First-Year Seminar and Special Topics Courses provide students with the opportunity to focus their studies in a variety of areas. Learn more about these courses below.
First-Year Seminar (FYSM)
Topics Courses
First-Year Seminar (FYSM)
University seminar courses are small classes (usually with 30 students) designed to give students the opportunity to discuss and research topics of interest in a core subject area. Most university students are in their third or fourth year of study before they have the opportunity to take seminar courses. As a Carleton BA student, you are able to experience a seminar course at the first-year level through enrolment in a First-Year Seminar (FYSM).
First-Year Seminar instructors are committed to teaching and mentoring first-year students as they make the transition into university life. FYSM instructors incorporate their own research interests into the course material, enriching the experience for both the instructor and the student.
While there are a variety of FYSM courses to choose from, the Department of Law and Legal Studies offers a FYSM course, FYSM 1502 – Topics in Legal Studies, to help students have seminar experience with a Law and Legal Studies focus in their first year. This optional course is a great way to add additional focus to your first year of study.
More information on First-Year Seminars.
Topics Courses
Eligible students are able to take topics courses, which include ‘Special Topics’, ‘Selected Topics’, and ‘Advanced Special Topics’. While titles may differ, these courses are united by their in-depth review of one or more focused themes in a specific area of law or legal studies.
Another unique aspect of these courses is that the specific topics can change year-to-year, allowing students to tailor their studies with courses that reflect current research and contemporary issues. For course descriptions, please visit our Topics Course page. You can also find a list of prerequisites and enrolment requirements using the Undergraduate Calendar.