Interested in Teaching FSUS?

Who Teaches Ferris State University Seminar?

FSUS100 is taught by faculty members, academic advisors and administrative personnel who have special interest in first-year students. Instructors may be assigned by their department head/chair to teach a seminar for students in their program fields. Many volunteer to teach because they enjoy working with first-year students.

What are the requirements for teaching FSUS?

  • A minimum of a Master's Degree*
  • Completion of the instructor training workshop
  • Approval of the instructor's supervisor
  • Participation in regular FSUS instructor meetings

What is the application process?

To apply, please send a resume and completed instructor application to the FSUS program office - ASC 1039. The Coordinator of First-Year Seminars, Shelly VandePanne, will then schedule time to meet with you to discuss teaching FSUS. Course appointments will be made on the basis of qualifications and available openings.

How will I prepare to teach FSUS100?

All new first-year seminar instructors must participate in a one-day training workshop before teaching FSUS100. The workshop, which normally follows the spring semester in May, introduces new instructors to first-year seminars, the FSUS course objectives, teaching materials and strategies, course requirements, guest speakers, support services, and program goals. All FSUS instructors, veteran as well as new instructors, are encouraged to attend additional mini-training sessions offered throughout the year to introduce teaching strategies and share best practices for individual course objectives.

How will I be compensated?

Seminar instructors are paid a stipend equal to the University's one-credit faculty rate for teaching FSUS100.

  • Full-time faculty may teach the seminar as part of load, overload, or spring determination as determined by their direct supervisor.
  • Administrative and staff employees may teach and be paid if they have permission from their supervisor to make up the time missed at work.
  • Part-time staff may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Payment for the course is distributed according to the standard payroll calendar during the semester the seminar is taught with the exception of winter determinations (in which case an identified overload would be paid in one lump sum in January).

*Exceptions to these criteria may be considered upon appeal to the FSUS Coordinator.