Exploring Drexel's Academic Offerings

Undergraduate college years are formative for many students. For some folks, they can use the years in college to determine who they are as a person, what sort of professional environment they desire, or what they enjoy studying or researching. The value of a college education is more than just the coursework you take, the grades on your transcript, and the material and knowledge you gain; it is a full, exploratory experience. A structured exploratory program is a great way to do all of those things at the same time during your first year of school. At Drexel, that is our First-Year Exploratory Studies Program, or FYE.

Drexel's First-Year Exploratory Studies program is designed to provide structured exploration for undecided first-year students before deciding on a specific major to study. A huge advantage of Drexel's academic ecosystem is how diverse our academic offerings are; FYE is a great place to start your Drexel journey by "dipping your toe" into a wide variety of programs that may fit your interests.

This purposeful academic exploration paired with strong academic and career advising, manageable academic credit loads, relationships with peer mentors from the exploratory program and prospective majors, and on-campus resources like a Living Learning Community (LLC) provide a holistic year of true exploration.

The transition into life of a college student can be difficult for many students. Every student thrives and struggles with different aspects of the transition to college, whether it is academic, social, professional, or personal. This is a major reason why FYE's purpose and organization is more than just academic and includes student relationship building, leadership development, social exposure, and more.

This purposeful academic exploration paired with strong academic and career advising, manageable academic credit loads, relationships with peer mentors from the exploratory program and prospective majors, and on-campus resources like a Living Learning Community (LLC) provide a holistic year of true exploration.

A unique perk of being involved in the First-Year Exploratory studies program is the peer mentorship and the Student Advisory Board. As a program that is built on the foundation of a student's desire to explore, it is vital that they include students in the process of helping guide other students. Peer mentors are great "insider" guide resources for first-year students from those that have already gone through their exploratory year. Whether those first-year students need advice on courses to take, organizations to join, study skills, or socializing in the Drexel community, their peer mentor is a great person to refer to. The FYE Student Advisory Board provides advice to administration and faculty on course content, activities and events, and how to best improve the student experience. This guidance is fundamental in keeping the program active, dynamic, and student focused.

Whether you have a desired academic path and need some additional preparation or to sharpen that focus or you have many interests and need guidance on defining your path, the FYE team, faculty, staff, and students can be a wonderful resource in helping you succeed. Drexel has always been a great place for folks that knew they wanted to work in finance, be an engineer, or study design. Drexel is also a great place to come and explore a wide variety of academic programs as you develop yourself as a student, professional, and person.