Critical Reading and Writing Courses
and First Year Seminars

The Office of Academic Support Programs offers a continuum of first-year courses that focus on critical reading, the analysis of texts, and the writing of academic papers, culminating with General Education First Year Seminars. These courses introduce students to the principles of college-level learning and provide them intensive practice in the use of those principles in their other courses. Three courses (CRW Z111, CRW Z112, and CRW 221) introduce students to the elements of academic thinking, with materials drawn from courses across the liberal arts curriculum. The topically focused First Year Seminars (G114, G120, G122, G123, and G124) offer instruction in the capabilities spelled out by General Education and are a natural progression for students who have begun a course of study with CRW Z111 or CRW Z112.