Liberal Studies Program > First-Year Program > For Students

For Students

Premiere DePaul

Please visit the Admitted Students webpage to find out your next steps. For all further information about Premiere, visit the orientation website.​

FAQ

Chicago Quarter

As a part of Premiere DePaul Orientation, you will meet with your academic advisor, and at that time, you will select your Chicago Quarter course.  You can check out Discover and Explore Chicago course descriptions, here. 2025 course descriptions will be updated in late April.

Within each Chicago Quarter course, one hour of class each week (10 hours total) is dedicated to Common Hour, a co-curricular program designed to address common issues of transition for first-year students. Common Hour is comprised of information sessions, discussions, activities, and workshops led by staff professionals and Chicago Quarter Mentors and designed to help students make a successful academic and developmental transition into DePaul University. The curriculum centers on three key ideas: understanding and believing in myself; connecting to the DePaul community; and transitioning to college.

Chicago Quarter is designed to help new DePaul students transition into a successful college career in an urban setting. Excursions into the city are a component of the class which introduce students to experiential learning through Chicago topics. 

The city offers an enormous wealth of communities and resources and gives students the opportunity to engage in learning outside of classroom. Here is a map of Chicago's more than 200 neighborhoods. 

Great question!  And one we often hear.  The CQM opportunity is posted to the Office of Student Employment job board in January each year, and the application deadline follows shortly thereafter, with hiring interviews taking place in February. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of New Student & Family Engagement (NSFE), Student Center Suite 304, 773-325-7360.


Discover Chicago

Chicago Quarter Service Day (CQSD) provides new students with the opportunity to become acquainted firsthand with DePaul’s Vincentian mission, as well as their new DePaul family. If you are seeking more information, please contact Katie Sullivan, in University Ministry, Student Center 311, 773-325-4490.


Study Abroad for First-Year Students

FY@broad = Focal Point Seminar + short-term study abroad.

Every year, sections of LSP 112 with a geographically-targeted, international focus participate in the FY@broad Program. Directly following the completion of the Focal Point Seminar (during spring break if it is a winter section or June if it is a Spring section), the students, under the leadership of the instructor and a trained staff professional, spend 8-12 days traveling in the region, country or city that is the focus of the course and building upon what they have already learned during the preceding quarter.
 
Students apply for FY@broad during the prior quarter, by November 1 for Winter courses or February 1 for Spring. Those accepted into a FY@broad course also register for a 2-credit section of ANT 397 Travel/Study. Exceptionally, students in the university's Honors Program may register for a FY@broad section of the Focal Point Seminar, for which they receive designated Honors credit. (Note that to be eligible students must have successfully completed WRD 103 or HON 100.)
 
Description of recent, current and upcoming FY@broad offerings may be found on the "Course Descriptions" page of this site or by going to studyabroad.depaul.edu and conducting a "Search for DePaul programs" with the program name "FY@broad."

Advising & Placement

Students who declare a major will be assigned a major advisor. Undeclared and exploratory students will be assigned a professional academic advisor in the Office of Academic Advising Support (OAAS) specific to your Chicago Quarter course. Students in the Honors Program will be assigned to one of the Honors Program advisors in addition to their major advisor.

The First-Year Program is a vital part of the Liberal Studies Program (LSP), which offers students opportunities for intellectual exploration, acquisition of cultural capital, and academic skill development.

  • Intellectual exploration: Because of the many different academic experiences built into the LSP, taking these courses serves as an efficient way for students to explore different disciplines. This is especially useful for students who are undeclared or considering a second major or a minor.
  • Cross-disciplinary exposure: Students with broad knowledge are better equipped to become reflective thinkers and critical problem-solvers. The LSP is a great way to build creative and intellectual capabilities, while developing skills essential to future workplace performance.
  • Academic skill development: Few students enter college prepared for the multiple academic challenges they will face. The LSP provides reading, writing, research, and analytical skill development necessary to succeed in both college and the world beyond college.


Transfer Students

Transfer students (aged 23 years old or younger) who enter DePaul with 30 or more quarter hours of combined transfer credit,  test credit, do not need to enroll in Discover Chicago/Explore Chicago or Focal Point courses. Instead, they will complete two Learning Domain electives outside their area of specialization, using either existing transfer credit or future DePaul credit. With First-Year Program approval, the transfer student may elect to enroll in a Discover Chicago/Explore Chicago and/or Focal Point course. View the policy here.

Questions

Do you have questions about the First-Year Program?

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