Foundations Program Information for Faculty

Beginning in Fall term 2020, all incoming CASL students will be required to complete a Foundations (FNDS) course within their first year on campus.

Newly admitted CASL students, both FTIACs and Transfer students, will choose from a suite of options, including both 100- and 300-level courses. All FNDS courses will fulfill at least one Dearborn Discovery Core (DDC) category. FNDS courses will support a cohort experience and faculty-student connections through small sizes (24 cap) and transparent teaching practices.

While each course will center on content related to the instructor’s field, they will also supply practical academic skills and knowledge of campus supports and other High Impact Practices available later in students’ college careers.

FNDS courses can be taught collaboratively by scheduling two or more cooperating faculty’s sections at the same time, allowing joint meetings for shared presentations, field trips, and guest speakers. In this way students can see how different disciplines approach the same topic, and can begin to understand the University’s dual role of disseminating knowledge and, importantly, contributing to knowledge.

All FNDS courses provide students opportunities to learn and develop practical academic skills, explore campus resources and programs, develop a sense of belonging on campus, make meaningful connections to faculty, and deepen their understanding of the norms, expectations, and purpose of University-level academic work.

Please contact the Foundations director if you are interested in developing a seminar.