What is a Learning Community?

A Learning Community is a group of freshmen with the same major or interests who take 2 or 3 of their core curriculum classes together during their first semester at UTSA. It's a voluntary program that assists first-year students academically and socially. Any freshman or transfer student with less than 30 credit hours can join!

Each Learning Community includes 25 freshmen. These students enroll in connected courses that they take together. For example, a student majoring in Biology may enroll in a Biology Learning Community. The community may have a Freshman Seminar that connects to Freshman Composition and a large Biology I lecture course. Since all of the students in this Learning Community would be Biology majors, the Freshman Seminar would not re-teach the Biology I course, but it would focus on Biology topics and events.

Why should I join a Learning Community?

 

For academic reasons:

• You can easily form study groups
• Your GPA and retention rates will be consistently higher
• In large lecture classes, you'll have guaranteed seats
• You will get more attention from professors

And for social reasons:

• Meet fellow students with interests similar to yours
• Form friendships
• Make connections on campus
• Attend exclusive Learning Communities events and workshops.
  
  

What types of Learning Communities are there?

• All Majors Learning Community - two or three courses are connected. Topics vary by instructor.

• Major/Interest Specific Learning Community - two or three courses are connected based on the student's major or common interests, such as Biology or Pre-Law.

• Academic Development Program Learning Community – Only provisional students are enrolled in the cohort. Consists of a Freshman Seminar course and a large lecture course.

• Personal, Academic, and Career Exploration Learning Community – Only undecided students are enrolled in the cohort. Consists of a Freshman Seminar course, Freshman Composition course, and a large lecture course.

• Access College and Excel Scholar Learning Community – Consists of a Freshman Seminar and two large lecture courses.

• "Stand Alone" Learning Community - consists of only a Freshman Seminar course. Students are not connected with any other courses.

How do I sign up?

During group advising at Orientation, let your academic advisor know that you are interested in enrolling in a Learning Community! If you have any further questions, visit our Staff page by clicking here.