Grogan College Learning Communities
Learning Community Topics for 2008-09
Blacks in America
Creativity & Performance
EARTH WORK : Environmental and Sustainability Studies in Global Perspective
Exploring Human Diversity
Finding Your Focus
Music
Nursing Profession Learning Community
Professions that Care: A Human Services Learning Community
Building Entrepreneurship
Teaching as a Profession
BLACKS IN AMERICA: In this learning community, you will take classes in African-American Studies and meet outside of class with one of your instructors for a variety of activities, outings, social gatherings and educational workshops designed to help you make the most out of your college career. Get to know members of the faculty and other students who share your interest in African American history and culture. Receive support, guidance and help with academic study skills. Benefit from getting to know your teachers as mentors. Live in an environment that encourages learning, making friends, and making a difference.
Major or Career Interest : African America Studies, Undecided majors, Liberal Arts as well as Science Majors, Premeds & Pre-Law students needing to fill General Education Requirements
Core Courses: AFS 210:01 Intro African American Studies, REL 251:01 Topics in Religious to Social Ethics and UNS 105:02 The Learning Community Experience. (NOTE: AFS 210 satisfies the General Education Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement as well as requirements for the AFS major and REL 251 satisfies the Philosophical, Religious and Ethical Principles requirement).
Faculty Fellow: Frank Woods, Chair, African-American Studies Department
CREATIVITY 101: Intended for students with serious curiosity about the creative and performing arts, this learning community draws on current theory, critical reflection, movement, performance, and site-specific collaboration to explore the creative process. We will survey ideas about creativity and do hands-on experiments with an array of creative tools and methods drawn from (and applicable to) the arts. We will practice techniques for seeing things in new ways, overcoming perceived obstacles, and generating and harvesting new and useful ideas. We will use our powers of logic, imagination, analysis, feeling, and also explore the role of luck and chance in creative work. Sometimes, we will work independently and sometimes we will work in groups. At times, our work will be done in class, and at other times we will put ourselves in public spaces and contexts to transform and re-create them through site specific performances. Above all, we will have fun as we learn together about this mysterious force: creativity. So, if you are a performing artist or willing to try your hand at being one , this learning community is for you.
Major or Career Interest: Theater, Dance, Art & Others Interested In Expressing Their Creativity
Core Courses: DCE 323:01 “The Arts as Human Experience” and UNS 105:”The Learning Community Experience”. (NOTE DCE 323 fulfills General Education Core Requirements in Fine Arts).
Faculty Fellow: Dr. Larry Lavender, Department of Dance
EARTH WORK : Environmental and Sustainability Studies in Global Perspective. This learning community will focus on the scientific study of our earth environment as well as the human role in it as a global social issue. Students will learn how the major earth systems work and interact (atmosphere, oceans, and solid land masses). They will also investigate the trend toward increasing globalization of the human community and the various issues that are raised by globalization with special attention to environmental problems and solutions. This is an exciting time when a lot of attention is being focused on how humans effect our environment and how to change our lives to live with less. Whether you are looking for a "GREEN CAREER" in dealing with environmental problems, or planning to be a leader in the emerging global village, or just preparing to be an informed global citizen, this learning community offers an exciting and relevant way get started on your future.
Major or Career Interest: Environmental Studies, Green Careers, International Studies, Public Administration., Political Science, Sociology & Geography, Undecided and Liberal Arts majors
Core Courses: GEO 103:02 Introduction to Earth Science, SOC 202:04 Social Problems Global Context and UNS 105:03 The Learning Community Experience. (NOTE: GEO 103 satisfies the General Education Natural Science requirement and SOC 202 satisfies the Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement as well as the Global Marker requirement).
Faculty Fellow: Dr. Jay Lennartson, Geography Department
EXPLORING HUMAN DIVERSITY: Different people from all over the planet are increasingly encountering each other in every area of life. We are truly entering a “global village. So, in this learning community you prepare for the global future as Faculty Fellow Dorothy Davis uses interviews and fieldwork techniques drawn from cultural anthropology to take you on a journey among the peoples and cultures of the nonwestern-world. You will meet, interview and interact with UNCG students who are visiting from abroad, attend international festivals and programs, dine on a variety of different foods, ponder and discuss the complexities of cross-cultural understanding and learn more about yourself and your own background in the process!
