First Year Exploratory Studies
About the Program
Drexel University’s First-Year Exploratory Studies Program offers students an undecided major for their first year, providing them the opportunity to explore academic and career options and interests before selecting a major.
The Exploratory Program is comprised of two tracks: the Business, Humanities, and Social Science Track (non-STEM) and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track. While the program seeks to help students focus their goals, students are not limited to exploring only majors within a particular track; in fact, it is common for students to explore majors from both tracks.
At the end of year one, students will transfer to a full-time major at Drexel provided they meet the internal transition criteria. The First-Year Exploratory Studies Program empowers students to make well-informed decisions around choosing a degree program, getting involved on campus, and following their ambitions.
Students will develop an individualized plan of study with an advisor to help them achieve their academic goals.
Additional Information
More information about the First-Year Exploratory Studies program can be found on the Goodwin College of Professional Studies website.
Degree Requirements
| University Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| COOP 101 | Career Management and Professional Development * | 1.0 |
| UNIV G101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| MATH 101 | Introduction to Analysis I | 4.0 |
| MATH 102 | Introduction to Analysis II | 4.0 |
| Social Science electives | 18.0 | |
| Science courses | 8.0 | |
| Program Requirements | ||
| FYE 102 | Academic Exploration and Planning | 2.0 |
| FYE 103 | Career Exploration and Planning | 2.0 |
| Exploratory Track courses | 125.0 | |
| Free electives | 5.0 | |
| Total Credits | 180.0 | |
| * | COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101. Students not participating in co-op will not take COOP 101; 1 credit of Free Elective will be added in place of COOP 101. |
Sample Plan of Study
4 years, no co-op
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
| MATH 101 | 4.0 | FYE 102 | 2.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| UNIV G101 | 1.0 | MATH 102 | 4.0 | FYE 103 | 2.0 | ||
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||
| 14 | 15 | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | VACATION | |
| Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | Free elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Free elective* | 3.0 | Science course | 4.0 | ||||
| Science course | 4.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 17 | 16 | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | VACATION | |
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||||
| * | Students not participating in co-op will not take COOP 101; 1 credit of Free Elective will be added in place of COOP 101. |
4 years, 1 co-op
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | ||
| MATH 101 | 4.0 | FYE 102 | 2.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ||
| UNIV G101 | 1.0 | MATH 102 | 4.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | FYE 103 | 2.0 | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | ||||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 14 | 15 | 13 | |||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 |
| Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | Free elective | 3.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||
| Free elective | 2.0 | Science course | 4.0 | ||||
| Science course | 4.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | ||||
| 0 | 0 | 15 | 16 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||||
| * | COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101. |
5 years, 3 co-op
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
| MATH 101 | 4.0 | FYE 102 | 2.0 | COOP 101* | 1.0 | ||
| UNIV G101 | 1.0 | MATH 102 | 4.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | FYE 103 | 2.0 | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | ||||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 14 | 15 | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track course | 3.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 6.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | Free elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Free elective | 2.0 | Science course | 4.0 | ||||
| Science course | 4.0 | Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 12.0 | COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | ||
| Social Science elective | 3.0 | Exploratory Track course | 4.0 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Fifth Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | Exploratory Track courses | 15.0 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||||
| * | COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101. |
