Undergraduate Education (UGED)

The Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program is designed to help students make a successful initial transition from high school to university-level academic work and campus life. The centerpiece of the Program is a summer academic experience, during which students who have been accepted into Notre Dame spend four weeks taking introductory, college-level courses in composition, calculus, computer programming, chemistry, and history, as well as leadership and well-being. Students learn to identify and apply appropriate learning strategies to maximize their performance in courses. They learn to navigate the physical campus and various academic and social resources, and meet faculty who introduce them to diverse disciplines and research. The Program also helps students to establish peer-group support, upon which they can rely during the academic year. Permission is required to register for the Program.

Courses offered in the Balfour Summer Institute (FYS 10001)

In the Leading with Purpose: Shaping Tomorrow's World course, students will not only enhance their self-awareness but also develop the tools necessary for meaningful and effective citizenship. They will embark on a journey to understand the forces behind social change and their role as catalysts for a better tomorrow. The world is a beautiful painting, and each individual is a unique paintbrush, waiting to contribute to the vibrant image we see. As we explore our values, both individually and collectively, we will learn how to blend our colors, our voices, and our actions to reshape the canvas of society. Through interactive projects, thought-provoking discussions, hands-on activities, and service, students will discover who they are, their place within the Notre Dame community, and how to use their creativity and purpose to inspire lasting social change. Together, we will turn the gray areas of uncertainty into a brighter, more hopeful landscape.

Recognizing the fundamental importance of qualified teachers in the unique experiment that is American education, this course explores the connection between strong students and strong teachers. The impetus behind this one-credit class is a practical one: American society needs more of its brightest young minds participating in education beyond their own years as a student. While at its core a discernment tool for students of all major intents considering teaching as a vocation, the lectures and discussions will also preview opportunities for individuals external to the profession to positively impact education in their communities. Topics of study will include: the history of teachers in the United States compared with other industrialized societies, teaching as a vocation/profession, a portrait of elementary and secondary teachers today, where the profession is headed, the importance of intellectually-gifted persons working as teachers at all levels, post-graduate service opportunities in teaching, transition to teaching programs and professional opportunities for students without a degree in education, and the importance of community engagement in education. NOTE: This course begins after mid-term break.

Intended primarily for first-year students enrolling for the first time in the Spring or Summer terms, this course creates space for active discussion and reflection regarding the academic, social, and extracurricular components of a successful transition into Notre Dame. While providing an introduction to a network of campus resources, we will also investigate ideas related to resilience and one's ability to thrive in a challenging academic environment. Topics will include self-efficacy, communication, community responsibility, and self-awareness/evaluation, among others. Assignments will include reading, reflective writing, and class participation and presentation.

This course is designed to introduce students to the arts as a sophisticated means of communicating personal and social values and understandings of identity. Identity (both self-created and imposed from without) is a major concern of artistic disciplines from across the globe. Topics covered will include selected aspects of Polynesian, Native American and other American arts. Students will complete the course with the skills necessary to approach art forms and cultures new to them with increased confidence and with an appreciation for the brilliant and complicated way in which values and identity are reflected in art from across the world and across disciplines.

This course is designed for incoming college students who will be taking introductory chemistry in the fall semester (CHEM 10171: Introduction to Chemical Principles). The purpose of this course is to review topics that have been taught in high school that are believed to be prerequisite knowledge and essential for success in CHEM 10171. Such topics include: the properties of matter, certainty in scientific measurement, conversion factors and dimensional analysis, the mole and molar mass, organization of the periodic table, types of bonding (ionic and covalent), balancing chemical reactions, and stoichiometry calculations. Course content will be presented in an in-person lecture format, will be practiced collaboratively during class, and will be reinforced individually through online homework. Students will receive guidance in developing problem-solving strategies for multi-step calculations and questions containing integrated concepts. Upon completion of this course, students should feel more confident approaching topics that will be broader in scope, or discussed in more depth in the CHEM 10171 course.

Meaningful and Strategic Reading Across the Disciplines will prepare you for the reading you will encounter as an undergraduate student at Notre Dame. You will learn practical strategies for managing your reading load and engaging in a process-based approach so that you are ready to take the next step after your first reading- whether that be delving further into inquiry, participating in class discussions, or composing essays. We'll deconstruct readings in a variety of disciplines you will encounter in the first-year curriculum, demystifying the various genres and ways of knowing. At the same time, we will explore reading as a process of connecting yourself and your experience to the academic material you will encounter in your courses. The format for the course will be seminar-style discussions and studio-based reading sessions, where you will get instructor feedback and guidance while you read. You should leave this course poised to approach the reading process as an active and engaged participant in scholarly, civic, and personal conversations.

The Scholarly Engagement Seminar is a sequence of two half-semester courses designed to provide in-depth resources to sophomores in the first year of the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement's (CUSE's) FUSE program. Topics covered in the course include scholarly discernment, developing a relationship with a faculty mentor, applying for funding for independent summer projects, presenting at national conferences, using scholarship to make a difference, considering options for graduate and professional school, and applying for competitive national fellowships. There will be a number of guest presenters, including other CUSE staff, junior and senior FUSE Scholars, notable alumni, Notre Dame faculty, and staff from other units whose work relates to scholarly engagement. By the end of the course, students should have the ability to produce a strong draft of an application for funding for a summer project and a compelling draft of an application for a national fellowship.

A discussion section in conjunction with Promoting Academic Resilience.

Resilience is key in tackling life’s most difficult challenges. This course explores how to make the most of your 24 hours for better time management, sharper study skills, and to truly unlock your full potential. You’ll discover how to be flexible in areas of productivity that help you to stay accountable to your goals. Prepare yourself to navigate life's ups and downs with practical resilience strategies that can aid in life long skills for college and beyond. Stop surviving and start thriving! This course is a combination of the Penn Resiliency Program through Notre Dame's People with Hope to Bring, and Executive Functioning Skills.

Students will read and discuss work by the plenary speakers at the Scott Scholars' Summit. They will then travel to the conference and engage these scholars and advocates. Lastly, students will compose an essay that critically engages one of the authors whom they encountered.