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Student Academic Choices

Joel Nossoff, Director
Freshman Learning Communities
University Advisement and Enrichment Center Suite 180
MSC06 3680
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-6518

Dan Young, Ph.D., Director
Research Service Learning Program
University Advisement and Enrichment Center Suite 180
MSC06 3680
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-3355

Andrés Armijo, Director
University Advisement and Enrichment Center Suite 180
MSC06 3680
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-6515

Mary Thomas, Program Manager
Freshman Interest Groups, Interdisciplinary Co-ops
University Advisement and Enrichment Center Suite 180
MSC06 3680
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
(505) 277-2028

University College offers interdisciplinary, experiential, and exploratory academic programs to help undergraduate students make a successful transition to university life, and make informed personal, professional, and academic choices. These programs

• Provide small seminars that allow maximum student engagement with peers, faculty, and ideas.
• Connect theory and practice.
• Contextualize learning in both campus and community-based settings.
• Explore academic and professional paths with local practitioners.

Freshman Academic Choices

These programs help students make a faster, smoother, more informed transition to university life by engaging with faculty and students who share their interests, and by developing community. All entering freshmen are eligible as long as they meet the requirements for the individual courses. Offerings vary from year to year; students may access the Freshman Academic Choices website at http://freshman.unm.edu and will discuss their choices with their advisors during LOBOrientation.

1. Freshman Learning Communities. Up to 25 freshmen take two or more classes together. Instructors integrate the content and teaching of their courses around a theme or topic. The interdisciplinary FLCs provide a personalized and stimulating introduction to academic life at The University of New Mexico.
2. Freshman Interest Groups. Freshmen who share interests in a theme or current topic enroll in a one-to three-credit seminar as a group. The community oriented seminar is block scheduled with a larger core or elective course that is related to the theme. Goals of the FIGs are college success, success in the core or elective course, and major and career exploration by means of the FIG topic or theme.
3. Living & Learning Communities. The LLCs are well-rounded universtiy experiences that provide students who have an intended major the opportunity to belong to an academic and residential community.lLLCs are communities of up to 20 students who intend to major in Fine Arts, Engineering, Business and Management, Architecture and Planning, Health Sciences Professions, International Studies and Careers, Sustainability Studies, and Biology Studies. LLC students live together in on-campus student apartments, and have the opportunity to network among their peers while taking classes together. Students interested in the LLC must apply to both the LLC program and Housing Reservations as soon as they are accepted for admission to UNM.
4. College Success Seminars. College Success Seminars (CSS) are created to guide and support first semester incoming freshman by teaching college success skills such as test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, development of English composition and approaches to developing math skills. They are strongly encouraged for the freshman student who is required to enroll in Introductory Studies Reading 100, Introductory Studies English 100, and Introductory Studies Math 100. The CSS will enhance any freshman student’s transition to university life, while focusing on achieving higher academic successes.

Other Programs

1. Seminars in Career Awareness. Offered Spring semester, the SCAs are one- to three-credit seminars designed to help students explore areas of career interest. General sections will allow students to explore career options broadly; focused sections taught by professionals from the community will explore more specific career fields. Focused SCAs will require extensive off-campus activity as students investigate careers in the field.
2. Research Service Learning Program. RSLP courses engage students in learning that is relevant to their academic goals while they provide benefit to the community. Students learn research methods, develop academic skills, provide needed services to the community, and become more civically aware and responsible. Most RSLP courses meet Core Curriculum requirements or count toward a degree. All undergraduates are eligible to participate in RSLP courses.