All UW students are required to complete a First-Year Seminar (FYS). There are dozens of FYSs that focus on specific fields of study. The purpose of FYSs are to orient students to the academic philosophy of research and learning in a small group setting. This FYS, UWYO 1101, Boots-to-Books, is designed specifically for US military veterans. The focus is on starting the transition from a current state of mind as a veteran or warrior to becoming a scholar. Indeed, many of the greatest people in history were "warrior-scholars," recognizing the need for critical thinking alongside martial skills.
The specific areas of transition are an orientation to higher education, academic skills, campus resources, and engaging in reflective writing. In addition to orienting the students to an academic setting, the courses build skills necessary for other courses such as research, writing, presentations, technology, and success skills. Each FYS is required to have a research component where the student must research and produce a paper or presentation on a topic of interest. Specific information about this requirement will be provided in the course syllabus and during class.