All first-year students in the liberal arts and sciences at Purchase College participate in smaller intellectual communities designed to appeal to students’ different academic interests and learning styles. Students may choose from three different types of intellectual communities: Residential Learning Communities, Non-Residential Learning Communities, or Freshman Interest Groups.

Students who do not chose to participate in a Learning Community will work with an academic advisor to choose a Freshman Interest Group (FIG), a cluster of courses organized around a specific course or major. FIGs are offered in almost every academic area. Based on a student’s academic interest, he or she will choose a FIG during summer advising and registration. Students in some majors are required to participate in a majors-only FIG (New Media, for instance).

New students will receive information about the advising and registration process by early June, and will work with the Advising Center to ensure that they choose an appropriate FIG.

Updated Feb. 26, 2006