Freshman Seminar RHET 1101 - Critical Thinking and Oral Communication
The University of Texas at Dallas is proud to be among the top universities in the country to provide a variety of experiences and resources for incoming freshmen during their first several months on campus. Beginning with Freshman Orientation and followed by Comet Camp, Success Camp, and Welcome Week, students continue their integration into college life through RHET 1101 - the Freshman Seminar course.
All first time freshmen are required to take this first semester, one credit hour course, which serves as the culmination of the First Year Experience program, providing students the guidance and tools they need to be successful at The University of Texas at Dallas. The 11 week course addresses issues such as connecting to campus, an introduction to services and resources for students, recognizing personal learning styles, and understanding the nature of the college experience. Classes are small - less than 20 students per instructor - to enable in-depth discussion and effective topic coverage. Students also have the choice of enrolling in a major-specific section, in order to share the experience with students of like interests.
Materials for the course include a custom Student Planner and Guide which includes important UTD-specific information regarding clubs and organizations, contact information for services and resources, and numerous tips for navigating campus. The planner portion provides both month-at-a-glance and week-at-a-glance calendars which highlight campus-wide activitites, events and deadlines. Other required readings are Understanding Type in College, a practical guide to making the most of one's learning style, and The Naked Roommate, which takes a humorous, but realistic look at the issues facing college students today.
The course is taught by a variety of campus personnel, from academic advisors to student development specialists. The First Year Leaders program is a new student leadership opportunity that enable outstanding upperclassmen to team up with instructors to teach the Freshman Seminar course. The First Year Leaders serve as mentors and role models for the freshmen, and help to generate a sense of support, spirit, and belonging to UTD.
