Each year, about 5,000 undergraduates — roughly 16% of UC Davis undergraduates — enroll in First-Year Seminars. As student interest continues to grow, the program needs more faculty to teach these courses.
UC Davis Summer Sessions offers hundreds of courses to current students and the community. But there is much more to take advantage of, if you know where to look. This year, programmatic offerings include a free writing academy, increased virtual classes, events for both in-person and remote students as well as support services from campus units.
UC Davis Summer Sessions 2026 offers students triple the virtual courses compared to just two years ago with more than 300 virtual courses across Sessions I and II. UC Davis “fourth quarter” also includes multiple sections of high-demand classes, such as Introduction to Communication, Prep for General Chem and Introduction to Brewing and Beer.
Faculty are invited to share how the Center for Educational Effectiveness, or CEE, can best help them meet their most challenging teaching needs as it strengthens support for their priorities in its second decade.
“We want to make sure when we deliver services, we add value,” said Beth Broome, CEE’s leader and executive director for Teaching and Learning and STEM Initiatives.
Josephine Wilson didn’t know about the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, when she started her “Advanced Composition” course last quarter.
Alison Bright, a Writing Center lecturer, was recognized recently with the Academic Federation Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.
The Academic Senate and Federation announced their top awards on March 24, comprising 15 academics across various disciplines throughout the university.
The awards cite the impact these academics have had on their fields, on UC Davis students and on the broader community through public service.
The committee planned the 2024 conference around the theme, “The SoTL Cycle: Innovate, Assess, Evolve,” which is dedicated to the celebration of the UC Davis community of educators.
Mention First-Year Seminars to UC Davis students and alumni and you’ll most likely hear a positive recollection.
Recalling his time in a Sports Law First-Year Seminar, attorney Scott Judson, who graduated with his undergraduate degree in 2009, said he still remembers his experience 18 years ago.
“In my seminar, I built a relationship with the professor, had dynamic discussions with others and developed skills that helped shape me into the attorney I am today,” he said.
UC Davis 2024 Summer Sessions opened June 24 with more flexibility for students than ever — including a record 44 online courses. Four virtual General Education courses in psychology and communication also debuted.
When Erin Park came to UC Davis in 2022, she enrolled in the University Honors Program, or UHP. Park, now a double major in cognitive science and design, quickly realized how special the honors program experience was for her and many others.
