UNIV: College Success

New to college?  Worried about what to expect?  Not sure how to prepare? Relax. We've got you covered.  

UNIV Courses

These tuition-FREE first-year courses dedicate the entire fall semester to four primary goals, helping you learn the ins and outs of college life and get prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead. In addition to developing academic skills and strategies, the class serves as your own first-year community on campus. You’ll get added support and mentoring from faculty, staff, and peer leaders. By the end of the semester, you'll feel capable, confident, and ready for success.

• Polish your skills and practice strategies for success. We’ll fine-tune the essentials, including writing, critical thinking, and research, and work on college survival skills like time and stress management.
  
• Get connected and be supported. This is your home base to explore the campus and discover all that CU Denver has to offer. You’ll also learn from experts across campus, including the Writing Center, Auraria Library, Learning Resources Center, Lynx Center, and Career Center.
  
• Be the best you in college. It isn’t all about learning class stuff, it’s also a lot of learning about YOU. We’ll work on self-exploration so you can discover your interests, leverage your strengths, define your path, and achieve your goals.
  
• Discover community. CU Denver is immensely diverse and, because of that, it's immensely awesome. You will learn to appreciate the diversity of people and perspectives that make CU Denver truly special, and your place within it all.

Check out our UNIV sample syllabus to get a picture of what you can expect to do in our UNIV 1110 classes this fall!

UNIV Course FAQs

Spring 2025 Options

Please review the Spring 2025 course options below to understand the types of courses we traditionally offer. Fall 2025 options will be posted in late March 2025. 

General Sections

These UNIV courses are open to any student, regardless of major. They're not paired with other FYE program courses so when you choose one of them, it's the only FYE course you will take during your first semester at CU Denver. 

Specialized Sections

These UNIV courses are specific to certain majors, programs, or identity groups.  Depending on which one you choose, you will be taking one or two FYE classes your first fall semester at CU Denver. Learning more about these sections is simple, just check our FYE course list for details.

Fall 2025 options coming March 2025!

Learning Community Sections

These UNIV courses are paired with other specific ones under our Learning Communities program. That means you'll be taking two to three FYE courses during your first fall semester at CU Denver. Interested? Get the complete rundown on what Learning Communities offer and how they work in our Spring 2025 guide.