This year more than 3,000 freshmen are expected to walk onto the University of New Mexico campus. So to help freshmen students from just becoming a face in a crowd, University College has a variety of Freshman Academic Choices designed to bring students with similar interests together in small groups.
There are three ways freshmen interested in specific topics can get together. One is Freshman Learning Communities where two or more classes are taught together. The courses are planned and taught together, so both involve small groups, collaborative learning and limited lectures.
Learning Community themes for fall 2005 range from “Making a Difference,” a chance to work with local people on service learning projects to “It IS a Bug’s Life,” an exploration of insects and their relationships with people from the harmful to the helpful to the holy.
In Freshman Interest Groups, 25 students enroll in a weekly one-credit seminar organized around a theme. They also enroll in one or two additional classes together.
The themes range from “Need a Career in an Emergency,” an experience that explores types of public emergency work to “REZ”sources, “REZ”spect & “REZ”sponsibility a theme that helps students develop an understanding of how diversity, leadership, support, partnerships, and spirituality affect a Native American community.
The third way freshmen can connect with other students is in a Living and Learning Community. This is a community of 18 freshmen who share common academic interests, and space in a residence hall along with a weekly seminar and enroll in additional classes together. Living and Learning Communities are offered for students interested in Fine Arts, Engineering, Management, Architecture & Planning, Health Sciences Professionals and Language & Culture.
A complete description of all the Freshman Academic Choices available can be found at Freshman Academic Choices
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627