Exploratory Students

DU offers many First-Year Seminar options centered around the 4D experience. These are only offered fall quarter.

Design Your DU (FSEM 1111) - 4 Credits

Course Description: When we were young, many of us were taught that adult life proceeds in an orderly and linear fashion, moving smoothly from one life stage to the next. Yet, most human lives are populated with tragedies and disruptions, unexpected joys and challenges. We may choose to fight against these uncertainties; or, we may delight in our beautiful and unpredictable journey. This FSEM is about transitions: how we understand and manage them; and how we can use them as opportunities to grow and thrive in lives of our own making. By taking a deep dive into our past, present, and multiple possible futures, we will learn about the art and science of change, and how to become agents in our own academic, personal, and professional lives. Students will map and explore their educational journeys—cultivating relationships, integrating learning across classes, and finding ways to improve their communities. Class activities and projects will engage current research and ask students to apply these concepts in real-world contexts.

Offered in Fall & Winter terms.

Exploring Majors & Careers (XPLR 1300) – 2 Credits  

Course Description: This course helps students explore academic majors and career pathways by connecting personal interests, strengths, and values with meaningful educational and professional opportunities. Through a combination of self-assessment, academic exploration, and career engagement, students gain a deeper understanding of their interests, motivations, and future goals. Students interact with faculty, explore a range of disciplines and majors, and learn from alumni who have built successful careers in diverse industries and professions.

Through reflective practice, dialogue, and creative exploration, students learn to connect their academic interests with future opportunities and develop a clearer sense of direction for their educational journey.

By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to make informed decisions about their major, articulate the value of their education, and envision pathways that align with their strengths, interests, and aspirations.

Offered in Winter & Spring terms.

Designing Majors and Careers (XPLR 2300) – 2 Credits 

Description: Intended for students who have declared majors and are looking to develop their understanding of career paths that fit with these majors while supporting their strengths and interests

Students will learn about concrete career directions related to their major(s), connect with a DU alumnus/a from their same major(s), participate in a shadow day in a relevant career, and apply their knowledge to design meaningful career futures for themselves. Through a combination of reflective practice and experiential learning, this course will help students translate the knowledge and experience they obtain from their major(s) into versatile, purposeful careers paths that align with their skills and interests.

Offered in Winter & Summer terms.

Global Career Accelerator (XPLR 2500) - 4 Credits

Description: Through immersive project-based learning, XPLR 2500 helps students connect their interests, strengths, and academic experiences to meaningful career possibilities. Designed for students seeking practical experience, the course integrates self-reflection, career development, and real-world application to build confidence in navigating their academic and professional futures.

Through a partnership between the University of Denver and Podium Education, students collaborate with innovative organizations on authentic workplace projects. These project-based micro-internships allow students to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges, while gaining exposure to a variety of industries, roles, and career pathways.

The Issues to Impact (i2i) Communities bring together first-year students who share an interest in issues like mental health, sustainability, eco-wellness, and community & public health. You'll connect with faculty mentors, community leaders, and fellow students to explore real-world challenges and create a personalized action plan that turns your interests into internships, research, leadership, and other opportunities all while exploring future career paths. Along the way, you can earn a micro-credential to showcase your skills and experiences to future employers.

CENG 1010: What's your Why, 1 cr (winter): You will examine issues related to the public good from multiple vantage points. As you explore your broad interests, you will begin to identify the specific issues (or problems) that spark your academic interests, career aspirations, and passions. By the end of the quarter, you will answer the question: What matters so much to me that I’m inspired to take action? The first course in a sequence taken by students participating in DU’s What’s Your Why Learning Cohorts, this course involves experiential activities, such as guest speakers and field trips.

CENG 1011: Here's your How, 1 cr (spring): In the first course in this sequence, you identified an issue that inspires you to take action. Now, you will explore different types of action. Students can take many pathways to action, each of which involves a different combination of knowledge, dreams, skills, and talents. For example, DU students can do direct service, policy work, advocacy, innovation, research and more as signature work. By the end of the course, you will map your issue and interests onto an Action Plan. The Action Plan will help you strategically select and connect your academic experiences, build intellectual community, grow mentoring relationships, acquire foundational academic skills, and develop core professional skills on the path to signature work at DU. The second course in a sequence taken by students participating in DU’s What’s Your Why Learning Cohorts, this course involves experiential activities, such as guest speakers and field trips. 

Offered in Winter & Spring terms.

The Job & Internship Search: Taking the Lead in Your Career Development (LDRS 2911) - 2 Credits

Description: This course will teach students the skills, resources, and tools necessary to be successful in the job or internship search. By the end of this class, students will feel more confident about the steps necessary to obtain a good position and understand how values, strengths, identities, and networks influence the job search and hiring process. Through in-class activities and homework assignments, students will learn how to create a strong resume, how to market skills to employers, and how to find job or internship openings. The course will also touch on workplace complexities. The skills learned in this class will help students develop a career action plan and will help students throughout their future career. The course will include content delivered by Career & Professional Development professionals, employers, and alumni.

Offered in Winter & Spring terms.

Adventures in Fellowships (HNRS 2401/LDRS 2920)

Description: There are hundreds of fellowships out there to support all kinds of purposeful experiences, from language study to research and beyond. This course is designed to help students develop their personal narratives and to pursue “good-fit” fellowship competitions that create pathways to impact. Students will explore fellowships, parse funding organizations’ criteria and priorities, and work through applications to tell a coherent narrative with attention to common application components such as personal statements; letters of recommendation; and reflections on leadership, service, and impact. Class sessions and assignments will guide students through reflection about interests and goals, telling the story of their experiences, and identifying and preparing for competitive fellowships that will help them drive change on the issues that matter to them. By the end of the course, students will have a draft of a complete application for a competition of their choice. 

With over 50 potential majors, DU has a lot to explore! Most majors offer 1XXX level introductory coursework. Some of these courses can even count in the common curriculum! (example: PSYC 1001 – Intro to Psychology) Each department has a primary contact and an introductory course recommendation. Look through the department contact list (use your DU credentials to log in) to view the initial course recommendation and start exploring majors through academic courses.

Additional 1-2 Credit Discipline-Specific Courses

Each exploratory student is assigned a staff academic advisor. Staff Academic Advisors assist in selecting courses, discussing areas of interest and navigating major exploration opportunities. 

Schedule an appointment with your advisor

Exploratory students have a dedicated Career Advisor, Carolyn Sommers. With her guidance, you will explore your unique interests, skills and values. Students practice self-reflection through coaching tools, brainstorm potential majors through career assessments and connect with alumni through informational interviews.

Email Carolyn Sommers

Exploratory students are encouraged to meet with a Student Success Coach for a customized coaching session. Coaching sessions for exploratory students can help assist in identifying your values, using your strengths optimally, and setting goals for your major and career exploration journey.  

Schedule a coaching appointment

Take this Interest Inventory to learn more about Majors & Careers based on your interests! O-net Interest Inventory provides specific career options based on your strengths and offers recommended majors that align with your career matches. Once you’ve taken the assessment, schedule an appointment with Carolyn Sommers to discuss the results. 

Take the Interest Inventory