Bowdoin is proud to have faculty from across many disciplines teach this writing across the curriculum program. This fall, we have faculty from 17 departments teaching First-Year Writing Seminars. You will get to know faculty who you can stay connected with during your 4 years at Bowdoin.
First-Year Writing Seminar
The First-Year Writing Seminar is designed to help introduce students to what it means to undertake serious intellectual work at the college level. The seminars provide small class settings where students can engage with a particular topic, a professor, and their peers.
Each fall, Bowdoin offers over thirty-five first-year writing seminars on topics that traverse the Bowdoin curriculum. Students choose and register for seminars during orientation in conversation with their faculty advisor. They provide an opportunity for in-depth study of a subject of mutual interest, as well as a place to develop college-level skills of critical thinking, both reading and writing. The development of such skills is a central feature of first-year writing seminars. All first-year writing seminars involve frequent writing practice, individualized feedback on writing, and an assignment structure that teaches students how to draft and revise. Additionally, the seminars provide both an introduction to library research and an overview of the expectations of academic honesty and citing sources. This opportunity to learn and practice academic writing is both an independent goal of first-year writing seminars, and an additional means through which faculty can introduce their discipline and help students to engage with a particular subject.
What to Expect from First-Year Writing Seminar
Writing
Faculty from across the curriculum craft courses around important questions, historical texts, and complex issues. The First-Year Writing Seminar helps transition students to the expectations of college-level writing through a deep engagement in disciplinary content. As you make your way through complex texts and writing assignments, you will receive frequent feedback from faculty. This “write to learn” approach rewards the hard work of writing your way through difficult questions and challenging content. Rather than seeing writing solely as a product or a performance, writing is taught as a process.Revision
As a process, writing is revised with input from faculty and fellow writers in your course. Youcan expect to write frequently and for your writing to improve as you engage in consistent and deep revision throughout the semester. When you finish the course, you should have effective strategies for revision to apply to other courses throughout your Bowdoin career and beyond Bowdoin.
Discussion
These courses depend upon the active and engaged participation of you—the students. Led by an expert in the field, you will discuss the questions that shape your course, wrestle with complex ideas, and engage in a collaborative experience of meaning making.
Transition to College
Your First-Year Writing Seminar will introduce you to library resources and will engage you in reflections on academic integrity. You will be supported in your transition from student to scholar by developing skills in academic communication on the citation of sources and what it means to be a part of an ethical academic community. You’ll learn about academic support available through the Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching, and will work directly with Writing Assistants.
Connection
One of the benefits of our small, writing-intensive seminars is a connection to faculty and to classmates from your first day of classes as a Bowdoin student. This Fall will be no different. You should expect the opportunity to get to know your fellow classmates as you work together to transition to college and write to learn within a discipline. Students in First-Year Writing Seminars frequently get meals together, study together, and form lasting friendships. These small classes provide a welcome landing as you make a new home at Bowdoin.