Considering Your First-Year Seminar

One of the signature elements of the McDaniel Plan, your First Year Seminar will challenge and excite you. First Year Seminars are innovative topical and thematic courses that provide an introduction to the liberal arts and an academic transition to college. Although you won’t pick exactly which seminar you are enrolled in, you do get to list your preferences.

Listed below is a description of each Seminar course available. Once you’re done reviewing the descriptions, you’ll complete the First Year Seminar Rating Form (link to the form found at the bottom of the page). Advisors will then match each student with a seminar of interest. While we’ll do our best to place you in your 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice First Year Seminar, you can be placed in any one of the courses you select.

For students admitted to the Nursing program, you will be placed in the FYS 1278 course "Gamifying Landmark Public Health Crises".

FYS 1113: Acting on Stage and Off

An introduction to acting combining practical exercises with study of contemporary texts on acting. Emphasis is placed on scene analysis and scene work, as well as written exercises in performance analysis and acting theory.

This course is taught by Professor Gene Fouche.

FYS 1115: A World of Light and Color

Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue or the sunset red? Or why water is clear but snow is white? Or how we know so much about distant stars without actually visiting them? If so, this is the perfect course for you! This course embraces a hands-on guided discovery method of instruction and not traditional lectures. This means you will be performing many simple experiments that involve lenses, mirrors, light boxes, filters, and lasers in class as you explore a world of light and color. Instead of learning about science, you will have the opportunity to be a scientist!

This course is taught by Professor Apollo Mian.

FYS 1135: Theatre Appreciation

An introduction to the analysis and appreciation of theatre, the student receives an overview of dramatic theory and practice by reading and attending plays, studying critical evaluations of professionals, and participating in classroom discussions.

This course is taught by Professor Shana Joslyn.

FYS 1136: Putin's Russia

Vladimir Putin is constantly in the news as he continues his invasion of Ukraine and clamps down on civil liberties at home. This course will examine Putin’s actions and world view against the backdrop of his country’s history. Students will consider the debate over Russia’s identity sparked by the reforms of Peter the Great and Russia’s uncertain relationship with Europe. The course will address the legacy of the Cold War and fallout from the Soviet Union’s collapse as Putin reasserts Russia’s regional power and challenges US global leadership.

This course is taught by Professor Jakub Zejmis.

FYS 1149: Gender, Literature, Culture

Be a man! That’s not very ladylike! We’ve all heard statements like these, but what do they really mean? What is “masculinity,” what is “femininity,” and how have these concepts changed over time? This course will examine the social construction of masculinity and femininity over the last century or so. We will read literature and examine cultural artifacts from early twentieth century Boy Scout manuals to contemporary magazine advertisements, and from a sex manual to popular movies and books in an attempt to chart some of the changes in the social construction of gender over the course of the twentieth century. How much have things changed? Have books, movies, television, and advertisements helped advance new gender roles, or have they reinforced traditional ones?

This course is taught by Professor Becky Carpenter.

FYS 1157: Psychology and the Law

Why do people confess to crimes they did not commit? Why is eye witness testimony sometimes inaccurate? Are there valid techniques for detecting lies? What factors influence jury decisions beyond the mere evidence of a case? This course will use psychological theories and experiments to answer these and other questions relevant to human behavior and erroneous decision making within the legal context.

This course is taught by Professor Wendy Morris.

FYS 1165: Biodiversity

This course is a study of global biodiversity losses caused by human activity. We will study biodiversity hot spots where biodiversity levels and biodiversity losses are also high and the root social causes that are involved in these losses. There will be an emphasis on solutions such as sustainable development that have been proposed for conserving the Earth's remaining biodiversity.

This course is taught by Professor Randy Morrison.

FYS 1206: Rebels in Early America

Become a villain or hero in history! This course examines rebellion and dissent in early America, with particular attention to two important episodes: 1) the trial of Anne Hutchinson by New England Puritans for her radical views on women and salvation; 2) the coming of the American Revolution to the streets of New York City. Rather than merely investigating events, students will have the opportunity to assume the roles of actual historical figures, mastering the issues of the day, debating from their point of view, and ultimately swaying the course of history. In addition to learning about early America, students will gain writing, research, and rhetorical skills necessary to prosper in college and beyond.

This course is taught by Professor Stephen Feeley.

FYS 1222: Heroic Leaders and Evil Tyrants

George Washington, Winston Churchill, Queen Boudica, and Genghis Khan. The annals of human history are filled with examples of these and other valiant leaders and vile dictators. But how can we assess the positive and negative qualities of leadership that make leaders great, terrible, or merely mediocre? This course will examine theories of leadership that stem from multiple disciplines, including political science, communication, business administration, and military science, while also examining a rich diversity of political and senior wartime leaders, both past and present.