Major or Career Interest: Undecided Majors, any Liberal Arts major as well as Science Majors Premeds & Pre-Law students needing to fill General Education Requirements
Core Courses: AFS 210:01 Intro African American Studies, REL 251:01 Topics in Religious to Social Ethics, ENG 101:12, SOC 202:04 Social Problems Global Context and UNS 105:09 The Learning Community Experience. (NOTE: AFS 210 satisfies the General Education Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement as well as requirements for the AFS major, REL 251 satisfies the Philosophical, Religious and Ethical Principles requirement and Soc 202 provides a Global marker requirement.).
Faculty Fellow: Frank Woods, Chair, African-American Studies Department
FINDING YOUR FOCUS: Are you unsure about where you're heading, what makes life meaningful and how your college career can contribute to a fulfilling and successful future? Then here is your opportunity to step back and take a good look at modern life (where we are and how we got here) and your potential place in it. In this learning community you join with other students to examine contemporary culture, society and economics, identify values, and explore various understandings of what education can be. At the same time, you will receive expert assessments of your learning styles and academic skills, work on improving your skills, learn about taking care of your physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being, collaborate and network with other students, and explore career options and career development skills. You will also meet interesting people, make friends, form study groups work on your writing skills and get support and guidance from instructors who care about students.
Major or Career Interest: Undecided Majors, any Liberal Arts major as well as Science Majors Premeds & Pre-Law students needing to fill General Education Requirements
Core Courses: REL 251:01 Topics in Religious Social Ethics, ENG 101:07 Composition I, PSC 100:03 American Politics and UNS 105: The Learning Community Experience. (NOTE: REL 251 satisfies the Philosophical and Ethical Principles requirement, ENG 101 satisfies the Reasoning and Discourse requirement and PSC 100 Satisfies the General Education Requirement in Social and Behavioral Studies)
Faculty Fellow: John Sopper, Religious Studies Department.
MUSIC: If you are admitted to the widely acclaimed UNCG School of Music, then take advantage of this very special opportunity to be part of the Grogan College Music Learning Community. As a learning community student, you will work closely with one of your first-year Music instructors who will help you learn the ropes and get off to a successful college career. In the learning community, you will join with fellow music majors for educational workshops and activities, exciting outings, intense discussions, lectures, concerts, and visits from professional musicians and others who make their career in the arts. This is a sure way to get off to a good start in your first year at UNCG.
Major or Career Interest: Students Previously Auditioned and Admitted to the School of Music
Core Courses: MUS 107: Technology for Musicians and UNS 105 The Learning Community Experience (NOTE: MUS 107 is required for all Music majors. Learning Community students will be placed in a common section of each course, one of which will be taught by your learning community faculty fellow. You must first be admitted to the UNCG School of Music in order to qualify to be a part of the Music Learning Community ).
In the spring term, Music learning community students will be enrolled in a common section of MUS 135 Introduction to Musicology which is required of all Music Majors
Faculty Fellow: TBD, Music Department.
NURSING PROFESSION LEARNING COMMUNITY: Nursing is a very important and rewarding field, but also a demanding one requiring intensive preparation and sustained professional development. To assist potential Nursing majors get started in their program of study and professional development, Grogan College offers a learning community specifically tailored to pre-nursing majors called “The Nursing Profession”. Students in this program will live together in Grogan Hall and take several courses together that are part of the Nursing requirements at UNCG. In addition, you will have upper class student mentors (called a PAL) living with you who are involved in the Nursing School, as well as mentoring from members of the Nursing faculty who are dedicated to undergraduate education. Finally, your PAL and faculty fellow will guide you through a variety of activities and lessons designed to broaden your vision of healthcare, and prepare basic academic and professional skills.
