*Photo courtesy of Florida State University Housing.

By Abby Cloud

As parents start to plan for their student’s first year at Florida State, a wonderful opportunity for them is living in one of FSU’s Living-Learning Communities! 

A Living-Learning Community (LLC) allows students to live with other students who share similar interests and take a couple classes together. Each hall is aligned with various themes and propels students into an environment where they can learn, support one another, and meet a network of students and faculty. Regardless of what your student studied in high school or plan to study in college, LLCs are a helpful way to transition your student into their college career. 

Applications for Living-Learning Communities are due no later than 11:59 PM EDT Monday, April 6, 2020. Students are encouraged to apply for more than one LLC if they wish.

Here is more information regarding FSU’s 8 Living-Learning Communities.

Bryan Hall. Bryan Hall, the oldest building found on FSU’s campus, is a co-ed resident hall that is home to 128 students. At this hall, students live in suite-styled rooms in which a bathroom connects two rooms of 4-5 students. Additionally, students can participate in humanities classes in Bryan Hall’s small, in-house classroom.

This LLC is geared towards academic exploration and discovery, and is open to all majors. This LLC program includes 5 credit hours taken together, as well as “organized exploration of interests, academic majors, and career options, interactions with campus leaders and distinguished faculty, and professional mentorship (optional).” 

Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Learning Community is located in Deviney Hall and houses up to 36 students. Together, students in this LLC will take 8 credit hours-worth of courses. This particular LLC is administered by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and provides students with hands-on experience, networking opportunities, and insight into entrepreneurship and finance.

This LLC centers around “developing creative, technical and practical entrepreneurial skills to turn ideas into action.” Open to all majors, students involved with this LLC can expect guest-speaker entrepreneurs, site visits, group projects, workshops, competitions, and a required Colloquium inside the Innovation Hub. 

Global and Public Affairs. Located in Dorman Hall, the Global and Public Affairs Learning Community houses 38 students and requires that they take 5 credit hours-worth of courses with one another. The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy hosts this LLC students to develop an understanding about society at local, state, national, and global levels, as well as its impact at these levels as well.

In this LLC, Social Science majors or minors are preferred; this includes political science, international affairs, sociology, economics and geography. Students can expect “interaction with social science faculty, group discussions of politics, culture, and public policy, presentations by experts in global and public affairs, and opportunities for global engagement through the Global Citizenship Certificate program.” This community is comprised of three components of Community, Coursework, and Events and Activities.

Health Professions. The College of Human Sciences manages the Health Professions Learning Community in Reynolds Hall. Forty-four students are housed through this LLC and it is required that students take 1 credit hour-worth of courses together. In this LLC, students are encouraged to explore and prepare for majors and careers related to health professions. Only health-related majors are allowed to participate in this community. 

Students involved with this LLC can expect “unique programs, service learning initiatives, on-site academic advising, social and educational opportunities for pre-health profession students in a strong community environment.” The Health Professions Learning Community provides a variety of coursework for students in the fall and spring, including a required medical shadowing in diverse, health-related areas. 

Music. The Music Living-Learning Community can be found in Cawthorn Hall. Through this residential hall, students can expect suit-styled rooms connected by a shared bathroom, University Housing residence-life programming, study areas, kitchens, and laundry room. This LLC houses upwards of 180 students and requires that 6 credit hours-worth of courses are taken together. Music majors or minors only for this LLC.

Through the Music Living-Learning Community, students will explore and prepare for academic majors and careers related to the music field in a close-knit community of students with similar interests and classes. Students can expect “concerts, jam sessions, and guest artists, numerous practice and performance spaces, and a Spring Break study abroad option.” Additionally, this LLC has “award-winning faculty, small classes in high-tech classrooms, a computer/group piano classroom, [and] an academic advising office.” 

Nursing. Located in Wildwood Hall, the Nursing Learning Community is administered by the College of Nursing. This LLC houses up to 30 students and requires that students take 2 credit hours-worth of coursework together. Nursing majors are preferred as this LLC is designed for first-year students in order to connect them to the College of Nursing and its resources.

Through this LLC, students will explore and learn more about academic majors and career falling into the nursing field. Here, students can “get to know nursing faculty and interact with upper-division nursing majors, attend the Nursing Colloquium in Wildwood Hall, explore many aspects of the nursing profession, discover special opportunities at FSU and around Tallahassee, and develop the professionalism associated with the career of nursing.” 

Social Justice. The Social Justice Living-Learning Community, coordinated by The Center for Leadership & Social Change, can be found in Wildwood Hall. Up to 25 students are housed in this LLC and it is required for students to take 9 credit hours-worth of classes together. This LLC is open to all majors. Students in this LLC can expect to develop an “understanding [of] social issues and leadership to create positive, sustainable change.”

This supportive and inclusive LLC fosters “open and progressive” conversations and discourse regarding race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, ability, citizenship, political ideology, and other identities. For a full experience, students are highly encouraged to participate in events organized by the Social Justice LLC. Additionally, students must complete requirements such as three classes within the Social Justice LLC, fall and spring retreats, summits, community service, and education programming. 

Women in Math, Science & Engineering (WIMSE). The WIMSE Living-Learning Community can be found in Cawthorn Hall. In this LLC, 35 students are committed to learning and developing “opportunity and community for women in STEM fields.” Students are required to take 2 credit hours-worth of classes together. This LLC is for math, science, or engineering majors only.

This LLC “promotes a supportive environment, encourages participation beyond the classroom, providing opportunities to enhance academic and career goals through involvement, exposes students to mentors and careers in STEM fields, and develops skills necessary to be successful as academics and future professionals.” Students in this LLC are required to take the WIMSE Colloquium in Cawthorn Hall, and will participate in personal and professional development activities, visit three active labs at FSU, and be exposed to peer mentors. WIMSE students also have the option to participate in the Research Experience Program (REP) and remain involved in the WIMSE LLC after their first year.

For more information about Living-Learning Communities, visit their website.