This course is taught by Professor Francis Grice.

FYS 1233: Water, Food, and the Environment in China

Water and food have been a crucial but often overlooked part of Chinese history. How have changing patterns of its production and consumption shaped China’s ecology and its daily life? What elements have shaped the Chinese relations with water, food, and ecology? Despite lakes and rivers, why have Chinese repeatedly suffered in history for lack of water? Which plants were served as staple or exotic foods in China? With diverse fauna and floras, why has China faced repeated famines? How have solutions to these problems been wrapped in economic shifts, cultural integration and disintegration, and the expansion/diminishing of state power? Employing a range of disciplinary perspectives—historical, literary, philosophical, economic, technological, and ecological —this course examines the changing images of water, food, and ecology in Chinese history.

This course is taught by Professor Qin Fang.

FYS 1245: Unseen Math in Puzzles and Games

Do you like to solve puzzles and play games? This is a hands-on, active-learning style course where we will play games and solve puzzles and along the way discover interesting ideas in mathematics. Students will be introduced to elementary ideas in college mathematics by looking for patterns. The mathematics in this course is designed to be accessible to all incoming students. Topics we explore will include introductions to graph theory, topology, probability, and cryptography.

This course is taught by Professor Michele Gribben.

FYS 1250: Stephen King: The Books and the Movies

The "Master of Horror" Stephen King is also known as "America's Storyteller" because his 60+ books and over 200 short stories are written in variety of genres including science fiction, supernatural fiction, thrillers, drama, and nonfiction. Dozens of these stories have been adapted as feature films, TV movies, and TV series — and Americans have devoured them for almost 50 years. This class explores King's works, such as The Shining, Stand by Me, Misery, and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. We will read and discuss these works, and discover what they tell us about America's aspirations, fantasies, and fears. We will then see how his written works are transformed, enhanced, or degraded by their translation into film. This course will include several three-hour film-viewing sessions outside of regularly schedule class time.

This course is taught by Professor Mary Bendel-Simso.

FYS 1257: Take It to the Streets!

Finding your voice, making change, and building a movement are increasingly important as we look toward the future. But how do we do it? And more importantly, how do we do it effectively? What works and what doesn’t? Research shows that nonviolence is the most successful strategy. Does that surprise you? Let’s talk about what nonviolence really means, why it is so successful, and how you can use it to amplify your voice, work for social change and bring others to your cause. We’ll have a good time unearthing some real creativity along the way as we figure out how to make change happen.

This course is taught by Professor Pam Zappardino.

FYS 1258: Are You Ready 4 Some Football?

Football is America’s most popular sport. It’s a cultural phenomenon that brings together family, friends, and communities, while providing a source of “friendly” competition between towns, cities and states. At the professional level, the NFL is a multi-billion-dollar industry that’s essential to national media, local journalism, and many other areas of the economy. But for all its popularity, football remains a source of persistent social and political controversy. In this course, students explore the virtues and vices of America’s game, including a central focus on the problem of player safety and head trauma. Students will also explore issues surrounding youth football safety, player activism, racial justice, gender equity, LGBTQ rights, domestic violence, public funding of stadiums, players unions, ownership power, sports betting, pay for college athletes, sports journalism, the role of analytics, and more. This course focuses primarily on the NFL; students will be asked to stay up to date on the current football season and to participate in a class fantasy football league. Students will not be asked to play football or attend games in person.

This course is taught by Professor Matthew Mongiello.

FYS 1259: Odyssey: Africans to France

This course is an overview of the African presence in the French imaginary and society. Considering that the colonies were once part of the French colonial empire and that the indigenous were French citizens, this course will analyze the successive statuses and the trajectories of the African subject in contact with France from the colonization to the contemporary period. By analyzing the period of colonization, the successive waves of migrations and finally the difficulties faced by French citizens of African descent, students will learn about the complexity of the relationship between France and Africa. Ultimately, students will learn through a variety of materials that the African subject who was first a native, then an immigrant and finally a "banlieusard" seems to remain a second-class citizen in the French imaginary.

This course is taught by Professor Gerard Keubeung.

FYS 1269: Finding your Strong: Running for Your Life

Did you know that regular running strengthens your immune system, improves your mood, and boosts your confidence? It’s true! Running is a sport that doesn’t require fancy equipment or a gym membership; the only things you need are a good pair of running shoes and the open road. Join our class to learn about the physical and mental benefits of this powerful cardio exercise. Through a variety of books, articles, essays, scientific studies, movies, and guest speakers, students will be inspired to run for their lives. (The average runner lives three years longer than the non-runner!). This is an active class where students will be running, jogging, and walking—all in preparation for a local 5K.

This course is taught by Professor Lisa Lebo.

