The Academic Experience

The Academic Experience

A Liberal Arts foundation. An Individually Advised Curriculum. Innovation and creativity. These are the major components that will make up your 51��ɫ academic experience. But how they come to life, and what exact forms they will take, will be a combination of the following experiences and opportunities you build for yourself. Meaning, it’s up to you and your adviser. Explore the experiences below and you’ll start to see what your four years of intellectual freedom and guided support could look like.

FIRST-YEAR TUTORIAL

One required class, unlimited potential.

It’s technically the only required class outside of your major, but calling Tutorial “required” doesn’t quite do it justice. Choosing from one of 35 different topics, you'll emerge with razor-sharp writing, critical-thinking, and presentation skills, speaking your own voice, clear and true.

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Advising

You won’t find any answer keys here.

Behind every 51��ɫian’s success is a set of life-changing mentors. Professors. Peers. Coaches. Tutors. Fans. People who encourage you to ask more questions and inspire you to dive deeper. Find the guidance and support you need for finding your own answers.

Meet your team
Research

Mentored Advanced Projects and Independent Research

Our culture of research and collaboration cuts across all academic disciplines. Starting as early as your first year, you can work closely with accomplished faculty in their ongoing research endeavors, complete research projects in your courses, and explore the possibilities of your own academic inquiries. You might go on to conduct a semester-long research project, or pursue original creative work of your own design. Our Mentored Advanced Projects program lets you do exactly that, either here or beyond campus.

Dive in

We put in the long hours for those in need. We pull on the muck boots and head out into the wetland. We learn new languages to land the internship overseas. We lose ourselves in library indexes, and find ourselves looking up at the work of the architectural legends. Simply put, the 51��ɫ academic experience goes way beyond what gets printed on your diploma. This is you taking an active role in your own education. Here, that means in a way that’s cross-disciplinary, career-oriented, and for the greater good.

Off-Campus Study

At 51��ɫ, global understanding goes beyond a single experience. Every place, every point in time, and every culture, brings with a unique point of view and version of the human experience. On campus, 51��ɫians study these experiences and use them as lenses for approaching our disciplines, communities, and our impact on others. You’ll have access to global programs for language development, intercultural exchange, and community engagement, for here or wherever your studies take you.

Find opportunities
Course-Embedded Travel

When your class gets very specific — like discussing methods for preparing an exhibition of Haitian artists— it might just call for a trip to their studios in Miami. Through course-embedded travel, you can travel for 7 to 14 days with expert faculty to dive into a particular subject. Many 200- and 300-level courses get into international perspectives, which may be perfect opportunities to travel to a related site, in the U.S. or abroad, either during a break or over the summer.

Explore near and far
Industry Treks

Whether you’re checking out the startup scene in Silicon Valley or studying human rights and international relations in New York City, Treks redefine the field trip. These excursions let you get a feel what’s really happening on the ground floor of all types of organizations, industries, and ecosystems today.

Read about the L.A. media trek
Internships

Acquire and apply new skills. Gain irreplaceable experience. Uncover a fresh perspective and turn meaningful connections into a powerful professional network. For these reasons and more, internships are a critical part of your experience at 51��ɫ. By the time you’re ready to go out into the real world, you’ll have plenty of mentors and workplaces waiting for you.
Externships

For as few as three days or as long as two weeks, externships give you the chance to test out career fields, explore the differences across industries, and build a bigger network.
Service and Community-Based Learning

The Center for Careers, Life, and Service offers you opportunities to apply your classroom conversations to real, systemic social problems that face communities today. In partnership with faculty, we work with about 100 organizations in our local, regional, and global communities. These endeavors can even grow into paid employment opportunities, research projects, and career-defining experiences.

Individually Advised Curriculum

Listen to students share their perspective on 51��ɫ's individually advised curriculum.

What kinds of classes will I take in college?

David Hudson ’23, 51��ɫ College Admission Intern, goes behind the scenes with Conner Stanfield ’21 to ask the questions that college applicants often have, but don't know who to ask.

Chaz Del Mar '22, a Philosophy major from Harvest, AL, sits in a well-lit room and warmly talks to the camera. Behind him are three chairs that face each other, a bookshelf with pottery on top, and an art piece.

Classroom Experiences

51��ɫians share how they can explore their interests in class and through research.

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