University College

What is University College?

KSU created its University College in 2004 to house a variety of interdisciplinary academic programs and services including those designed specifically to support first-year students. It also serves other student populations including the Honors Program, Learning Support Programs, Supplemental Instruction, and the Senior-Year Experience. University College is the first academic home to all first-year exploratory students (those who have not yet declared a major), and it is also the home to the Interdisciplinary Studies degree program.

Two academic departments reside within University College: the Department of First-Year Programs and the Department of University Studies.
What is a learning community and how is it beneficial?

A learning community is a cluster of two to four academic courses designed around a specific major or a general-interest theme. A cohort of 20-25 students join each community, allowing them to take classes together, form study groups, integrate their learning from one class to the other, and get to know a small group of like-minded students during their first semester. There are clearly documented social and academic benefits to communities.  Many, but not all, learning communities include a first-year seminar.

Is my student required to take a learning community?

No. If your first-year student is coming to KSU with fewer than 15 semester credit hours (from AP, IB, joint-enrollment, or transfer credit), he or she will choose to either join a learning community or enroll in one of our first-year seminar courses (KSU 1101,KSU 1111, or KSU 2290). These choices will be clearly explained multiple times during New Student orientation.

How will my student know how to choose a learning community?

There are more than 30 learning communities this fall, so your student will be guided through that myriad of choices by their orientation leaders, academic advisors, and First-Year Programs faculty. The listings of communities with their descriptions and specific courses are on the First-Year Programs website.

What is KSU 1101?

Our first-year seminar course is a 3-credit-hour course for students with fewer than 30 credits designed to acquaint students with KSU while also exploring the role of higher education, ethical decision-making, managing time and resources, communication skills, learning styles, and making major/career decisions. KSU 1101 counts for graduation credit as a free elective in most degree programs.

What is KSU 1111?

An additional first-year seminar course option for students is a 3-credit-hour course that anticipates what our world will be like in the year 2025. While addressing some of the same core skills that are taught in KSU 1101, this course discusses global issues such as population, technology and conflict through the insights of the 7Revolutions concept fostered by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) a Washington, DC-based think tank.

What is KSU 2290?

This fall students also have the option of taking KSU 2290 as their first-year seminar. Like KSU 1101 and 1111, KSU 2290 will provide students with the core components needed to successfully transition to college, but its focus is on community engagement. Students will spend the semester designing and implementing projects that benefit their community, allowing them to use the skills they are learning to better the world.

What will KSU faculty expect from my student?

College students are expected to produce results; effort does not count in college the way it did in high school. College students are expected to come to class prepared, to complete a great deal of work outside the classroom, to seek out professors when they have a question or need assistance, and to assume the responsibilities of an adult who is genuinely interested in learning. Grades are earned in college; they are not given out by professors based on bias, personality or need. Faculty are looking forward to engaging your student in the classroom and watching their growth intellectually, creatively, and socially.

What is the First-Year Convocation?

On Sunday, August 28nd at 3:00pm in KSU’s Convocation Center, you are invited to a very special event on our campus to welcome our first-year students into the campus community. This event is First-Year Convocation. It is an induction ceremony for students, an opportunity for them to officially become a part of the community of learners. Administrators, faculty, and family members are present to celebrate the students and what they will achieve at KSU.