How to Apply and/or Enroll for a 2023-24 Community
All incoming first-year students will take the Joining the Pod survey. This survey will guide the creation of your Fall semester schedule. In addition to indicating your intended major and other information, this survey will require you to rank your top 4 choices for Learning Communities. NOTE: If you do not take the survey, you will be placed in a Learning Community based on availability.
Learning Communities offer guaranteed seats in popular classes that meet graduation and General Education requirements. So, it is in your best interests to complete the Joining the Pod survey early to make sure you are able to indicate your preferences in the registration process.
For those who meet the priority date for Learning Communities, the Registrar’s Office will include the courses in your Guided Registration, space permitting.
NOTE: The courses for Learning Communities (LCs) are not a full schedule of classes. You will register for additional units both semesters of your first year to reach a full-time schedule of 12-15 units (including LC courses) through the Guided Registration process. (However, full time status is not required to participate in a Learning Community.) All of your courses will be put into your shopping cart so that you will be ready to register later in the summer.
You will be informed of which Living-Learning Community or Learning Community you are placed in.
How does housing fit in?
Some of the communities include a housing component. These communities will be identified with a house icon. Many of the students in Living-Learning Communities (LLC) will live on the same floor, but you don’t have to live on campus to be in an LLC. Accommodations will be made for you to participate in the activities of the community that take place on the shared floor.
Learning Communities (LCs) without a housing component will be identified with a compass icon. All students are welcome to join these communities regardless of where they live.
How do I choose the right community for me?
There are three ways to approach the process of ranking your top four communities:
- An area or subject you would like to study. You may be one of those students who knows their major or area of study and want to start taking courses for that right away.
- Open Communities – These community options are for students who want to focus on taking classes toward their majors from day one. However, you do not need to have declared the major to be in the community; all students are welcome.
- Focused Communities – These communities were created by majors to get their students started in their major right away. If you have declared any of these majors, you must rank your major’s Focused Community These communities are not open to students who are not enrolled in the major. For example, a Psychology major will not be eligible to enroll in the Business Learning Community.
- An affinity or identity. Instead of choosing a community based on your major, you may want to meet students with whom you share an identity or interest. These communities are based on membership in a community or a deep desire to know more about and be an ally to a community.
- Exploring your interests. These communities are designed around topics or themes rather than your intended major. The professors who created these communities wanted to explore themes or topics that don’t fit in just one major or class.
2023-24 Learning Community Options
Communities by Areas of Study
Open Communities:
- Business & Economics Community
- Computer Science Community
- Discovery: Exploring the Social Sciences Community
- Politics & Public Service Community
- Strange New Worlds Community
Focused Communities:
- Biology Community
- Healthcare Community
Communities by Affinity/Identity and Interests
Affinity/Identity:
- Michele Serros Community
- Bedford & Dr. Irene Pinkard Community
Interests:
- Discovery: Writing Exploration Community
- Islands Community
- Understanding Space & Belonging Community
- Windows on the World (WOW) Community