First-Year Seminar Courses

The course titles and descriptions below are being offered in the Fall of 2026. Once you find a topic of interest, find the AUIDS 101 section listed in Bear Tracks.

AI: WTF (What’s the Future)?

Instructor: Craig Peterson

This course is designed to help students develop and communicate an informed stance about artificial intelligence and its implications for university life and beyond. Through a multidisciplinary lens, this course explores how large language models (LLMs) and other AI tools impact academic research, writing, collaboration and ethical decision-making. Students will critically examine the costs and benefits of AI resources and develop their own perspective on responsible use. Individually, students will undertake a critical research project — a written essay that communicates their stance on AI in student life, drawing together insights from the course and from their exploration of a selected research topic.  Students will also work in assigned groups (3 to 4 members), learning how to provide peer support for fellow students. Later, group members will collaborate on a group presentation that explores and recommends future pathways for university education to respond to student needs in the age of AI. By the end of the term, participants will be equipped to make thoughtful, ethical choices about AI use throughout their university experience and will be better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of AI in the future.

 

Are we missing a chapter in the history of human civilization? 

Instructor: Michael Omoge

Archeologists have, for decades, maintained that human civilization has a relatively short history, dating back only to about 6000 years ago, when our ancestors stopped being hunter-gatherers, developing agriculture and trade, which allowed them to have surplus food and economic stability, and effectively build societies. But recent evidence from Egypt, Turkey, Russia, the Amazon and so on thwarts this archaeological postulation. Together, the evidence pushes human civilization back to at least 12000 years ago, suggesting that there is some 6000-year gap. Does this gap imply that we are missing a chapter in the history of human civilization? Register to my First-Year Seminar and find out!

 

Buds: Cannabis, Normalization and Stigma

Instructor: Geraint Osborne

Weed, pot, Mary Jane, grass, ganja or bud, call it what you will, cannabis remains the most widely used substance worldwide, and has been a part of the human experience for centuries. This course begins with studying the cannabis plant itself and understanding its pharmacological properties, followed by a historical and cultural analysis of cannabis. Our focus will then change to understanding how cannabis use became illegal, how ineffective the war on drugs has been in reducing drug use and how drug prohibition is shaped by class, race and gender. We will also focus on the normalization of cannabis and its consequences for various segments of society. Additionally, the course will study cannabis in a legalized and regulated environment with an emphasis on analyzing cannabis myths and explaining the consequences they have for stereotypes, stigma and regulation. Besides introducing you to important university skills, the course will introduce you to key concepts that you will encounter throughout your university degree, such as culture, stereotypes, stigma, intersectionality, ethnocentrism and more.

 

Deeply Rooted: Gardening, Growth and Community

Instructor: Jody Rintoul

Gardening has been foundational to human existence since 10,000 BCE, and its story is far from simple. It has been associated with joy and tranquility, but also war, inequity and resistance. In this seminar, we will explore the garden from a 360-degree perspective — drawing on the science of gardening and Indigenous perspectives on land and plants, while examining the role of gardens in social justice, entrepreneurship and mental health. By investigating how green spaces, personal and community gardens address modern crises like urban food deserts and sustainability, you will simultaneously cultivate the academic "root system" needed to thrive in university. This course features hands-on learning, scientific observation and a field trip to a local market garden to see community growth in action.

 

Gods, Monsters and Myths

Instructor: Janet Wesselius

The Ancient Greeks developed a system of belief based on mythological gods and ethereal monsters, and these otherworldly beings have become ingrained in our understanding of history and culture. However, we don’t believe in superhero gods or evil monsters anymore…or do we? It is commonly thought that gods and monsters are the stuff of myths, but why is it that myths continue to inform our understanding of history? Further, why did our ancestors create and tell myths? And is it really true that we no longer have mythologies today? In this course, we will look at myths, with their heroic gods and terrible monsters, to see what purpose they serve in our own lives. We will also discover how gods, monsters and myths are still used in contemporary society as we explore media such as novels, films, TV shows, podcasts and art. By the end of the course, you will have created your own “myth” from which to interpret your own truths.

 

I, Witness: Memoir & the Self

Instructor: Marina Endicott

Memory shapes everything we know, feel and think — a unique, original bank of lived experience that leads us to new understanding. Memoir, the act of conveying that experience, is as old as cave-painting hand prints and as new as TikTok. In this course, you'll trace the history of yourself. You'll witness and investigate other lives, from conflict survivors to wild Edwardians, from heroes to villains. Award-winning Canadian writers visit to tell us how they work with memories good and bad, and contests (from Virgil's Aeneid to police codes to clapping games) offer comic relief and challenge your recall capacity, as we examine how the I looks at the world, and how the world looks back at us.

 

Improvisation, Preparation and Presentations

Instructor: Kristine Nutting

Creating Belonging is a first-year experiential course that equips students with the communication, presentation, facilitation and collaborative skills needed to succeed in university and beyond. Grounded in the understanding that learning and leadership are built through relationships, the course explores how communication, trust and collaboration foster belonging, strengthen social capital and create connections across diverse groups. Through interactive games, drama-based learning, experiential activities, physical exercises and facilitated group work, students develop confidence in public speaking, teamwork, active listening, conflict navigation, inclusive leadership and group facilitation.

