Welcome to FIGs!
Each FIG is a learning community that complements the classroom experience. Being in a FIG allows new freshmen to meet other students with similar interests. FIG students also get to connect with faculty in a small seminar environment. Working and studying together allows students in FIGs to share ideas, discover new insights, and develop lasting friendships.
The integration of the courses within each FIG helps students discover how disciplines relate to one another, thus creating a richer educational experience. As a result, students in FIGs generally experience greater academic success (higher grade point averages) and higher retention rates.
Download FIGs Student Orientation
FIGs in the Press
FIGs Add Spice to UW's Freshman Menu
Campus ConectionsUW-Madison School of Education
Winter 2004
Students Get Rare Glimpse into Mental Illness
Wisconsin WeekNovember 6, 2002
What a FIGs experience sounds like...
"Being in a FIG helped me to take my work seriously and learn how to really engage in classroom discussions...It helped me not to fail. The study groups were a gift from heaven..."
"Being in a FIG made a giant campus seem a little smaller and more comfortable. It made my transition to college a lot easier. I don't know how I would have survived without the FIG."
"I got to know the people in my FIG really well and built strong friendships...The people in my FIG were so awesome! They became my brothers and sisters."
From a Seniors Perspective
Four years later, senior who had enrolled in FIGs in their freshmen year were surveyed and asked to reflect on the impact their FIGs may have had on their experiences as students at UW-Madison. Here is a sampling of their responses...
"...the professors in my FIG were the most influential and challenging professors that I have had at this university…these were classes and experiences I never would have had if I wasn't part of a FIG, and these were experiences that have shaped my perspective, my academic experience, and who I am now."
"The FIG introduced me to classes that I probably would not have thought to take and helped me link classes to make my education a fuller experience. It also helped me realize that taking classes with different backgrounds can help round out your education and allow you to see different aspects of the same subject."
"Looking back, I think that some of the best classes I ever took were in the FIG. I always think about and remember what I learned in those classes. The subject matter was so challenging and intimidating for a freshman that I would have never otherwise signed up for those classes. But we all ended up getting good grades because of all the time we spent together in study groups. We all ended up taking another course together the next semester"
"The FIG made me more comfortable with college and made me feel as though I could talk to my professors, especially those in bigger lectures. It gave me the confidence and courage to keep going here at UW-Madison."
"My FIG influenced my class choices, my friends, my world view…that's a lot!"
"I think my FIG helped to reinforce the idea that things tie together. It helped me realize how interconnected so many things are in this world."
"I find myself looking for connections in all of the classes I take. I have purposefully taken classes that have a common theme so as to recapture the organic nature of my FIG semester."
"I think the FIG group helped me to transition easily into college, which took some of the stress away from the first semester. Because of this I was able to focus on elements of college which enabled me to have a better experience."
What exactly is a FIG?
A First-Year Interest Group (FIG) is a "learning community" of about 20 students who are enrolled in a cluster of three classes that are linked by a common theme. The main seminar course of each FIG enrolls only those 20 students and is taught by a faculty member who integrates into that class appropriate content from the other two classes linked to the cluster. The integration of courses in a FIG helps students discover how disciplines relate to one another, creating a richer educational experience.
What are the advantages of being in a FIG?
There are a number of advantages to enrolling in a FIG:
- It makes registration easy: you can register for most of your classes all at once
- You will meet other new students with interests similar to your own
- You will have the opportunity to connect with a faculty member in a small class environment
- FIG students often create study groups that not only allow for the sharing of ideas and insights, but also lead to academic success. Generally, students in FIGs earn higher GPAs than their peers who are not enrolled in FIGs
Do FIG courses meet graduation requirements?
Yes, all FIG courses carry credit and can be counted toward graduation. Depending on your specific program or major, your FIG courses may count toward meeting specific prerequisites or requirements for your major.
Do I have to take all three classes in a FIG?
Yes, you will need to enroll in all three classes to be in a FIG.
How do I enroll in a FIG?
Some FIGs are available to all new freshmen; other FIGs are assigned to various campus "residential neighborhoods" that include the privately managed residence halls. When you get your housing assignment, you will also receive information about the FIG options that are available to you. Then when you come to SOAR during the summer, you will receive more information about FIGs, and if you want to enroll in a FIG, you will do that at SOAR.
Will I be able to take classes other than those in my FIG?
All students must be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours to be considered full time; most first-year students enroll for 12 to 15 credits during their first semester. Generally, your FIG schedule will provide you with between 8 and 13 credits, so most FIG students enroll in one or two more courses outside of their FIG.
What if I want to drop a course in my FIG?
Each FIG is a carefully designed cluster of courses. To take full advantage of this opportunity, it is necessary for you to be enrolled in all three courses in the cluster. If you decide to drop a FIG course prior to the beginning of the semester, you will need to drop all the courses in that FIG. Once classes begin, if you feel you need to drop one of the FIG classes, you should first confer with either the FIG Director, Greg Smith, or the FIG Coordinator, Kari Fernholz.
