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Office of the Registrar

First Year Seminar (Staff)

Overview of Policy Changes – Effective Fall 2026 

Effective Fall 2026, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) will implement a First-Year Seminar (FYS) as a university graduation requirement, as approved by the Academic Senate, Provost Kemnitz, and President Neufeldt. This document summarizes how the requirement is fulfilled, which students are affected, and how advising and degree planning will support implementation. 

What is the Requirement? 

  • The First-Year Seminar (FYS) is a university graduation requirement, beginning with Fall 2026 catalog terms.
  • It is intended to support first-year student success, belonging, academic planning, and use of campus resources.  

How is the Requirement Met? 

The FYS requirement will be cleared in the ARR by any one of the following: 

  1. Transfer student with at least 30 units or Area 1A-C and Area 2 completed Automatically applied to eligible incoming transfer students
  2. Successful completion of an FYS-approved course Any course approved by the General Education Committee (GEC) to meet the FYS requirement will clear it for any major, unless otherwise specified in the future. 
  3. Matriculation into a major designated as having met the requirement through other means or a high-unit major.  Students in these majors will not be subject to the requirement in Fall 26: Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Liberal Studies, Nursing, Software Engineering 

Approved FYS Courses for Fall 2026

The following courses are approved to clear the FYS requirement for Fall 2026 implementation: 

Show All
  • UNIV 101B
    Recommended for most first year students (default recommendation)
  • UNIV 101C
    Not listed on the class schedule; students pre-enrolled in class
  • KINE 190-1
    Recommended for Kinesiology majors
  • PH 180-1
    Recommended for Public Health majors
  • SSCI 285-1
    Recommended for Social Science majors
  • MATH 185-1
    Recommended for Mathematics majors

Additional courses may be approved by GEC through future certification processes. 

Important Clarification on Major Requirements 

  • For Fall 2026, no approved FYS courses are also major requirements, even in cases where a department is offering a discipline specific seminar.
  • Any approved FYS course may satisfy the requirement for any major.
  • Should a program mandate a particular FYS course as a major requirement in the future, students may be required to take the major course upon changing majors. 

Degree Planner Logic & Advising Notes 

  • The Degree Planner will recommend UNIV 101B for most students.
  • Students in Kinesiology, Mathematics, Public Health, and Social Science majors will see their discipline-specific FYS courses recommended (listed above).
  • If a student in the Kinesiology, Public Health, Mathematics, or Social Science major enrolls in UNIV 101B or UNIV 101C, the course will still clear the FYS requirement.
  • The Degree Planner will not recommend ID 170‑1 or UNIV 101C, but: 
  • If a student is enrolled in either course, it will clear the requirement, AND
  • UNIV 101B will not be recommended for that student 

Key Takeaways for Advisors and Departments

  • FYS is mandatory, but flexible in how it is fulfilled. 
  • Transfer students and students reaching junior standing will not need an FYS course 
  • Approved FYS courses apply universally across majors (for now) 
  • Degree Planner recommendations support correct placement, but all approved FYS courses will fulfill the requirement