Learning goals: design and deliver engaging academic presentations, facilitate productive discussions, and collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams while developing relational competency.

Central focus: Students will examine the university campus as a living community, exploring the people, organizations, networks and shared spaces that contribute to a vibrant and connected campus experience.

 

The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Instructor: Brandon Alakas

Each of us is on a journey. Whether we have travelled to Augustana from afar or are a resident of Camrose, each one of us — at one time or another — decided to pursue a university education. Journeys, however, need not involve outward movement; many of the greatest works of literature focus instead on a spiritual or intellectual quest that takes place within the protagonist. Our examination of this theme will be broad, and we will explore different concepts of journeying in a variety of academic disciplines. We will also use Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a starting point to reflect critically on the development of a liberal arts education in the university and to consider its relevance in Canada today.

 

Learning how to fail (on purpose)

Instructor: Brad Geddes

If you’ve ever had the feeling “I don’t quite fit the script everyone else seems to be following,” this course leans into that instead of trying to fix it.

This seminar is not about having your life plan figured out by the end. It’s about being curious about who you are, how the world works and how things could be different — and letting that curiosity pull you forward. We’ll look at stories, movies, games, Lego builds and moments from pop culture where people take risks, try weird ideas, fail hard and keep going anyway. Think “fail forward”: using mistakes as data, not as a verdict on your worth.

In this class, there’s no expectation that you come in with solutions. Your job is to wonder, to notice, to experiment. If you see the world a bit differently, if you question “why is it like this?” more than most people, that’s the raw material we’ll work with. We’ll explore how to turn that uniqueness into the beginnings of leadership: testing ideas, learning from missteps and finding better ways to support and motivate yourself and the people around you. By the end, you won’t walk out with a perfect answer to “Who am I?” or “What’s my future?” You’ll walk out with something more useful for first year: a stronger sense that your questions matter, that your perspective is an asset and that moving forward — one curious step and one “failed” experiment at a time — is a powerful way to live and learn.

 

Lights, Camera, Action!

Instructor: Stephen Cruikshank

This course will explore how the technological advances of film — including the manipulation of light, optics, sound, AI tools and data analytics — are changing the discourse and trajectory of modern cinema. Film examples will be pulled from a range of genres such as science fiction, comedy, thrillers and drama. Along with the advancement of film techniques also arrives socio-cultural concerns including the ongoing visual sovereignty of Indigenous peoples, the visual perpetuation of stereotypes, and the general homogenization and lack of diversity of film content. Resultantly, this course considers ethical and critical responses to the act of film analysis and filmmaking.

 

Let’s Talk about Sex, Baby: The Misconceptions and Realities of 21st Century Sex

Instructor: Sean Moore

The topic of sex and sexuality is one of the most thought-provoking, emotionally evocative and paradoxical topics in all of our lives. It’s something that affects everyone but is seldom talked about in public. Moreover, in 21st century pop culture, sex seems to be everywhere and is instantly available at the swipe of our fingertips. Given its ubiquity, why do so many sexual myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings persist? The answer to this question lies in understanding that human sexuality is a complex, multi-faceted topic that is influenced by multiple factors including (but not limited to) our biology, neurochemistry, psychology, socialization experiences and cultural values. In this course, we will begin by openly talking about human sexuality and identifying gaps in our common understandings of sex. We will then work towards compiling a public document that attempts to dispel common sexual myths and promote positive, healthy sexuality on our campus. Assignments will focus on reading research on myths/misunderstanding of sexuality and the myth-making process as well as engaging directly with some of the currently hotly debated topics pertaining to sex. Our work will culminate in publishing and publicly presenting a Rose City Sexual Health Guide to the entire campus.

 

Stop & Smell the Roses

Instructor: Stephanie Oliver

Whether it’s the rich smell of coffee in the morning, the enticing aroma of your favourite meal, the lingering scent of a romantic partner or the nagging odour of dirty laundry, our sense of smell plays an important, yet often unacknowledged, role in our daily lives. Often difficult to capture, quantify or classify, scents have both fascinated and frustrated artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, historians, psychologists and other major thinkers for centuries. Western culture has historically reduced smell to a “lower order” sense associated with the body, memory and emotion. As a result, smell is not often considered a topic for serious study. But what might we learn from turning our attention to smell? What can scent tell us about ourselves and the world around us? Exploring smell from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, this course asks: how do we make sense of smell?

 

Unmasking the super hero

Instructor: Rebecca Purc-Stephenson

Superheroes are a cultural phenomenon and big business. While many of us can easily list a range of superheroes and their powers, have you ever wondered what their powers represent? Is there a deeper meaning to superheroes? In this course, you’ll learn what superheroes can teach us about humanity and complex issues such as trauma, loss and resilience. This course begins by discussing what is a hero, and then tracing the historical roots of superheroes starting from Gilgamesh in 2100 BC to those depicted in modern comic books, graphic novels and motion pictures. We also explore “superheroes” in the natural world such as bats, spiders and honeybees, and discuss how their traits have been integrated into the personas of many superheroes. Next, we examine the origin stories of three superheroes to understand their motivations, values and conflicts, as well as the broader political, social and cultural context that shape who they are. Students will have an opportunity to research a particular superhero, participate in class discussions, read comics and articles, and watch and breakdown movies.