Major or Career Interest: Nursing Majors
Core Courses: Bio 111:02 Principles of Biology l (LECTURE); Bio 111: Principles of Biology (LAB); CHE 103: General Descriptive Chemistry l (LECTURE); CHE 110: Chemistry LAB; ENG 101 and UNS 105: The Learning Community Experience (NOTE: BIO 111, CHE 103, and CHE 110 fulfill requirements for the School of Nursing major, as well as General Education Requirements in Natural Sciences. ENG 101 satisfies the General Education requirement in Reasoning and Discourse).
Faculty Fellows: Deb Stanford, and Ram Upadhyaya UNCG School of Nursing.
PROFESSIONS THAT CARE: A HUMAN SERVICES LEARNING COMMUNITY: Grogan College is currently developing a new offering for 2007-2008 designed to serve those students considering course work and careers in human services such as counseling, public health, social work and family care services. Drawing on course work and faculty expertise from Departments such as Psychology, Social work, Public Health Education, Geography and Human Development and Family Studies, the purpose of this learning community is to explore opportunities and develop professional skills and attitudes in a community of fellow students and faculty who have a common interest in the human services field. If you are interested in human services, then apply for this learning community.
Major or Career Interest: Counseling, Early Childhood Dev., Human Development and Family Studies, Nutrition, Psychology, Recreational Therapy, Social Work, ,Health or any Human Services Field
Core Courses: HDF 212:01 Families and Close Relationships, FMS 170:03 Freshmen Seminar in Social and Behavioral Studies: Narrative Healing, PSY 121:04 General Psychology, NUT 213:01 Introductory Nutrition and UNS 105:01 The learning Community Experience. (NOTE: HDF 212, FMS 170 and PSY 121 satisfy General Education requirements in Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as major requirements in several Departments in the School of Human Environmental Sciences. NUT 213 satisfies General Education requirements in natural Sciences.
Faculty Fellow: Sherry Lash, Department of Human Development and Family Studies.
BUILDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: First-year students with a strong interest in developing the creativity, passion, commitment, and competitive drive of the successful entrepreneur are invited to apply to participate in the unique learning experience offered by the “Building Entrepreneurship” Learning Community. For this learning opportunity, the student must be willing to meet the following expectations listed below. These expectations help to ensure that the student will benefit from the small-group setting. Dedicate six hours per week to outside of class activities of the learning community (including site visits off-campus). Exhibit a high degree of commitment to personal growth, learning, professionalism, and personal integrity both in and out of the classroom. Engage in collaboration and teamwork with students, staff, and faculty. Provide evidence of the application of your creativity and innovative potential on a regular basis.
Major or Career Interest: Business, Accounting, Finance, Entrepreneurship & Starting Your Own Company or Organization
Core Courses: UNS 105: The Learning Community Experience, BUS 105: Introduction to Business Skills Development, 1 credit or BUS 205: Opportunities in Entrepreneurship, 3 credits.
Faculty Fellow: Joseph Erba, Lecturer, Bryan School of Business and Economics
TEACHING AS A PROFESSION: The purpose of this learning community is to offer students interested in teaching a way to find out if teaching is truly right for them. As a student in this learning community, you will explore various understandings of the purpose and value of education, both for those individuals being educated and for the larger society. You will also explore different possibilities for careers in education. At the same time, you will meet and make friends with other students who share your interests, receive personal attention and support from your instructor, participate in study skills, career development and diversity workshops, go on field experiences in the public schools and have some fun in the process.
Core Courses: REL 251:01 Topics Relating to Social Ethics, ENG 101:07, HEA 201:03 Personal Health, PSY 121:05 General Psychology, and UNS 105:04 The Learning Community Experience. (NOTE: REL 251 satisfies the General Education Requirement in Philosophical, Religious and Ethical Principles, HEA 201 and PSY 121 satisfy General Education requirements in Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as Teacher Licensure requirements in some education fields)..
Faculty Fellow: Misti Williams, Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations, School of Education