Take your required classes in a new and innovative way!

Learning Communities integrate two or more courses using a common theme. By connecting subjects through readings and assignments, understanding of the material is easier and learning is improved. Furthermore, you'll work with the same community of students in the linked classes, helping each other succeed and making friends along the way. To enroll, simply register for the specific courses and sections in the learning community. The courses will transfer and will appear on your transcript just as they would if you took them separately.

Benefits of Learning Communities:

• Reinforcement of content in both courses.
• Opportunity to make friends and form strong bonds with fellow students.
• Built-in support system.
• Increased interaction with the faculty.
• Courses offered at prime times.
• Courses often offered back-to-back in the same room.

Fall 2018 Learning Communities

Talkin’ and Testifyin’: The History and Culture of African Americans

Learn about the richness of African American culture and history from songs, sermons, speeches and other primary sources. Discover Black people’s thoughts, feelings and deeds from painters, filmmakers, storytellers and comedians. See the faces and hear the voices that have been left out of many U.S. history books. In this learning community, we will use media and public presentations to explore African American heritage. 

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121.

Speaking of History: Connecting with History through Speech

Good speeches have shaped and described U.S. history since the country’s founding. Expand your knowledge of selected U.S. historical events and personalities while refining your public speaking skills, conducting research and gaining confidence as a presenter. Study texts, primary sources and videos and gain speaking practice. 

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121.

What is your Food IQ? Facts, Myths and Misinformation about What We Eat

What are the implications of your food choices? Did you know that something as common as table sugar can impact human rights, the environment and human health? Study contemporary literature related to food's impact on health, politics, economics, culture and the environment, and connect this information to knowledge gained through scientific inquiry.

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 121 (math requirement for BIO 135 waived)

Our Body, Our Voice

Did you know your mindset about health influences your behavior? Your food choices will determine how you feel today, tomorrow and in the future. Explore your health and enhance your wellness while learning how to influence others to do the same. Students will learn about the dimensions of wellness and research current health topics to persuade an audience to make healthy lifestyle changes! Learn how to take care of your body and how to use your voice to impact global wellness. This course is a step towards delivering effective messages, setting specific goals to gain self-confidence and creating a healthier you.

Mind over Math

Do you have anxieties and fears about learning math? Do negative thoughts interfere with your self-confidence and test performance? Join this learning community to explore principles of psychology and apply them immediately for success in your math class. You will learn about the physical, mental, emotional and behavioral aspects of math anxiety. With new insights about motivation, memory and learning, you will discover new study approaches that work for you. New perspectives and strategies will empower you to enjoy learning math and take tests with new-found confidence. 

Calculus and Physics: The Language of Our Changing Universe

We are surrounded everywhere by a continuously changing world, and calculus is the mathematics that describes this continuous change. Over centuries, the origins and development of calculus were motivated and driven by problems in physics. We will examine ways in which this particular language of mathematics helps us understand and describe the forces of physics at work in our dynamic universe. We will see how many important concepts in physics, including projectile motion, force, work, energy, momentum, inertia, can be described and deeply understood using the language and techniques of calculus. 

Prerequisite: MAT 191. Students must sign up for the lab component of the General Physics class.

Business Communications in the Digital Age: To Tweet or Not to Tweet

Did you see the juggling cats on Facebook? Did you share it with your friends? Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snap Chat and Instagram — we live in the computer age and there are implications for how we communicate in business. How is social media best used for business communication? That is one of the many questions this learning community will explore as we examine the pros and cons of social media, the Internet, and other forms of communication used in the business world today. We will examine various communication strategies and determine which ones convey information best to target audiences and assist in building successful businesses. We will also learn how to analyze data, identify misleading information, and enhance our verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121.

Just Us: Social Justice for a Just World

Is this the kind of society and world in which you want to live? In this cluster, you will investigate, discuss and speak out about social justice issues you care about the most. Find out what activists are doing to address injustices in areas such as civil rights, criminal justice, the environment, foreign policy, immigration, labor unions, privacy rights, social class, women’s rights and more. Learn how to advocate for the principles you believe in and create a more just society. Learn how to let your voice be heard!

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121.

Born or Made? How Science and Society Shape Identity

Are people born gay? Is being Latino a biological fact? Can anyone become a genius, or do our genes determine our destiny? This learning community will delve into such questions and examine whether our “common sense truths” about categories such as ability, health, sexual orientation, race and gender are truths at all. Bringing together science and literature, we will be able to shed new light on how identity is constructed in society. 

Pre-requisite: Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115 or ENG 121 and either eligibility for any general education math or a score of 27 or better on the Arithmetic Placement Test or a B or better in MAT 005.