FYS 1271: Community Design Lab

What does it mean to “design for good?” Students will become citizen-designers and work collaboratively between on and off-campus partners in Westminster to establish a research question that will guide their creative work throughout the semester. Brainstorming, experiential learning, play, and research will be used to create artifacts, systems, or experiences for citizens of Westminster and the McDaniel community. This course may involve traveling off-campus via walking or shuttle, and there may be one or more experiences where student work is showcased to the general public. No previous art experience is required.

This course is taught by Professor Chloe Irla.

FYS 1276: The Eras of Miss Americana

The Highway Don't Care. But we do. We do. In this class, we won't Shake it Off just because there may be Bad Blood between Taylor Swift and a Heartbreak Prince, Harry Styles, Tom Hiddleston, or Travis Kelce. Nah. This class isn't aaaaalllllll about that. We are gonna critically (lovingly, despairingly, and fairingly) appreciate Taylor Swift's Multimedia Universe (TSMU) and its cultural significance. We'll learn a little bit about Swift's history; we'll examine the TSMU's representation practices, including the ways Swift depicts relationships, love, morality, and politics in her songs, among other things; we'll even examine how value systems are expressed and complicated in her works and how they are connected (e.g., songs, documentaries, and, actions). "And life makes love look hard. The stakes are high, the water's rough. But this love is ours" (T. Swift, 2010 & 2023). And for a semester we'll be figuring what that love is-the love of/for/around Taylor Swift and thinking critically about that love-taking a hard look at it. And, FYI, I (your professor) am pretty "meh" about Swift. Not yet a Swiftie. I do have an open heart and am ready to be Enchanted.

This course is taught by Professor Paul Muhlhauser.

FYS 1277: Nature's Fury Or Media Frenzy?

This course explores natural hazards, both modern and historical, and their effect on humanity. The course seeks to provide students with an accurate data-driven framework for understanding catastrophes of a non-human origin while contrasting scientific and popular media accounts of these disasters. Investigates geologic, hydrologic, astronomical, and biological hazards and their impact on society; will contrast quantitative and qualitative reports, including government data, accounts in popular media, and scientific sources. Course culminates in a research project on a particular disaster.

This course is taught by Professor Ben Smith.

FYS 1278: Gamifying Landmark Public Health Crises

In this course, students will explore several historical public health crises by engaging in role-playing simulations. Students will examine three or four key historical health crises including Cholera and the AIDS epidemic. As a culminating project, students will research other public health issues and "pitch" games that could be created. This course will not only allow students to think deeply about the history of health care but will also develop the skill of empathy through considering opposite viewpoints as crisis points are navigated.

This course is taught by Professor Heather Gable or Professor Jennifer Ort.

FYS 1279: Jabber-Talky: Vaccine Science & History

This course will explore the science behind vaccines (a.k.a. "jabs" in some regions of the world) and the history of their development over the past several centuries from combating small pox to Covid-19. It will give an introduction to pathology of diseases, immunology, and epidemiology as well as an objective look at vaccine opposition over time and the role vaccines play in public health and the countless lives they have saved.

This course is taught by Heather Burley.

FYS 1280: Becoming a Changemaker

This course will serve as an introduction to the role of the professional in the helping fields. We will explore the capacities in which helpers function and the types of settings in which they do this work though both lectures, readings and visits from practitioners in the field. In addition, the course will provide an overview of generalist social work practice in both direct and macro settings, an introduction to the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics and several influential theories used in the helping professions. This course will also explore the history of social services in our country and other parts of the world, as well as the founding of the Social Work profession at large. We will also discuss the charge of Social Work to challenge social injustice and to work for social change. Students will also see how theory informs practice by being involved in experiential learning through volunteering in a community setting over the semester.

This course is taught by Professor Michelle Young.

FYS 1281: Historical Role-Playing: Rebuilding the World

This FYS comprises two Reacting to the Past historical role-playing simulations. In the first, Restoring the World, 1945: Security and Empire at Yalta, students take on roles as American, British and Northern Irish, or Soviet diplomats to decide how to re-order the world as World War II comes to a close. The second game, Defining a Nation: India on the Eve of Independence, 1945, is centered on the intersection of nation-building and religion in South Asia. Students will immerse themselves in the past by taking on the role of an historical character as they work together to rebuild the fractured mid-twentieth-century world.

This course is taught by Professor Jillian Bjerke.

Finished reviewing them all?

Good job! Now it’s time to pick your favorites.

Grab some paper and a pen.
Write down your top First Year Seminar of Interest.
Make a list of your five First Year Seminar alternatives. (These are five additional seminars that sparked your interest and you’d love to take.)
Now you’re ready to complete your First Year Seminar Rating Form. Click here to submit your selections.