Academic Opportunities

First-Year Connections

The First-Year Connections (FYC) program offers an exciting world of study with small classes, dedicated instructors, an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum, and a supportive community of first-year students who are all experiencing the challenging transition from high school to college. Reserved exclusively for first-year students, these courses not only introduce students to the intellectual and social life of the University, but also satisfy one or more of the general education (distribution) requirements for all majors. In FYC, students may select from approximately 20 seminars and 15 clusters.

FYC seminars are discussion-based courses limited to 20 students, allowing your student to interact with classmates in a small setting and connect with a faculty member who may become their advisor. We’ve tried to design seminar topics to fit every interest, ranging from the lifecycles of stars and galaxies to the philosophical question, What is the meaning of life?

FYC clusters bridge several disciplines and are usually composed of three classes; more than half contain a section of Writing Studies and Composition. For example, a student may be studying slavery in America in a history course while reading Huckleberry Finn in an English course. The instructors who teach the courses within a given cluster closely coordinate their assignments and lectures so the subject matter that is read and written about touches directly on the chosen theme.

Why Enroll in FYC?

First-Year Connections seminars and clusters help students feel more connected to the Hofstra University community and help them move closer to graduation by satisfying general education and liberal arts requirements, which all Hofstra students must fulfill. For this reason, they are appropriate for all students, whether they have a major in mind or are undecided. In fact, even if a student switches majors, these courses will still satisfy the same graduation requirements.

How Do Students Enroll in FYC?

When students register online for New Student Orientation, they can indicate an interest in up to three specific clusters and/or seminars. We do our best to place students in one of those three choices, and each student confirms their course schedule with an advisor during orientation. If students have any questions about FYC choices after orientation, or they want to change their schedule and add an FYC seminar or cluster, they should call the CUA at 516-463-6770

Living-Learning Communities

To provide students with a stronger connection between their academic goals and co-curricular interests, Hofstra offers firstyear residential students the opportunity to share a living space with peers who have similar academic or social interests. Hofstra hopes that such an opportunity will introduce students to other students who share their passion for a subject and will challenge them in new and exciting ways. Borrowing from the thematic learning and close-knit classroom settings of the FYC program, Hofstra places an emphasis on the first-year living space. Several FYC clusters are linked to specific livinglearning communities. Residential students who register for these clusters can apply to live together at the Netherlands Complex or Stuyvesant Hall. There are also spaces available for students outside the clusters who demonstrate a strong interest in the house theme. Students who choose this livinglearning environment enjoy class-based activities as well as events within their residential community.

For additional information about these programs or our residence halls, visit hofstra.edu/llcs or email reslife@hofstra.edu.

Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College

Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College (RHC) enriches the experience of high-achieving students both in and beyond the classroom. RHC students discover the range and depth of their academic potential, form lasting friendships with others who share their aspirations, and develop relationships with faculty who challenge and inspire them. The first-year curriculum (Culture and Expression) involves a team-taught, multidisciplinary, yearlong series of four courses that explores core questions in the social sciences and humanities from the ancient and modern periods. In Culture and Expression, students spend the majority of their time in small, facultyled discussion groups, while also attending twice-weekly common lectures. Invitations to join the RHC community are based on high school achievements or a grade point average earned at Hofstra (at least a 3.6). Over 80% of RHC students have at least one internship experience while at Hofstra.

According to a recent Hofstra University survey conducted one year after graduation, 98% were employed and/or in graduate school (88% had full-time employment, 36% were in graduate programs, and 26% were working and in graduate programs). Many of those who went on to graduate school were admitted to prestigious programs in the sciences, medicine, law, social sciences, and the humanities. Our students also do well in competitions for prestigious scholarships and awards, such as Fulbright scholarships and National Science Foundation grants.