Academic Programs

The First-Year Program

The First-Year Program at Denison

First-Year Studies

THE FIRST-YEAR PROGRAM COORDINATES academic and co-curricular programs and services for first-year students.

These programs include:

first-year seminar courses
academic advising
academic and adjustment counseling
summer orientation programs.

The office maintains a close and collaborative relationship with the Academic Support and Enrichment Center and faculty advisors of first-year students. During the year the Dean of First-Year Students is available to meet with students on a wide range of issues, including academic performance, housing issues, personal adjustment problems, and other matters of concern.

Courses in the First-Year Program

The First-Year Program curriculum consists of two mandatory courses, "Words and Ideas" and "First Year Topical Seminar." To fulfill the requirements of these courses, students have a choice of over 30 seminars.

While faculty organize these seminars around particular themes, they require numerous writing assignments and revisions along with instruction in the process of writing.

Each first-year seminar offers students the opportunity to explore a particular issue, interest or problem in depth and to develop or refine critical academic skills and the habits of mind necessary for success in college.

The small class size allows for substantial dialogue between teacher and students, student-to-student interaction, and experimentation with teaching/learning methods. The First-Year Program is designed to:

provide courses exclusively for first-year students
enhance student writing skills
help students to:
- read and think critically
- express themselves cogently
- use library resources effectively.

Who are our professors?

Dean of the First-Year Program and Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science R. Matthew Kretchmar joined the Denison faculty in 1999. He earned a B.S. at Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. at Colorado State University. His research interests include artificial intelligence, discrete mathematics, machine learning, reinforcement learning, evolutionary computation, games and game theory and combinatorics.

The first-year seminars are taught by professors from many departments at Denison.

For more information about the program and curriculum, go to:

First Year Program

or contact:

Matt Kretchmar, Dean
First-Year Program
Higley Hall, Rm. 119
Denison University
Granville, Ohio 43023

Phone:  (740) 587-6668
Fax:  (740) 587-5651
E-mail:   Matt Kretchmar