OHIO's Learning Communities help new students get connected and support them during their transition from home to Athens, and from high school to Ohio University and Athens. A Learning Community is a group of students who take a common set of courses together or share a common experience around their academics.
As part of a Learning Community, you'll get to know other students from your major or area of interest. Together, you'll take a series of classes, typically a first-year seminar and two general education courses. You'll gain a deeper understanding of your courses, subject matter and make friends both inside and outside the classroom.
Info for Transfer & Relocating Students
Learning Communities are designed with learning, academic success and life outside the classroom in mind. All students want to feel at home, get to know people easily and do well academically. Ohio University's Learning Communities help students transition to college life, build connections and thrive at OHIO.
Participants have ranked the top four benefits as:
Over 98% of first-year students are in a Learning Community!
Learning Communities are an excellent way to meet new friends. As part of a group of no more than 25 students, you and your community members will share not only learning experiences and out-of-class activities, but support one another's academic success.
You and the members of your Learning Community are enrolled in two or more courses in common. These linked courses form the basis of your fall semester schedule. You’ll know a few friendly faces in those larger classes— finding a study partner has never been so easy!
Every student at Ohio University must complete a series of "general education" courses. The courses in the Learning Community program are either general education courses, or courses that are required for your specific academic program. This means that when you enroll in a Learning Community, you begin to complete these requirements and progress toward your degree immediately.
The Learning Community Seminar is a one-credit seminar course (UC 1900) that serves as the hub of your community. Your instructor will assist you in adjusting to college life as well as guide you through the exploration of what Ohio University has to offer. Each community will also have an upperclass student as a peer mentor (Learning Community Leader, LCL) to provide social and academic support. Other topics such as campus involvement, diversity, community responsibilities and career resources and planning will be explored.
Participating in a Learning Community will give you the opportunity to engage in academic as well as social activities with the members of your community. These activities may include the faculty from your linked courses. Some activities from past communities include custard, climbing, attending athletic and cultural events, cookouts, shopping/IMAX movies in Columbus, dinner with professors, carving pumpkins for Halloween, study sessions, and more.
From your community members, peer mentor and Learning Community instructor to the faculty who teach your linked courses, you will make connections throughout the University. Each of these unique connections can contribute to an academically rich, fun and rewarding academic experience, and your ultimate success at OHIO.
There are specialized options for first-year students as well as transfer and OHIO relocating students.
Students will sign up for their learning community during a June Bobcat Student Orientation (BSO). You do not need to take action before then.
The second day of the day-and-a-half BSO program is held for registration with your advisor. You will leave with a full schedule, including the Learning Community Seminar and linked courses.
Initially, through the beginning of July, the Learning Community classes will show on your schedule as LCOM (this is short for Learning Community). You will see the days and times of the classes that make up your Learning Community but not the specific classes.
After July 6 your schedule will be adjusted and show the specific classes that make up the Learning Community.
OHIO offers a unique Campus Connections class that centers around being a transfer or an OHIO Relocate student. This is a 7-week course supported by a Peer Leader that focuses on connecting you to the Athens community, the campus resources, and to the Bobcat student community.
You will have the opportunity to request housing specifically for students in these communities.
*Note: in early June 2022 residential spaces associated for Campus Connections were full. You could still sign up for the UC 1500 Campus Connections course with your advisor, but housing was full.
To sign up for the Campus Connections class please complete the online form.
[The application link will be activated February 1, 2023.]
There are five objectives for the Learning Community program at Ohio University:
The objectives are met through the following programmatic elements:
There are no additional fees for joining a Learning Community, nor does it require all your time. You will take classes outside your community, room with students outside the program and become involved in other parts of campus life. However, when you have questions, need to get in a study group or want to grab lunch, you will always know someone to call.
You will sign up when you register for classes during your Bobcat Student Orientation.
The majority of our Learning Communities are NOT residentially based, which means that you can live anywhere on campus.
Some of our college-based Learning Communities ARE residentially based and/or have a residential option, and some college-based Learning Communities are non-residential.
For Fall 2023, the College of Fine Arts Communities have a residential option.
During orientation you will be given one call number to use to register for the community of your choice. That one call number will enroll you in two or three courses, the UC 1900 Learning Community Seminar course as well as the classes that are associated with your learning community.
Our residence halls are quite large and even if a Learning Community is residentially based or has a residential option, the students in the Learning Communities are spread out over the entire building so that you can get to know other students as well. The majority of the students in the residence halls are NOT in residentially-based Learning Communities.
Yes. During orientation, you will meet with an academic advisor who will discuss the coursework that would best match your interests and complement the Learning Community classes that you intend to take.
You can still sign up for this Learning Community. Be sure the University has a copy of your transcript. During orientation, the Learning Community director can make adjustments to your Learning Community cluster. We don't want to penalize a student for thinking and planning ahead!
Yes. Students must take all courses that are offered with their community.
The only exception is for those courses in which a student has AP, CC+, or other college credit.
The seminar course is the hub of the community and is taught by the students’ Learning Community instructor. There is also a Learning Community Leader (peer mentor, LCL) who is the instructor’s assistant for each community.
The UC 1500 Campus Connections course is a seven-week course designed to help transfer and OHIO relocate students learn about campus resources and the Athens community, and to build a community with peers who are similarly transitioning to Ohio University. A peer leader assigned to each class will support class conversations, facilitate out-of-class activities and help you to succeed academically in your transition.
Students who take the Campus Connections class are not required to live together, but there is an option, with limited space. Learn more about Residential Learning Communities
Students who live in the Transfer Residential Learning Community are required to take the UC 1500 Campus Connections class.
Learning Communities at Ohio University are a collaborative effort between University College, the Office of Admissions, the Office of the Registrar, Institutional Effectiveness & Analytics, the Office of Information Technology, the Division of Student Affairs, Division of Diversity and Inclusion, Alden Library, Women's Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Scripps College of Communication, the Patton College of Education, the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, the College of Fine Arts, and the College of Health Sciences and Professions.
