Understanding Learning Communities

Learning Communities are the basis of the Freshman Academy learning experience. They consist of small groups of first semester students who attend three to five classes together, are guided by an upperclassman peer mentor, and who build connections with the broader campus community.

As an example, the following describes the organization of courses in a typical learning community.

For more information on how housing works in the learning communities, click here.

Learning Community

Scientific Principles of Reasoning: Physical Science

This learning community includes the following classes:
     Physical Science (PhyS 100), Book of Mormon (Rel A 121), and English (Engl 150).

Each envelope within this community contains a small English section, a Book of Mormon section shared with another envelope, and a Physical Science course, which includes all students in the learning community*.

There are four different envelopes (schedule configurations) within the learning community. If three students register for each envelope, making a total of 12 students in the learning community, the student envelopes would come together in the following fashion.

Each envelope has a separate, small section of English which only includes the students who registered for a particular envelope.

Two envelopes of students are enrolled together in a section of Book of Mormon.

All students in the learning community are then enrolled in the same Physical Science course.

*Learning community structure will vary according to the number of courses included and the size of the community. If you would like to explore learning community options for the semester you are entering the university, click the "Joining FA" menu link above.