First-Year Academic Learning Communities (ALC) Program
Application Deadline Extended: July 1, 2023
The First-Year Academic Learning Communities (ALC) program provides the opportunity for students to engage in learning experiences with peers and faculty in their academic major. Through the ALCs, you’ll engage in a unique educational experience by taking three of the same courses with other first-year Rams, participate in fun and rewarding social and career programs, and build meaningful experiences with professors (faculty fellows) in your academic program.
VCU offers four ALC programs for students interested in pursuing one of the following majors: Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science (HPEX), Mass Communications (MASC), Political Science (POLI), and Psychology (PSYC). We strongly encourage our undeclared/discovery students to participate in one of these communities if interested in pursuing any of these majors.
Benefits:
- Have access to specialized major courses earlier in your program
- Connect monthly with faculty members in your academic discipline to meet your academic and career goals
- Build a network of friends who have similar academic interests
- Participate in engaging social and professional activities
- Engage with your academic support team to help ease the transition to college life
Expectation of Engagement:
- Attend and participate in the three ALC courses for your academic track
- Engage in four programs in the fall semester (one per month) facilitated by your faculty fellow
FAQ's
Students accepted into the ALC program will be notified on Friday, June 9, 2023 via their VCU email.
View the fall 23 ALC course schedules here.
Our student success team will register you for your three learning community courses, and if you have already registered for your fall 23 courses, we will adjust your schedule to ensure that you are in the appropriate courses to match your academic plan of study.
Unfortunately, if you have received or expect to receive prior credit for the ALC courses for your intended academic learning community track, you will not be able to apply for the ALC program.
If you are an undeclared/discovery student interested in any of the four academic learning communities tracks, we encourage you to select the track that most aligns with your academic and career interests.
No. This is an academic-based program and is not associated with residence halls or room assignments. Students admitted into this program will be enrolled in major-specific courses to build community with other first-year students majoring in the same discipline.
For questions about the First-Year Academic Learning Communities program email: fyesye@vcu.edu.