Liberal Studies Program > First-Year Program > For Faculty > Proposing a Course

Proposing a New Course: Chicago Quarter & Focal Point Seminar

​​​​  ​​The online proposal website is currently not accepting proposals for Chicago Quarter (LSP/HON 110 & 111) or Focal Point Seminar (LSP 112). Therefore:

Please email completed Discover Chicago and Explore Chicago proposals to the First-Year Program and Chicago Quarter Committee Chair, Dr. Colleen Doody, at:

Here are downloadable proposal forms you may use:

Please email completed Focal Point Seminar proposals to the First-Year Program and to the Focal Point Committee Chair, Dr. Chernoh Sesay, at:

Here is a downloadable proposal form you may use:

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the First-Year Program at firstyear@depaul.edu​.

Click on a tab below for information about proposing a Chicago Quarter course (Discover or Explore Chicago) or a Focal Point Seminar.

Proposing a new Discover or Explore Chicago course

While the Chicago Quarter program is designed to offer faculty from any discipline a great deal of flexibility in choosing and developing a topic, all courses must:
  • Have the city itself at the heart of the course;
  • Support first-year students as they transition into the DePaul community;
  • Expose students to a variety of ​Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities;​
  • Operate using the teaching-team model, with each Chicago Quarter faculty member leading a teaching team that includes a professional staff member and a peer student mentor;
  • Pursue the 2018 LSP Learning Goals; and
  • Satisfy the 2019 Chicago Quarter Learning Outcomes & Writing Requirements.
Deadline for Discover & Explore Chicago:   December 15

Process:  Faculty interested in submitting proposals for Chicago Quarter courses are advised to:
  1. Review the Chicago Quarter page on this website;
  2. Read over the Chicago Quarter Faculty Handbook;
  3. Carefully consider the Chicago Quarter Learning Outcomes & Writing Expectations (which are central to the proposal);​​
  4. Familiarize themselves with the online proposal form;
  5. Consult with the Office of the First-Year Program, firstyear@depaul.edu, 773-325-7573, prior to preparing the proposal for submission; and then​
  6. Submit a proposal online by December 15.​

Proposals for new Chicago Quarter courses to be taught during a given academic year must be submitted and approved during the preceding academic year. (Once approved, a course does not require annual re-approval.)  Thus, a course proposed by December 15 of a given year may first be taught, following approval, in Autumn Quarter of the following year.

Proposals are reviewed by the Chicago Quarter Advisory Committee, currently chaired by Dr. Colleen Doody, 312-325-1553.  Committee responses are typically emailed by early February.

Each May a Chicago Quarter Best Practices event is held; while teaching teams scheduled to teach the following fall are expected to attend, faculty contemplating proposing a course are also welcome.

Qualifications:  Faculty teaching Chicago Quarter are required to have a graduate degree and expected to have at least one year of full-time college teaching experience (or the equivalent in courses taught as instructor of record), including some experience at DePaul.

HON 110 & 111:  Those proposing Chicago Quarter courses that they wish to have considered as potential Honors courses are advised to contact the Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Jennifer Conary​, 773-325-4640, prior to submission.   The proposal process is the same; once a course is approved by the CQ Advisory Committee, the decision whether to offer it in any given year as an Honors section is made by the Honors Program.​

Proposing a new Focal Point Seminar

While the Focal Point Seminar is designed to offer faculty from any discipline a great deal of flexibility in choosing and developing a topic, all courses must:
Deadline for Focal Point Seminar:   February 1, May 1, or October 1

Process:  Faculty interested in submitting proposals for Focal Point Seminars are advised to:

  1. Briefly review the Focal Point page on this website;
  2. Read over the Focal Point Handbook;
  3. Carefully consider the Focal Point Learning Outcomes & Writing Expectations (which are central to the proposal)
  4. Familiarize themselves with the online proposal form;
  5. Consult with the Office of the First-Year Program, firstyear@depaul.edu, 773-325-7573, , prior to preparing the proposal for submission; and then
  6. Submit a proposal online by February 1, May 1, or October 1 

A new course proposal needs to be submitted at least two quarters before the first term an instructor plans to teach it. Thus, if you would like to teach the course in winter quarter, propose it by the prior spring deadline (May 1); if you would like to teach it in spring quarter, propose it by the prior fall deadline (October 1). No Focal Point Seminars are scheduled in autumn quarter.

Proposals are reviewed by the Focal Point Advisory Committee, currently chaired by Dr. Chernoh Sesay, 773-325-4489.  Committee responses are typically emailed by early March.

Each November a Focal Point Best Practices event is held; while faculty scheduled to teach the following winter and spring quarters are expected to attend, faculty considering proposing a course are also welcome.

Qualifications:  Faculty teaching Focal Point Seminars are required to have a graduate degree and expected to have at least one year of full-time college teaching experience (or the equivalent in courses taught as instructor of record).

FY@broad:  Those proposing Focal Point Seminars that they wish to have considered as potential FY@broad courses are advised to contact Scott Ozaroski, Assoc. Director of Program Management, Study Abroad, 312-362-6347, to learn about the program, the additional proposal process and eligibility to apply for a QIC grant to prepare the travel portion of the class.  Faculty who have previously taught a Focal Point Seminar and wish now to offer it as a FY@broad class are also so advised.

Faculty proposing a FY@broad program would ideally have previous experience both teaching in the First-Year Program and leading a study abroad program.  However, faculty with experience in one of those areas—either teaching in the First-Year Program or leading a prior study program program—are eligible to apply.

An overview of the FY@broad program, detailed proposal guidelines, and a description of instructor responsibilities are available on the Study Abroad website. Learn more about leading FY@broad First-Year Student Programs.

Please be advised that the number of FY@broad sections offered each winter and spring is small; the decision whether to schedule a Focal Point Seminar as a FY@broad section is made by Study Abroad.​


​