The First-Year Writing Seminar

From the Vassar College Mission: “The College makes possible an education that promotes analytical, informed, and independent thinking and sound judgment; encourages articulate expression; and nurtures intellectual curiosity, creativity, respectful debate and engaged citizenship.”

The First-Year Writing Seminar (FYWS) introduces students to critical reading practices and argument-based writing processes. These courses from across Vassar’s curriculum challenge students to enter sophisticated conversations by asserting compelling claims and supporting those claims through an organized presentation of evidence. Each First-Year Writing Seminar is built around a rich topic, giving students a complex set of readings, questions, and debates to consider as they learn to engage with the ideas of others and articulate their positions.

Two people sitting at a table looking at a laptop. — **Shared Learning Outcomes**

Hand holding a pen writing in a book. — **Values and Methods**

People sitting around a table with a variety of books and papers. — **Workshops and Events**

Bookcover for "The Craft of Research", Fifth Edition.

Thompson Memorial Library interior showing green patterned chairs and couches, rows of bookshelves including the 2nd story. — **Library Partnerships**

Students sitting in the Writing Center working at tables next to each other with large windows in the background. — **The Writing Center**

For more information about the First-Year Writing Seminar Program, please contact Matthew Schultz, Director of First-Year Writing and The Writing Center at maschultz@vassar.edu.