Impact of FIGs on Faculty
FIGs have positive impacts on student performance, retention, and campus involvement. In addition, FIGs have had positive impacts on faculty who sometimes rediscover the joys of classroom teaching. A few faculty members have been awarded research grants based on work that began with their FIGs courses and students. Faculty who have taught FIGs have repeatedly commented that "FIGs students are not like regular UW-Madison students; they are much more engaged." They report that their FIGs students rarely if ever miss class; they are enthusiastic contributors in class discussions; and they usually perform better on exams and class assignments than other students.
A number of FIGs faculty have been able to develop collaborative relationships with instructors teaching the "linking classes" in their FIGs, and these individuals have described the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary teaching as "unmatchable" and "the most memorable part of the experience."
Other benefits to faculty include...
- Service to the department and the campus
- Contributing directly toward diversity and retention efforts
- The opportunity to teach a small class section
- The chance to develop a new course or a new approach to teaching an established course
- Collaborations with colleagues in other disciplines
What other faculty have said about FIGs...
"It's been a good experience for me, and the FIG idea is one of those things that makes UW-Madison such a great school…I would definitely do it again."Mark Harrower, Geography
"After being retired for two years, I returned to campus to teach a FIG on serious mental illness to eighteen year-olds. These freshmen barely looked old enough to tie their shoelaces! What happened in the next fourteen weeks 'blew my mind.' Why? Because it was a profound learning experience for all concerned."Mona Wasow, Social Work
"The FIG program is a fabulous way to make interdisciplinary connections for both faculty and students. I gained new perspectives on my work, new colleagues and friends, and renewed commitment to help students synthesize their learning."Barbara Clayton, Theatre and Drama
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FIGs Proposal Form
What is a FIG? How is it structured?
A First-Year Interest Group (FIG) is a cluster of three interrelated classes in which a small group of students (usually no more than 20) enroll together. The classes can be built around a very general or a very specific topic or theme. Each FIG cluster includes a small "synthesizing" course that actively integrates and synthesizes the material from the other two courses in the FIG. FIGs are offered only in the fall semester; research indicates students have their feet on the ground, have made friends and become acclimated, and do not feel the need for this type of program in their second semester.
Most FIGs are connected to specific residence halls or residential "neighborhoods" (such as Lakeshore or Southeast). One potential benefit of residence-hall based FIGs is the greater opportunity for fostering a true learning community among students. Out-of-class activities for FIG students may be facilitated by the FIG director or coordinator, or by residence hall liaisons, with or without the direct participation of the FIG faculty.
Whats the point?
Plan 2008, the university's blueprint for enhancing campus diversity, recommended that the campus consider developing freshman seminars to enhance retention and diversity education for all students. L&S was asked to undertake a study to determine which model of freshman seminar should be developed. Two faculty/staff committees were formed to explore possibilities, and FIGs was the recommended outcome.
How do we know that FIGs works?
FIGs have operated for over a decade at a number of institutions, including the Universities of Washington, Oregon, Hawaii at Manoa, Missouri at Columbia, Indiana-Bloomington, and Michigan-Ann Arbor. All of these campuses report that FIGs have a substantial impact on improving freshman achievement and retention. Our own annual assessments confirm that FIGs have a positive impact on student achievement. Faculty who have taught FIGs comment on the high levels of engagement and participation in class, and they frequently remark on the fact that their FIGs students almost never miss class. FIGs students often form study groups, enhancing their academic experience. The GPA's for each FIGs cohort are substantially higher than the GPA's of the peer groups, even though their academic profiles (average ACT scores, average class rank, etc.) are virtually identical.
What's in it for me?
FIGs faculty have the opportunity to develop a new and exciting small, interdisciplinary course, to work with committee faculty colleagues and staff, to teach interested and engaged students, and to be part of a high-profile program. In addition, faculty FIG leaders receive a stipend of $1,500.00.
What's my role?
A FIG leader's responsibility entails scanning the first-year curriculum outside one's own academic department to find two other courses that can be integrated with the main course. Ideally, one of the courses in the FIG should meet the ethnic studies requirement or have some significant content related to diversity, although this is not an absolute requirement. All courses in a FIG should fulfill breadth requirements or general education requirements. The FIG director can be of assistance to faculty in locating appropriate linking courses. The FIG leaders should discuss their FIG concepts with the other two instructors and discuss ways to integrate content from their courses into the main "synthesizing" course.
Does a FIG have to have a residential component?
Assessment of the pilot program indicates that students in the residentially based FIGs were more satisfied with their experience than were students in the non-residential FIG. There are many advantages to having a FIG connected to a residence hall. Students who live and study together build strong academic and social communities. University Housing also offers class space, computer resources, study skills workshops, tutoring, and informal dining opportunities in the residence hall. Most FIGs, therefore, are connected to "residential neighborhoods": Lakeshore, Southeast, and Private Halls. However, occasionally a FIG is targeted to a specific hall, at the request of the faculty member. Some FIGs, those carrying Honors credit, for example, are not connected to specific halls or neighborhoods, but are open to all new freshmen regardless of where they may be living.
Is a synthesizing course required?
Yes, UW-Madison's FIGs program is integrated and academically and intellectually challenging because the academic profile of our entering first-year students is very strong (average 3.7 high school GPA; 60% graduate in the top 10% of their high school class). Without academic integration, this program will not be as attractive to our students, nor would our faculty find it as intellectually satisfying.
