First-Year Interest Groups Program

First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs) are clusters of (usually) three Fall-semester UW–Madison classes, linked together to explore a common theme, and open to incoming freshmen—who attend these classes together as a cohort.

Spring Interest Groups (SPRIGs) are pairs of two Spring-semester UW–Madison classes, linked together to explore a Big Question, and open to continuing undergraduate students—who attend these classes together as a cohort.

HOW FIGS WORK

Learn more about the classes in a FIG

The main FIG seminar

At the heart of each FIG is a top-notch instructor who develops and leads a class exclusively for you and the other students in your FIG. Your FIG seminar is capped at 20 or fewer students and may include outside-the-classroom experiences, like field trips, to help you explore the topic and get to know your classmates.

Linked classes

The FIG instructor selects two complementary UW classes, combining and expanding what you learn in these classes with the main FIG seminar. You enroll in these classes along with your fellow FIG students.

Small class sizes

If the linked courses are large lectures, your FIG group may have your own “discussion section” or lab as a smaller break-out class which meets in addition to the lecture.

title	key_image	fig	key_image_url	random_number
Writing and Data: Making Words Count	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24fig56.png	24fig56	Writing and Data: Making Words Count	99
Religion and Law	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24fig48.png	24fig48	Religion and Law	97
Diversity in Special Education	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2019fall13.jpg	24fig08	Diversity in Special Education	96
Killer Robots: Androids, Cyborgs, and Artificial Intelligence in Literature and Culture	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/23fig29.png	24fig28	Killer Robots: Androids, Cyborgs, and Artificial Intelligence in Literature and Culture	95
Magic and Adventure in the Age of Science	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24fig32.png	24fig32	Magic and Adventure in the Age of Science	92
The Periodic Table of Life	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022fig45.jpg	24fig39	The Periodic Table of Life	91
Freshwater: Past, Present, and Future	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/23fig17.png	24fig18	Freshwater: Past, Present, and Future	89
Body, Mind, Spirit, and the Yoga Tradition	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2019fall73.jpg	24fig02	Body, Mind, Spirit, and the Yoga Tradition	87
Listening to Land: Indigenous Education and Foodways	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022fig35.jpg	24fig31	Listening to Land: Indigenous Education and Foodways	85
Wisdom and the Good Life: Historical Perspectives	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/23fig62.png	24fig54	Wisdom and the Good Life: Historical Perspectives	84
The History of Yoga: Ancient Philosophy and Modern Practice	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2019fall32.jpg	24fig25	The History of Yoga: Ancient Philosophy and Modern Practice	83
Climate Change and People: Past and Present	https://figs.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24fig05.png	24fig05	Climate Change and People: Past and Present	81

WHY STUDENTS CHOOSE FIGS

Learn more about how you can choose a FIG

🔦

Extra attention

You’ll have the dedicated attention of an instructor who really wants to work with first-year students like you.

🤝

Make friends

Studying together and helping each other, you’ll get to know the students in your FIG well, making your first semester easier.

📚

Better learning

Integrating ideas from different courses will help you learn in a more interesting and holistic way.

🏆

Proven popularity

Every fall, over 1,000 UW freshmen enroll in a FIG. Participants overwhelmingly say that their FIG was a great experience.