The First-Year Experience at Minot State University is an opportunity for first-year students to participate in a powerful learning experience that will inspire the transition to university life and learning through unique learning communities, peer mentors, and opportunities to engage with the campus and larger community.
Students are given the opportunity to work with talented, engaging faculty and staff members who care about students, who are focused on student success, and provide learning experiences that are unique, challenging, and relevant. They also get to work with peer mentors who are familiar with the campus and can connect students to student support services, clubs, organizations, and other academic and co-curricular activities.
First-Year Learning Communities
Students who participate in the First-Year Experience register for two or three courses that are connected by a theme. The same students register for all three connected courses to form a learning community. Class sizes are restricted to approximately 20 students with some exceptions. Instructors work together to create meaningful assignments around the theme and across the courses.
Some learning communities are discipline specific, and only students majoring in that discipline can enroll. These learning communities are typically composed of two courses needed for the major, or one course in the major and one general education course, as well as a first-year seminar course, UNIV 110. These learning communities help students learn how to be successful in their major while connecting them to faculty members in the discipline.
Other learning communities are not discipline specific, and anyone can enroll in them. These learning communities are typically composed of two general education courses as well as a first-year seminar course, UNIV 110. These learning communities allow students to complete courses required for graduation while at the same time exploring an interesting topic in UNIV 110.
In both cases, the first-year seminar course, UNIV 110, supports the other one or two courses and focuses on and helps foster the theme that connects them. It is in this course that students will interact with their peer mentor.
Students
Fall 2026 FYE Learning Communities and Registration Information
Spring 2026 FYE Learning Communities and Registration Information
Faculty
FYE Learning Community Proposal Agreement
FYE Syllabus Requirements
FYE Student Learning Goals and Outcomes
Peer Mentors
Peer Mentor Position Description
Christine Borden-King-Jones, FYE Coordinator
Office: Main 201C
Phone Number: 701-858-4087
christine.bordenking@minotstateu.edu
