First year students explore UJ during First Year Seminar

Date: Feb 3, 2016 | Faculties, Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, News

New students entering the University of Johannesburg (UJ) are exploring campus and what they can expect during their courses at the First Year Seminar from 2nd-5th of February, hosted at the Kingsway and Soweto Campuses.

The First Year Seminar welcomes the first year students and their parents to the institution, conveying the values and traditions of the institution.

During the First Year Seminar students scout out resources and facilities such as the Library, PsyCAD, Campus Health, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Institutional Office for HIV and AIDS (IHOA), and Academic Development Centre (ADC).

During their time at the seminar, students can assess whether they have chosen the correct degree/diploma or certificate, to work towards their chosen careers. They can start building relationships with staff, figure out how to find their way around campus and start making friends.

“We are familiarising the students, we are also developing skills necessary for the higher education at the beginning of the year,” said Mrs Soraya Motsabi, First Year Seminar Coordinator.

“For example, students planning to study Economics, can attend bridging lessons in Mathematics in Economics to get a better idea of what the course will be about.”

The First Year Seminar is compulsory for all first-year students, except for the Faculties of Science, Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) and the Faculty of Education, where extended orientation programmes are offered during the first month after the start of academic classes.

First year student’s experiences on the FYS:

“In the First year seminar we learned new operations in Economics which we did not learn in high school,” said Ayanada Mtswena, Studying BCom Accounting.

“UJ is cool and very welcoming everybody wants to help the First years where they can,” said Abdullah Shaikh studying BCom Economics.

“UJ is very diverse and I can see myself finishing my Master’s Degree here at UJ and making a name for myself in the future,” Lisa Smit Studying BCom Economics.

Speakers from industry whom will be speaking at FYS:

On Thursday the 4th of February 2016 at 10:30-11:30 at C Les 201, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, industry guest speakers will address the first year seminar of the faculty of Economics and Financial Sciences (FEFS). The speakers will be Mr Pepe Marais, Chief Creative Officer and founding partner of Joe Public United, and Ms Katherine Madley, Group Executive at Alexander Forbes.

More information about the First Year Seminar

• More about choosing a career, financing studies, student accommodation and what UJ looks like, see www.uj.ac.za/fys.
• “The first year toolbox” booklet for all first year students available at the different Faculties.​