First Year students have a variety of options to live the CI Mission through academic success and integration into the life of the University, both inside and outside of the classroom. Participating in these communities is shown to improve student learning, persistence to the second year, and time to graduation, and foster stronger relationships with peers and faculty. Open to all majors and interests, there are ethnic-studies communities, communities for undeclared students, and communities for those headed for law or health care careers or interested in community-based research, just to name a few.
Our goal is student success. As such, we believe participation in the learning communities program is key to building a student community and an individual sense of belonging on the CI campus. Just as important, programming in our learning communities aims to build student confidence as a student and scholar both in and outside of the classroom.
- Learning Communities (LCs) provide seats in a block of high-demand courses, as well as a guaranteed seat in at least one high-demand course for the Spring.
- Each Community has a different theme that is based on major, interest, or area of study.
- For the Living-Learning Community (LLC) options, students can live on the LLC campus housing floor with students from their community. They should rank their LLC and/or LC choices in the Joining the Pod survey, submit the housing application application (priority deadline is June 2, 2023) and pay all applicable housing fees. The student housing application can be accessed through (under myLinks) and is available now. Depending on demand, you may be placed into any one of the preferences that you rank in the Joining the Pod Survey, so think carefully about the courses that you are committing to.
- Placement in Learning Communities and those with the Living-Learning option is on a first-come, first-served basis in a co-requisite block of classes in designated sections. Rank your top four preferences in the Joining the Pod Survey for placement in a Learning Community. Placed students will enroll in LC/LLC classes during the Guided Registration process at Orientation.
- Students registered in LC and LLC Fall courses should make note of the whole year’s course lineup, and be sure to NOT register in the Fall for a course that they will take in the Spring.
Learning Communities for AY 2025-26
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This community honors the continued legacy of Bedford and Dr. Irene Pinkard, founders of the Ventura County Chapter of Black American Political Association of California and their work in the underserved communities of Ventura County. The goal of this community is to develop leadership and mentoring skills to encourage a sense of belonging at CI, critically analyze issues that impact the Black and other vulnerable populations of the world and to imagine and create more inclusive futures. A peer mentor will be embedded in the UNIV course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.
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If you have declared a major in Biology, you must rank this as one of your Learning Community choices on the Joining the Pod survey. Students in this community will be introduced to the biology of organisms including ecology, evolution, diversity and human impacts. Along with Principles of Organismal & Population Biology, you will take a critical thinking course in which you will develop quantitative, information and scientific literacy and oral and written communication skills. This course introduces students planning on a major in the sciences to CI’s interdisciplinary approach to scientific, evidence-based reasoning. Students in the community will take Statistics for Biologists together in the Spring. Taking all three courses and the BIOL lab together will allow you to start conversations and projects in one course and carry them into these others, giving you the opportunity to learn and create together. Your community will also include a peer mentor who will help you navigate the courses and your transition to college.
Eligibility/Condition: Only first-year students who are enrolled at CSUCI as Biology Majors are eligible for this Learning Community.
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This learning community is open to all students interested in engaging with Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander culture and identity. As we talk story about family and share food, we will examine a range of materials relating to AANHPI history and communities. You will learn from each other during class and on our (no-cost) field trips off campus. As we explore issues such as activism and coalition building, we will create a support network, strong community and interethnic solidarity together. A peer mentor will be embedded in the community to help support you as you navigate your way at CSUCI.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.
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This community is for students interested in Nursing, Health Science and related areas of study. This is designed to help students explore the many career paths and options within the growing healthcare industry. You will participate in field trips and have opportunities to meet and interact with healthcare professionals. A peer mentor will be embedded in the anchor course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: This learning community is limited to first-year students who have declared a major in Health Science or expressed an interest in Nursing.
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This community welcomes students who are interested in coding and computer science. The community will create opportunities for students who share interests in gaming, design, development, and expression of algorithms. Along with Intro to Programming, you will take a First-Year Seminar together in the Fall semester and Professional Communication in the Spring. Taking all three courses together will allow you to start conversations and projects in one course and carry them into these others giving you the opportunity to learn and create together. Your community will also include a peer mentor who will help you navigate these three courses and your transition to college.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students. Meets requirements for Computer Science, Information Technology and Math majors.
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Join the Department of Dance, Music and Theatre's Learning Community that is open to ALL majors. You will have an anchor class specific to Dance, Music or Theatre as well as guaranteed access to the GE Oral Communication requirement that will help with your confidence and performance skills.Gain a deeper understanding of the world through the lens of dance, music or theatre! This is an excellent LC for new Dance, Music & Theatre majors or minors. Develop community with those who love the performing arts.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students. Meets requirements for Dance, Music and Theatre majors.
