USF 2000-2001 Undergraduate Catalog - Page 18

Learning Communities

Specially designed for beginning freshmen, the Learning Communities at the main campus in Tampa allow students to complete most of their General Education Requirements during their first two years as part of a community of 50 students and selected faculty. Students take two or three courses within the Learning Community each term, in addition to two or three courses outside the community. The Learning Community classes are challenging, interdisciplinary courses that are team taught by faculty who utilize interactive teaching methods. Students are active participants in their education. The interdisciplinary focus of all communities helps students make connections between the various disciplines that comprise the General Education curriculum, while including the dimensions of values/ethics, international and environmental perspectives, race/ethnicity, and gender. Through an approach called “writing across the curriculum,” students develop critical thinking and writing skills as they write about the subjects they are studying in the community. In addition, students in the Learning Communities communicate with each other through e-mail, and develop information literacy and library research skills through the use of the World Wide Web.

Several distinct Learning Communities are available each year, focusing on different themes, with one community reserved for students who wish to live on campus in the same residence hall. Selection of students for the Learning Communities is based on space availability at the time of application, but generally the program is open to all first-year students who are qualified to begin ENC 1101 (minimum SAT Verbal 440 or EACT English 17). Students who wish to apply for the Learning Communities should be flexible and open to non-traditional instructional methods. Interested students may phone Kimberly Williams (813) 974-6968, email williams@chuma1.cas.usf.edu, or visit our Web site at http://web.usf.edu/~lc/.

Please send questions or comments to:
Mia Fluitt - webCat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 2001