Learning Communities
Â鶹´«Ã½ half of Â鶹´«Ã½ freshmen find their perfect level of social and academic support in one of our 10 on-campus learning communities.
Students in learning communities live in the same residence hall and take classes that are centered around a particular major, aspect of social identity and experience, or academic interest. At Â鶹´«Ã½, learning communities help shape the student experience and give you a sense of family amidst the larger SLU community.
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Selecting a Learning Community
As you consider Â鶹´«Ã½'s learning communities, there are a few questions that can guide you in selecting the one that best supports your major or long-term career goals:
- Is there a topic that intrigues me (i.e. leadership, social justice, community service)?
- Are there academic support services like tutoring and academic advising that I would like to have access to in my residence hall?
- Would I like to connect with a faculty member outside of the classroom during my first semester?
- Is there a specific area of campus where I want to live?
- What am I passionate about?
- What part of my social identity would I like to explore more?
- What type of mentorship and network am I hoping to acquire as a first-year student?
Apply to a Learning Community
It’s easy to apply to take part in a learning community at SLU.
Identify the community or communities for which you want to apply. Be sure to review the academic requirements (i.e. major and college) for each learning community as some are major- or college-specific.
You will be registered for your Learning Community courses prior to SLU 101 summer orientation by the LC Academic Coordinator in collaboration with your academic advisor. During SLU101, the LC Academic Coordinator and Academic Advisor will be available to answer any questions that you may have regarding your academic schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re wondering which learning community at Â鶹´«Ã½ is right for you and the application process, take a look at these frequently asked questions.
Learning community experiences offered will not only focus on the academic components of the learning community, but will also provide a variety of social and educational programs to assist with a student's first year transition to the University. Making the transition from high school to college can be difficult. As you experience new freedoms, learn new routines, and face new academic and personal challenges, a learning community can help you begin your college career successfully. We encourage each student to become a partner in their education by becoming an active leader and learner within their learning community.
There are several learning communities that are open to everyone:
Diversity and Global Citizenship
If you have an idea of what you might like to major in, you might select a learning community which focuses on that field and you’ll have the chance to find out if this is a career you’re interested in pursuing.
Yes. Courses must be taken together as a full set of associated courses. However,
learning communities leave room for you to take additional classes. You'll select
these classes when you meet with your academic advisor during your SLU 101 visit. If you have prior credit for a course or the course does not fit your major
academic course plan, you can request an exemption from a learning community course.
There are four general reasons that a learning community student may be excused from
one or more of their learning community courses.
1) The student has prior credit; advanced placement/dual enrollment/transfer credit.
2) The student has not met a prerequisite for the learning community course.
3) The learning community course conflicts with a requirement for their major; including
a course sequence issue (please note: all other learning community course options
and scheduling options must be exhausted before an exemption is given to the student).
4) The student is a student-athlete; in the Billiken Success Program; or in the INTO
program and has a programming conflict.
For most of our learning communities, you must complete both a learning community contract and a housing contract. Some learning communities require supplemental applications.
To be part of the Micah program, you’ll need to complete a supplemental application and be accepted.
If you’d like to be in the Honors Learning Community, you’ll need to apply and be accepted to the University Honors program.
To change your preferences for learning communities before May 1, you can simply edit your learning community contract. Editing your contract does not affect your priority date. After May 1, you can contact us directly at lc@slu.edu or speak to Housing and Residence Life during SLU 101.
Yes. Living in a learning community requires that you live on the floor with that community. If you have an extenuating circumstance that requires you to live in a certain arrangement, due to an approved accommodation, please let Housing and Residence Life know as soon as possible. If you have a disability or need additional accommodations, please contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources.
Both you and your roommate should sign up for the same learning community. You can indicate your roommate request on your housing contract. It is important that both you and your roommate indicate each other on the contract using your nine-digit SLU IDs (starts with 00). The learning community preference that you indicate on your learning community contract takes priority over all other preferences on the housing contract.