First Year Seminar 191SBS01 - FYS- Topics in SBS

There's more than one way to find success in college and the path to getting there is different for every student. Our goals in this course are to connect with fellow students and the instructor as you become a contributing member of the community, both at UMass and beyond; start planning your individual academic goals and pathways toward achieving them; explore the different majors in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and start thinking like a social scientist.

Open to first-year students. First-year (R1ST) This course will teach a basic understanding of labor policy and organizing in the United States through a global lens. We will work on understanding policy and advocacy as they relate to our own lives. This course will provide an overview of key events and structures that shape social justice and labor organizing today. Students will learn how people and organizations fight to affect policy. Activities and workshops will include exploring campus resources, mapping power in our own lives, and collaborative work. Students will practice academic reading and writing, access campus resources, and connect with their peers as they learn about how labor and
policy shape their lives.