FIAT LUX SEMINAR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

2024-25 Academic Year Deadlines

  • Winter 2025: Extended to Friday, November 15, 2024
  • Spring 2025: Monday, January 20, 2025

Upcoming 2025-26 Academic Year Deadlines

  • Fall 2025: Monday, May 30, 2025

All proposals for Fiat Lux seminars must be submitted online using the Course Inventory Management System (CIMS). Once you have logged into CIMS, scroll down to “Submit Course Request” > “Propose a Fiat Lux Seminar” section, and click on “Propose.”

SEMINAR PROPOSAL PROCESS

All Fiat Lux Seminar Proposals are reviewed by the Fiat Lux Faculty Advisory Committee. Department Chairs are also consulted in the review process. All proposals are submitted online using the Course Management System [CIMS].

Once a seminar has been approved on CIMS, faculty will receive an email confirmation from the Academic Coordinator with scheduling instructions.

ELIGIBILITY

All UCLA Academic Senate faculty are eligible to teach a seminar. To review a list of eligible Senate faculty titles, please click here.

Teaching a Fiat Lux seminar is considered overload teaching for which a Senate faculty member receives research funding and not compensation. Teaching a Fiat Lux seminar does not count as part of a regular workload nor does it result in any reduction of teaching responsibilities.

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

  • Submit an online course proposal form on Course Inventory Management System (CIMS).
    • Note: Previously approved seminars must submit a proposal on CIMS to start the scheduling process. 
  • Once you have logged into CIMS, scroll down to the “Propose a Fiat Lux seminar” section, and click on “Propose.”
    • Note: All Fiat Lux seminars have the course number “19”.  Once you select your subject heading, the proposal will automatically list the 19 course number.
  • The proposal will request the following information:
    • Seminar Title
    • Seminar Description*
    • Reading List
    • Seminar Workload
    • Biographical Statement**
    • Quarter & Year that the seminar will be offered
      • Seminars are offered only during Fall, Winter, or Spring terms
    • Select seminar format – weekly or bi-weekly
      • Classes are scheduled weekly for one-hour or bi-weekly for two-hour meetings.
      • Seminars that will meet on an alternative schedule can select bi-weekly on the proposal.
      • Note: Bi-weekly schedules or alternative schedules will need to be noted in the class description.
    • Select seminar category
      • Seminars are organized in the following categories on the Fiat Lux website
        • Arts & Humanities
        • Culture & Society
        • Science & Technology

*This section has a character cap of 1080 (includes spaces).

**This section has a character cap of 599 (includes spaces).

For any questions related to the Fiat Lux Seminar Program, please contact the Academic Coordinator, Pia Palomo.

SEMINAR GUIDELINES

SEMINAR FORMAT:

All Fiat Lux seminars are one-unit seminars and graded P/NP (Pass or No Pass).  As one-unit seminars, students are expected to invest no more than three hours per week (or a quarterly total of 30 hours), both in and out of class (according to Academic Senate regulations).

Seminars typically are scheduled to meet weekly for one-hour meetings or bi-weekly for two-hour meetings.  Seminars may have alternative schedules.

No seminars should meet during Finals Week. 

ENROLLMENT:

Enrollment is limited to a maximum of 20 students to keep a small group setting and encourage engagement between faculty and students.  Seminars will be closed either week 2 or 3 (depending if your seminar is weekly or biweekly).

ATTENDANCE:

Since one of the missions of the Fiat Lux Seminar Program is to encourage students to engage in dialogue with their instructor and fellow students, attendance at each meeting is required.

For a seminar that meets weekly, a student may miss one class meeting with the instructor’s approval.

For a seminar that meets on an alternate schedule – either every other week or on specific days out of the normal schedule pattern, a student who misses one class meeting cannot earn a passing grade.