The Connections program helps you to make a successful transition to college.
Studies at Castleton begin well before the first day of classes, and Castleton supports students every step of the way. Your enrollment begins with orientation and registration programming prior to the start of the semester.
Connections Seminar 1 courses fulfill a general education course requirement and also provide a transition to university life, both in and out of the classroom.
Like other courses in the General Education Program, the Connections Seminars help students to chart their path through the University experience, planning for their individual success, and making connections between what they are experiencing in their courses and the many activities that will be available to them at Castleton.
All Connections Seminar 1 courses emphasize four themes:
Connections Seminars introduce some of the compelling questions of our academic disciplines and help students understand what it means to study in college. The Connections Seminar 1 experience should inspire you to begin asking more of those questions on your own.
Connections Seminars promote the academic skills that you will need in college. These skills include using a university library, doing original research, and communicating your findings to members of the University community.
For many first-year students, coming to college is a new experience of responsibilities, both inside the classroom and outside the classroom.
Connections Seminars promote the general skills that every student needs, such as setting goals, balancing priorities, and managing time. They familiarize you with the many resources at Castleton that will help you to achieve your goals.
Enrolling in a university means joining a community that is both an intellectual community as well as a social community.
Connection Seminars help incoming students appreciate their new community and prepare for a life of civic engagement.
Connections Seminar 1 courses are mainly intended for first-semester and transfer students who have either not matriculated elsewhere or who have earned fewer than 12 credits from an accredited university.
The Connections General Education Program will be detailed in the 2021-22 University Academic Catalog.