First Year Curriculum

From the first year through graduation, the Center for Career Design and Development helps students develop and pursue career-related goals, through resume and interview workshops, company and industry visits, shadowing and mentoring initiatives, on-campus seminars and job fairs, and networking with alumni and professionals in a variety of fields. Our career counseling services and workshops help students understand the working world and how to make decisions about majors, internships, and career paths. Our connection events provide opportunities to meet with professionals and successful Hofstra alumni.

The Center for University Advising (CUA) (located in Room 101, Memorial Hall) provides general academic advising to undergraduate students from admission through graduation and is designed to support students’ academic progress. Students are assigned an advising dean who serves as their general academic advisor. After students declare a major, they also work closely with a faculty advisor in their major academic department. Center for University Advising staff also provide preprofessional advising for students contemplating graduate studies in law or health-related professions.

The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) staff is dedicated to helping students achieve success in their academics and overall college experience. The CAE staff work closely with students, faculty, and other departments to proactively identify strategies to bolster students’ academic and personal success. CAE services include the Undergraduate Tutorial Program and Academic Success Program.

Student Access Services (SAS) (located in Suite 107, Mack Student Center) assists students with physical, learning, and psychological disabilities. The staff arranges for appropriate academic accommodations and helps students develop the self-advocacy skills they need to succeed at Hofstra and beyond. To utilize resources at Student Access Services, students must complete a self-disclosure form and provide documentation of their disability.

They are reserved for first-year students only.

• Taking a class with other first-year students helps you transition to college life – you will be able to form connections with other students who are sharing that experience with you.

They help you explore possible topics for majors or minors.

• We offer seminars and clusters on a wide range of topics, taught by outstanding faculty who are excited for the opportunity to teach first-year students. This is our faculty’s chance to shine a spotlight on their area of expertise, and to spread some of their enthusiasm to you!

They satisfy graduation requirements, even if you are undecided about your major, or if you switch majors down the line.

They connect course topics to venues in New York City. For example, faculty teaching music, dance, and drama courses accompany their students to performances, while science faculty take their students to museums and laboratories.

Seminars are stand-alone courses limited to 19 students. They allow you to interact in a small setting and connect with a faculty member who may become your major advisor, depending on what major you choose. We’ve tried to design seminars to fit every interest, from astronomy to psychology, and philosophy. To see first-year seminar offerings, visit hofstra.edu/fycseminars.

Clusters are a “package deal.” You’ll take two or more courses that are grouped around a common theme. For example, our Pre-Health Sciences cluster includes chemistry, biology, and first-year composition. Each class will satisfy a graduation requirement. In addition, by signing up for a cluster, you are often halfway through completing your fall semester schedule! To see first-year cluster offerings, visit hofstra.edu/fycclusters.

Several of the first-year course offerings align with the themes of our Living-Learning Communities (LLC’s). Residential students enrolled in these courses might choose to live in one of the themed residence halls. Through these vibrant communities, first-year students are exposed to environments that are intellectually stimulating, supportive, and conducive to building lasting friendships and academic excellence. These alignments are noted in the interest quizzes. Note that living in the LLC is not required to take a seminar or cluster; likewise, taking a seminar or cluster is not required to live in the course-linked residence halls.

Log in to the Hofstra portal (my.hofstra.edu) and indicate your preferences. Provide your top three choices in any combination (for example, two clusters and a seminar, or two seminars and a cluster). We can’t guarantee your first choice, but we can generally enroll you in one of the top three you indicate. When you attend one of the orientation sessions this summer, you’ll meet with an advisor and complete the rest of your fall schedule. At that time, you’re welcome to select a different seminar or cluster.