Who Teaches Freshman Seminar?

Freshman Seminar is taught in small groups by faculty members, academic advisors, and administrative personnel who have a special interest in freshmen. The following are requirements to teach Freshman Seminar:

• A minimum of a Master’s Degree
• Completion of the instructor training workshop
• Approval of the instructor’s supervisor
• Participation in advanced training and regular faculty meetings
• Satisfactory student evaluations from previous semesters
• Approval by Freshman Seminar Director

Academic departments are paid back for faculty released to teach Freshman Seminar. These paybacks are given for full-time faculty to replace classroom instruction - they are not issued to replace administrative functions. In addition, the student credit hours generated through US 1150 by the full-time faculty member can be transferred back to his/her home department. Part-time/adjunct instructors are paid for teaching Freshman Seminar based on their highest degree attained. Instructors who have earned a Master's degree will be paid $3,036 and those with a Doctorate will be paid $3,375 for teaching the course. SPA employees may be paid if they have permission from their supervisor to make up the time missed at work. EPA employees (not full-time faculty) may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Freshman Seminar Faculty Training

All new Freshman Seminar instructors must participate in a five-day training workshop before teaching US 1150. The training week, which normally follows spring semester graduation in May, introduces new instructors to teaching materials and strategies, course requirements and organization, resource persons and support services, and program goals. Participants experience and discuss many of the same challenges that their students will encounter. They learn who our students are, how they learn, and what freshmen need to succeed at Appalachian. Instructors learn how to introduce effective learning and computing skills, time management strategies, career planning and development, Appalachian history, and other components of the course.

For more information about teaching Freshman Seminar, please click here.