Freshman Seminars: HOME

The Freshman Seminar Program was established in 1959 to provide small-group instruction to freshmen in the College, and thus to encourage close and early contact between undergraduates and members of the faculty. Freshman Seminars ordinarily involve one faculty instructor and twelve freshmen who meet weekly for 2-3 hours around a topic of mutual interest. Seminars are discussion-based, and thus free both the instructor and the students from the usual constraints of a lecture course, such as exams and letter grades. Students are instead awarded a grade of SAT/UNS which counts towards the fulfillment of requirements for graduation. Freshman Seminars cover a wide range of topics in a vast number of fields and disciplines. In 2009-10, our 50th anniversary year, 1307 freshmen enrolled in 129 seminars taught by 135 faculty from Harvard College and the Business, Dental, Design, Divinity, Education, Engineering, Government, Graduate, Law, Medical, and Public Health schools.

Elson Family Arts Initiative

We are delighted to continue this year the initiative to showcase Freshman Seminars in the Arts, thanks to the generous support of Louis Elson. These seminars, which are part of the Elson Family Arts Initiative, either focus solely on art-making, or incorporate a significant art-making component into their course of study.