MIT practices in this area
(For detailed descriptions of these MIT LCs please see the MIT Environmental Scan, or visit the associated links, below.)
- Georgia State University: First-year Learning Communities (FLCs) consist of 25 students enrolled in five courses centered around an academic theme (“Meta Major”) including STEM, Business, Arts and Humanities, Policy Studies, Health, Education, Social Sciences, and Undeclared. Curricular requirements include:
- An orientation course, that gives students an overview of the rules, procedures and resources of the University. The course also provides information for students in their selection of major.
- Four core courses that can count toward any major.
- University of Connecticut: Non-Residential Learning Communities are created by having students who share a major, or interest in a profession, enroll in a 1-credit course in their first semester. Students do not elect to participate in these learning communities at UConn. For some fields of major, students are automatically assigned to a particular course. In other cases, students are encouraged to enroll in a particular course.
LC themes offered by UConn include: Allied Health, Animal Science, Chemistry, English, Environmental Science/Environmental Studies, History, Pathobiology, Pre-Journalism, Pre-Teaching, Nutritional Sciences, and Physiology & Neurobiology.
These first-year experience courses are taught by faculty or advisors from the major.
They provide students with information about career paths within the field and connect them with relevant opportunities. The small class-size gives students opportunities to meet peers with the same academic and/or career interests, and, to get to know a faculty member and or mentor in their field.
- University of Texas-Austin: TIP Scholars Program in the College of Natural Sciences at UT-Austin is a learning community for first-year students from low-income or underprepared backgrounds who are admitted to the College. TIP Scholars co-enroll in first- and second-year core classes, can participate in small collaborative study sessions, have dedicated peer mentors and academic advisors, and can access common community space. TIP Scholars participate in a specific Signature Course.