- Is FYPDS mandatory? Yes. All first-year students who enter the Lynch School of Education are required to take the course (ED100).
- Is FYPDS a year-long course? No. FYPDS is only offered the fall semester of the freshman year, and so all Lynch School of Education freshmen must be registered for it at that time. There is no option to take it during the spring semester.
- Where does FYPDS fit into my schedule? FYPDS is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4 PM (although since it is a once-a-week class, students will only be registered for Tuesday or Thursday). Therefore, when students register for courses during summer orientation sessions, they are reminded not to register for any classes during those times. For students with severe scheduling conflicts and athletes whose practice times occur during these times, there are a limited number of evening sections available in which students can be placed.
- When do I find out what section I'm in? First-year students will receive at least two mailings over the summer--one notifying them of the program, and the second notifying them of the section to which they've been assigned. Once add/drop week is over, students can also check to see if they are registered for the correct section of FYPDS by logging onto Agora and checking the "Current Courses and Grades" section.
- What is the absence policy for FYPDS? Since FYPDS only meets once a week, only one absence is permitted. As with any other course, if there are extreme extenuating circumstances (illness, death in the family, medical emergency, etc.) necessitating an absence, student should notify Associate Dean John Cawthorne as well as their group facilitator.
- Is there homework? In order to keep the atmosphere casual, there is no "homework" in FYPDS in the traditional sense of the word. In the past, however, students have been been asked to bring in items for discussion, complete a tutorial, and have met outside regularly scheduled class time or on the weekends to complete group volunteer projects.
- How can I be a group facilitator? Boston College faculty members and graduate students interested in serving as group facilitators for the upcoming year's FYPDS should send an email to Associate Dean John Cawthorne (cawthorn@bc.edu) expressing their interest.
- How can I be a peer advisor? Applications to serve as peer advisors for the upcoming year's FYPDS are available to up and coming Lynch School sophomores, juniors, and seniors during the spring semester. They can be picked up in the Office for Undergraduate Students (Campion 104) or accessed here: MS Word / PDF
If you have other questions, please contact Amy Koppe (koppe@bc.edu), Adrienne Calotta (calottaa@bc.edu), or Keara Eagan (eagank@bc.edu) . You may also reach them by visiting or calling the Office of Undergraduate Students (Campion 104, 617-552-4204).