Intro - Freshman SymposiumFreshman Symposium is offered in a student’s first fall semester at the University of St. Thomas.  The course is one-credit hour and introduces the student to the UST mission, with an emphasis on how the Basilian Fathers’ core values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge provide the foundation of a Catholic, liberal arts education.

This course will connect freshmen to each other as fellow students, UST resources, and our Catholic Mission. There will be large group sessions as well as individual sessions for your particular class. Students have the opportunity to self-select the Freshman Symposium course that best fits your interest. 

You will register for all classes, including Freshman Symposium, through your mystthom portal. Please keep in mind that courses have a cap and will close when full. If your first choice is full, you are able to join a waitlist for that course; however, you are still required to select an available course to complete your registration. Click the link below to look at the Freshman Symposium courses offered this fall!

view course descriptions

Freshman Symposium is a one-hour credit course that all incoming freshmen take! It is designed to give you a strong foundation as a first-year student and help you in your acclimation to life as a student at the University of St. Thomas.

This course is a Graduation Requirement. The topics and activities you explore in class will vary based on the course you choose.

Freshman Symposium is a college readiness course that includes specialized topics to choose from. Some of our most popular courses from previous years include: “Learn. Pray. Travel.”, “Emotionally Intelligent Leadership”, “Personal Identity and Purpose”, courses designed for specific populations such as first-generation students, STEM students, and many more!

1 credit hour will go towards your required degree completion.

Convocation Day is the first official day of your Freshman Symposium Class. This will begin your academic career and celebrate the start of your journey as a Celt! During this day, you will meet your mentors, learn about your Freshman Symposium course, attend a large group session, and get to know more about the mission of the university. Follow us on Instagram to stay up to date (@ustfreshmansymposium).

Convocation Day will be on Friday, August 15, 2025

You can reach a member of the Planning Team by emailing us at wendt.caroline@stthom.edu!