Department of Residential Life
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Learning about Learning Communities

Freshman Interest Groups
Most students decide where they want to live based on their choice of living-learning communities. Mizzou offers two types of learning communities: Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) and learning communities. Mizzou offers over 100 Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs), which are designed exclusively to help first-year college students get off to a great start. Groups of 15-20 freshmen are assigned to the same residence hall community. They enroll together in three core courses and one class that focuses on essential skills for college success and the particular FIG theme. Each FIG has a Peer Advisor (PA), an advanced undergraduate student who helps students make the adjustment to college, and a co-facilitator (a faculty or staff member who serves as an additional resource for the FIG). For more information about FIGs, visit the FIGs Web site.

Learning Communities
There are 23 learning communities (LCs) located throughout the residence halls at MU, each of which focuses on a specific academic major, academic interest area, or other common interests. The "sponsor" is commonly an academic department or college working closely with Residential Life to support the community.

All learning communities are open to first-year as well as returning students (sophomores, juniors, and seniors) and offer a variety of special features or programs, such as study groups, computer labs, resource areas etc. Learning Communities range in size from 50 to 200 students.

The student Community Advisors (CA) who live on each floor help coordinate programs and activities related to the community focus. While students may choose to co-enroll in courses, this is not a required feature of the community. Most Learning Communities also have the option for students to be in a FIG that is part of that community.

Suggested LCs by Major (.pdf)


Going to be a sophomore next year? Learn about the Sophomore Experience!


For more information about specific learning communities, click on one of the links below.


Updated January 29, 2008
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