At Tulane, we understand how important faculty relationships are to your success as a student. That's why we ensure you have a ton of exposure to faculty during your first year on campus. In your first-year seminar, residence hall, or campus programs, you will have the opportunity to build relationships with some of the best faculty. Not only are they experts in their field and important references for grad school, research projects, and summer internships, they are also a wealth of knowledge on great restaurants, festivals, and parades. Below are some of the ways you will meet faculty in your first year.
125+ faculty, one in each of the first-year seminar courses
TIDES and Honors Colloquia faculty are more than just classroom instructors. Through engaging course content, they provide an introduction to the academic rigor and interdisciplinary education of Tulane and give guidance on how to excel as a student. They also introduce you to the New Orleans community with field trips, classroom speakers, and class conversations.
15 faculty, with a team in each first-year residence hall
Residential Faculty bring academic conversations into your home by sponsoring programs in each first-year residence hall. RFMs give you the opportunity to connect with faculty where you live and also provides the opportunity for one-on-one conversations over coffee or lunch.
70+ faculty, one leading each orientation discussion
During New Student Orientation, you will discuss the year's Reading Project book with a Tulane faculty member as your first intellectual conversation at Tulane. These faculty engage you in interdisciplinary conversations around the themes of the book and serve to ease the transition to the classroom experience.
Defining Office Hours
Office hours are times designated by your faculty that they are available to discuss any questions or difficulties you are having with their course. It is also a great time to talk about related interests you have, the research you are interested in, or the careers and majors you are exploring. Faculty office hours are usually noted on the course syllabus, a document that provides an overview of the learning, readings, and assignments for each class.
We encourage you to be proactive in your use of office hours. Don't wait until you've gotten your first low grade or get way in over your head. Instead, go to office hours the minute you start to feel confused by the material or, even better, to simply introduce yourself and build a supportive relationship with your faculty members.