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Students in this community will be introduced to theories and research in Psychology. You will have the chance to explore together some of the big issues in the field of psychology, what different types of psychologists do and how to critically evaluate psychological literature. Along with Intro to Psychology, you will take a First-Year Seminar together in the Fall semester and Public Speaking in the Spring. Taking all three courses together will allow you to start conversations and projects in one course and carry them into these others giving you the opportunity to learn and create together. Your community will also include a peer mentor who will help you navigate these three courses and your transition to college.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students. Meets pre-nursing prerequisites and requirements for Health Science and Psychology major.
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This community is for students interested in teaching once they graduate from college. The community is designed for those studying Early Childhood Studies who are interested in teaching elementary school students. Students who have not yet decided on a major but are considering working toward a multiple subject teaching credential are also welcome. A peer mentor will be embedded in the anchor course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Meets requirements for Early Childhood Studies majors is open to anyone who wants to be a teacher.
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Where are you from? Where do you want to go? Seemingly simple questions, but the answers are fundamental to who we are. This learning community is open to students interested in exploring geography, community and the world we live in. We’ll examine the environment: how we map it, label it, describe it and even imagine it. As we engage in hands-on projects both in and outside the classroom, we’ll build a strong class community that supports critical thinking and creativity. A peer mentor will be embedded in the community to help support you as you navigate your way at CSUCI.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.
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This community is for students interested in Nursing, Health Science and related areas of study. This is designed to provide a unique opportunity to explore the many career paths and options within the growing healthcare industry. You will participate in field trips and have opportunities to meet and interact with healthcare professionals. A peer mentor will be embedded in the anchor course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: This learning community is limited to first-year students who have declared a major in Health Science or expressed an interest in Nursing.
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The Infinity Dolphins: Neurodiversity and Neuroinclusion Learning Community welcomes students from all majors interested in the politics and ideals of neurodiversity. We investigate how neurodiversity and neurodivergence shape cultural assumptions, habits, practices and politics. Emphasizing political engagement, public service, critical contemplation of narratives and dynamic interactions between political ideals and political realities, this learning community combines study of governments, fiction and the public sector.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.
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Join the Island Community at CSU Channel Islands for an exploration of the world around us. Whether you are passionate about science, culture, the environment or are simply eager to learn outside, there's a place for you here. Our adventures take us into our local environment, and we'll hone skills for college and beyond. From hands-on, no-cost field trips to the Santa Rosa Island Research Station in Channel Islands National Park to kayaking and local excursions, our community will provide support as you discover and deepen your understanding and connections to each other and the world around you. No prior experience necessary! A peer mentor will be embedded in the UNIV course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to All Majors and Undeclared students.
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This community is named for Michele Serros, celebrated Chicana author/poet, who was from the City of Oxnard in Ventura County. This community engages students in critical dialogue on educational empowerment, creativity, community advocacy, multiculturalism and social justice and equity, fostering a sense of familia and support for all its members. A peer mentor will be embedded in the UNIV course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.
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If you have declared a major in business or economics, you must rank this as one of your Learning Community choices on the Joining the Pod survey. In this community, students in the Martin V. Smith School for Business & Economics (MVS) will engage with the idea of business as a force for good and in the study of how individuals make "rational" economic decisions. The BUS courses will be combined with a one unit first-year seminar. A peer mentor will be embedded in the UNIV course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students. Suggested for undeclared majors or students considering a major in Business or Economics.
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Sociology is the scientific study of society, how individuals both shape and are shaped by society. Sociologists study everything that makes up our society - couples, families, businesses, elites, churches, countries and many more. This community, “Sociology in Action,†will help us understand how we create society and the impact society has on us, our communities and others. This course uses a practical, real-world approach to explore and address social and community issues, making the class material relatable and applicable to everyday life and current events. We will explore and connect key sociological concepts like social structures, culture, family, deviance, health and inequality to our own and community’s experiences. As a learning community, you will partake in hands-on experiences such as in-class activities, engaging in conversation with guest speakers and visiting sites across CI, in order to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of societal issues and the potential for social action. In these engaged experiences, a peer mentor will be embedded in your anchor course to help you learn how best to use campus resources and be successful in class.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students.Meets requirements for Sociology majors.
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In this community, you will explore culture and creativity through an integrative study of archaeology and speculative fiction (an umbrella term for science fiction and fantasy). In Fall, students will learn about human societies past and present and begin to analyze tools, buildings and activities to reconstruct how the people who used them lived. In Spring, you will learn about the building blocks of creative writing through the lens of speculative fiction, creating entire worlds and societies for your characters to move through. You will have the opportunity to continue the Fall conversations in your Spring creative writing course as you use your learning about the past to bring your imagined worlds to life. A peer mentor will be embedded in the Fall University Life & College Success course to help you adjust to college life and share resources you need to succeed. Possible field trips include a creative writing and archaeology themed trip to Santa Rosa Island.
Eligibility/Condition: Open to all first-year students. Suggested for students who are English and Anthropology majors or minors.