Freshman Seminars 2026 Winter

WebReg registration begins each quarter on Monday of the 8th week of instruction. Windows open from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

University Studies

Enrollment in Uni Stu 3 will be restricted to freshmen until the day the 18-unit enrollment limit is lifted. After this date, enrollment in Uni Stu 3 will be open to all lower-division undergraduates.

For more information on the Freshman Seminars, please visit Freshman Seminar website or call the Undergraduate/Undeclared Advising Office at 949-824-6987. Students may enroll in a maximum of three freshman seminars during their entire time at UCI.

Unlocking the Leader Within: Leadership Principles for Pre-Health Students

How do you find a great mentor in the healthcare field? What should you do to optimize your shadowing experience? How can you avoid burnout while pursuing your professional goals? What are the best practices for leading a student organization? Leadership principles can help you successfully optimize your experience as a student and future healthcare trainee. This course is an introduction to important leadership principles such as emotional intelligence, finding your why, position-less leadership and conflict resolution.

A Gentle Introduction to Robot Motion Planning

The objective of this seminar series is to introduce UCI freshman students to the world of robot motion planning. A robot’s ability to plan its movement without explicit human guidance is a basic prerequisite for robotic autonomy. The objective of motion planning algorithms is to enable an autonomous mobile robot to determine its movements in a cluttered environment to achieve various goals while avoiding collisions. This seminar series cover deterministic classical motion planning algorithms, including sensor-based planning, decomposition and search-based planning. The course intends to expose undergraduate students (Engineering and Computer Science) to solution approaches to problems that they may encounter in emerging technologies and disciplines such as autonomous driving and transportation, smart manufacturing, and general mechanical and aerospace robotic applications.

Drugs

The majority of individuals in modern society will use drugs at some point in their lives. Most drugs will be taken for legitimate medical purposes, while some are used recreationally. In a very basic manner, this course will introduce students to human physiology, how drugs work and where they come from, some common health issues and the drugs used to treat them, and some well-known recreational drugs.

Crafting Software: Opportunities and Challenges in Software Engineering

Embark on a 10-week exploration in “Crafting Software,” a dynamic course delving into the ever-evolving landscape of software engineering. Uncover historical foundations, unravel the mysteries of AI, and understand the human dimensions in collaborative coding. Navigate the intricate balance between software and business, learn about modular design, software testing, and requirements engineering. Traverse privacy and security concerns, ethical dilemmas, and gain insights into future trends. Conclude with stimulating discussions, reflecting on innovations, challenges, and opportunities in the field. Join us in “Crafting Software,” an immersive journey exploring the art and science of software engineering with a keen focus on innovation and the future.

Introduction to AI in Software Engineering: Foundations, Applications, and Future Trends

This course offers an introductory exploration of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the field of software engineering. Students will learn the foundational principles of Software Engineering, AI and discover how these AI technologies are applied across various software development stages. Topics include AI-driven code generation, bug detection, testing, optimization, and natural language processing (NLP) in software documentation, future trends of AI in software engineering. The course will conclude with stimulating discussions, reflecting on innovations, challenges, and opportunities in the field.

Teaching Economics with Movies

Economics is a way of looking at the world. Economists see economic phenomena, and economic lessons, everywhere. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that motion pictures are full of economic phenomena and economic ideas. This seminar will use movies as a way to introduce you to some of the basic concepts in economics and to evaluate critically how those concepts are embodied in specific movies. By the end of the seminar, you should have a good sense of what economics is and how economists think about the world.

Animal models for drug discovery

Why do scientists study fruit flies, zebrafish, or mice? This seminar will explore how and why animal models are used to understand human biology and disease. Students will learn about major discoveries made through model organisms, ethical considerations in animal research, and how these systems contribute to drug development and genetics. No prior lab or biology experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to explore!

Photography Techniques

This seminar will discuss the physics of modern-day digital cameras and lenses and will discuss different photography composition techniques for portrait, landscape, and other types of photos. The seminar will also explore analysis methods including software such as Lightroom. This seminar is part technology and part creative applications. A genuine interest in photography and an access to at least an entry level DSLR is essential to get the most out of this seminar series.

Envisioning the Future of Healthcare: Towards a Brave New World

Forecasting the future of healthcare is an imperfect science. As the boundaries between technology, medicine, business, public health, and policy becomes increasingly blurred, society has the responsibility to critically analyze priorities in a complex and fast-changing environment, while maintaining focus on the human element of the patient-provider experience. A basic understanding of how current trends in healthcare will potentially shape delivery models is needed to appreciate the many promises and pitfalls that lie ahead in the future.

BUBBLES

Be Divergent: The Practice and Process of Creativity

The creative thinking skills necessary in today’s fast-paced workplace require deeper exploration in the 21st century academy. This interactive curriculum offers a rich, inventive, stimulating environment to explore divergent idea generation and reflective response to problem solving. We will engage in creative exercises and games during class, opening each student to their own creative instincts.

Authentic Health Career Exploration

Ready to embark on a fulfilling health career that resonates with your values and goals? Our course, tailored for first-generation and marginalized students, offers a unique journey of self-discovery. It’s designed to bridge pathway gaps and provide essential resources, empowering you to unlock and explore genuine health career potentials. Embrace an empowering path towards becoming a future healthcare leader, where critical assessment meets personal aspirations. Discover and align your career with your identity and goals. Your authentic path in the health professions awaits!

Gut Reaction: The Microbial World Within

Discover the hidden universe inside you in “Gut Reactions,” where we dive into the fascinating world of the trillions of bacteria residing in your intestines. This freshman seminar unravels how these microscopic inhabitants influence everything from digestion to mood, and their critical roles in promoting health or sparking disease. Through engaging discussions, hands-on activities, and the latest scientific discoveries, you’ll explore how our gut microbiome shapes who we are. Get ready to challenge your perceptions of bacteria and uncover the secrets of the most complex ecosystem you’ll ever encounter – within yourself. Join us on this journey to understand how gut feelings are more than just a metaphor!

Unaffiliated

DROP: The deadline to drop courses is the end of Week 2 by 5:00PM. Drops can be made in WebReg.
CHANGE: The deadline to change grade option or variable units is the end of Week 2 by 5:00PM. Changes can be made in WebReg.
ADD: The deadline to add courses is the end of Week 2 by 5:00PM. Adds can be made in WebReg.