join CALS Honors in Research, a program designed for students to take part in the groundbreaking research that happens across UW–Madison during their entire college experience. You’ll work alongside a faculty mentor, learn lab skills, and conduct research.
Find your community and get involved on campus
CALS QuickStart
The CALS QuickStart summer program empowers incoming first-year students to jumpstart their college experience and explore everything that UW–Madison and CALS have to offer. QuickStart is a 1-credit online, asynchronous course that students take the summer before their first semester of college. This 8-week program is designed to ease your transition to college and fulfills the CALS first-year Seminar requirement.
Student Organizations
CALS sponsors more than 40 student organizations, so you can find a community that interests you — no matter your major. You’ll have opportunities to make friends, develop leadership skills, compete in national competitions, learn new things, engage with the Madison community, and have fun!
Residential Learning Communities
Residential learning communities are spaces within residence halls that bring students together around a specific theme and help make a large university feel smaller. Students can choose from 12 different learning communities, including three CALS-sponsored learning communities — BioHouse, GreenHouse, and We Inspire STEM Empowerment (WISE) — whose seminars fulfill the CALS first-year seminar requirement.
First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs)
First-Year Interest Groups, or FIGs, are cohorts of twenty first-year students who take (usually) three fall semester classes together, including a FIG-exclusive seminar course. You’ll learn together, build a community, and get personalized support and guidance from faculty. Some seminars fulfill the CALS first-year seminar requirement.
FAQs
All students who have received admission to CALS are eligible to apply to CALS QuickStart. The application is brief, taking around 15-30 minutes to complete, and 100% of applicants who are eligible are accepted into the program. The QuickStart page has more information on how to apply.
CALS sponsors the BioHouse, GreenHouse, and We Inspire STEM Empowerment (WISE) learning communities. University Housing has more information on BioHouse, GreenHouse, WISE, and the other nine residential learning communities on campus.
Every CALS-affiliated student organization and their information can be found on the CALS Student Organizations page. All UW–Madison student organizations can be found on the Wisconsin Involvement Network (WIN).
Yes! Although you are only required to take one first-year seminar, you can take multiple. For example, a student may take QuickStart in the summer and join the BioHouse seminar in the fall if they will be living in BioHouse residential learning community. All first-year seminars have similar themes, but students may find value in exploring different content by taking more than one first-year seminars.
No, if you transfer into CALS after your first year (external transfer students) or after you have successfully completed 12 credits at UW–Madison (internal transfer students), the first-year seminar requirement will be waived. CALS advisors can help confirm if you will be required to complete a CALS first-year seminar or not.
During Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR), incoming students will discuss the first-year seminar requirement, as well as other requirements, with advisors. There are many options that fulfill the CALS first-year seminar requirement, so you can consider what option works best for your interests, goals, and schedule.
You can apply for the CALS Honors Program using the application on the CALS Honors Program page. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline of December 3 each year. If you’re interested, don’t wait to apply!
Office of Academic Affairs
116 Agricultural Hall
1450 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Office Hours: 7:45am – 4:30pm
For current & prospective student general inquiries:
Phone: 608.262.3003
Email: academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu