The Freshman Handbook and its companion pages on the Freshman Web site provide placement information and advice for incoming freshmen. The handbook and Web site both contain practical information about moving to campus, an introduction to undergraduate education at Yale, and an overview of academic resources available to students. The Web site also includes sections on special freshman programs and preregistration and on academic departments and programs that offer courses in Yale College. The DUS has responsibility for gathering and submitting updates each year for his or her program's page on the Freshman Web site. Department and program information is published on the site in May.
The Handbook and its related Web pages are prepared during the winter so that they can be made available to matriculants in the spring. Late in the fall term, you will receive an e-mail request to review your department's material on the Freshman Web site. Corrections are due to the editor in early December. Because the academic program information for freshmen is collected and edited before most departments finalize their curriculum for the following year, you are encouraged to keep your material for the freshman Web site brief and general, and to refer students to the YCPS where appropriate. Bear in mind that students will have access to full program information in the online YCPS by late July.
Specifics about placement tests, departmental meetings, and other freshman orientation events do not appear in the freshman Web site’s descriptions of academic programs. That information is published in the Calendar for the Opening Days of College, edited later in the academic year and available to students in late July.
If your department plans to make substantial changes to your major or to your freshman programs for 2013–2014, please note this when you submit your changes in December. It may be possible to include such changes on the freshman Web site in the spring after the Course of Study Committee has approved them.
Questions regarding the Freshman Handbook and Web site may be addressed to the editor, Shalane Hansen, University Registrar's Office, 246 Church Street, 432-9171.
