• Liberal Arts Learning Communities

    Learning Communities are groupings of two or more courses, often surrounding a common theme. There are two types of Learning Communities, Clusters (consisting of three or more classes) and Pairs (consisting of two classes).

    Learning Communities can help you:

    • Make connections among courses
    • Form a community with your classmates
    • Work closely with faculty
    • Be more successful in your courses
    • Be more likely to stay in school and graduate

    Learning Communities are strongly recommended for first-year Liberal Arts students.

    The clusters and pairs are listed below. To help you determine which themes and courses interest you most and which schedule works best for you, each includes a full description and schedule with CUNYFirst registration section codes.



  • Fall 2020 Learning Communities


    Composition I (ENG101)
    Introduction to Language (ELL101)
    First Year Seminar (LIF101)
    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 PM - 10:15 PM LIF101
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM LIF101 LIF101
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM LIF101 ELL101 ELL101
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ENG101 ELL101 ENG101
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM ENG101 ENG101

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Examine language attitudes and stereotypes and their power over us
    • Visit the United Nations and analyze how politicians speak and sway public opinion
    • Learn about the history of free speech and whether we need to curtail it to protect our political systems from hatred, bigotry and violence
    • Discover the languages of Queens and how they connect us to the global community



    This learning community:
    • Contains 9 credits - add at least 3 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101) and Program Core (ELL101 and LIF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • ENG101: CUNYfirst code 31499, Prof. Lucy McNair
      • ELL101: CUNYfirst code 30600, Prof. Leigh Garrison-Fletcher
      • LIF101: CUNYfirst code 34581, Prof. Poppy Slocum


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Liberal Arts: Social Sciences and Humanities (including the options)


    College Algebra and Trigonometry (MAT115)
    Composition I (ENG101)
    First Year Seminar (LMF101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM MAT115 MAT115
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM MAT115 MAT115
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ENG101 ENG101
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ENG101 LMF101 ENG101 LMF101
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM LMF101 LMF101

    This learning community:
    • Contains 9 credits - add at least 3 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101 and MAT115) and Program Core (LMF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • MAT115: CUNYfirst code 33631, Prof. Reem Jaafar
      • ENG101: CUNYfirst code 31178, Prof. Olga Aksakalova
      • LMF101: CUNYfirst code 34652, Prof. Tonya Hendrix


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Liberal Arts Math and Sciences


    Algebra and Trigonometry (MAT117)
    Composition I (ENG101)
    First Year Seminar (LMF101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM ENG101 LMF101 ENG101 LMF101
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ENG101 LMF101 ENG101 LMF101
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM MAT117 MAT117 MAT117
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM MAT117 MAT117 MAT117
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM MAT117

    This learning community:
    • Contains 13 equated credits (full-time schedule)
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101 and MAT117) and Program Core (LMF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • MAT117: CUNYfirst code 31945, Prof. Bukurie Gjoci
      • ENG101: CUNYfirst code 43495, Prof. Paul Fess
      • LMF101: CUNYfirst code 34654, Prof. Jeanne Funk


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Liberal Arts Math and Sciences


    General Psychology (SSY101)
    Composition I (ENG101)
    First Year Seminar (HSF090)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM SSY101 HSF090 SSY101 HSF090
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM SSY101 ENG101 ENG101
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ENG101 ENG101

    In this Cluster, students will:
    • Take required and gateway courses for a variety of health science majors
    • Gain greater knowledge of yourself and your patient/client
    • Develop communication skills, including active listening, interpersonal skils, and how to cross communication barriers
    • Enhance your teamwork and collaboration skills



    This learning community:
    • Contains 7.5 equated credits - add at least 4.5 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101), Flexible or Program Core (SSY101), and Program Core (HSF090) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • SSY101: CUNYfirst code 53372, Prof. Tomo Imamichi
      • ENG101: CUNYfirst code 43499, Prof. Dominique Zino
      • HSF090: CUNYfirst code 53188, Prof. May Tom


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Health Science


    College Algebra and Trigonometry (MAT115)
    Composition I (ENG101)
    Public Speaking (HUC106)
    First Year Seminar (NSF101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM MAT115 HUC106 MAT115
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM MAT115 HUC106 MAT115 HUC106
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM NSF101 ENG101 ENG101
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM NSF101 ENG101 ENG101
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM NSF101

    In this Cluster, students will:
    • Gain an inter-disciplinary collaborative knowledge on diverse impacts of climate change
    • Be offered community building and collaboration opportunities across courses
    • Network with peers who have similar educational goals
    • Find easiest way to navigate their educational path
    • Have regular meetings with instructors to address their academic needs



    This learning community:
    • Contains 11 credits -- students are advised to register for SCC201 in session II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101, MAT115), Flexible Core (HUC106), and Program Core (NSF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • MAT115: CUNYfirst code 33615, Prof. Tao Chen
      • ENG101: CUNYfirst code 31506, Prof. Tuli C
      • HUC106: CUNYfirst code 30762, Prof. Rebecca Schwartz
      • NSF101: CUNYfirst code 32422, Prof. Richa Gupta


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Biology



    Public Speaking (HUC106)
    First Year Seminar (MAT123)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM HUC106 HUC106
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM HUC106 MAT123
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM MAT123 MAT123
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM MAT123 MAT123
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM MAT123

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Understand the reasons to adopt sustainable consumer behaviors
    • Experiment with sustainable consumer behaviors at home and school
    • Use the four-step problem-solving process and modeling to create well-reasoned arguments to convince others to adopt sustainable consumer behaviors
    • Learn to present effective written and oral arguments


    This learning community:
    • Contains 10 equated credits - add at least 2 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (MAT123) and Flexible or Program Core (HUC106) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • HUC106: CUNYfirst code 33283, Prof. Patricia Sokolski
      • MAT123: CUNYfirst code 37072, Prof. Marina Dedlovskaya


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Liberal Arts: Social Science & Humanities (including the options)


    College Algebra and Trigonometry (MAT115)
    General Chemistry I (SCC201)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM SCC201 SCC201
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM SCC201
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM MAT115 MAT115
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM MAT115 MAT115
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM
    4:35 PM - 5:35 PM SCC201
    5:45 PM - 6:45 PM SCC201
    6:55 PM - 7:55 PM SCC201

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Improve unit conversions and dimensional analysis
    • Learn about data interpretation using Excel
    • Learn about isolating variables in an equation


    This learning community:
    • Contains 7 credits - add at least 5 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (ENG101) and Program Core (LIF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • MAT115: CUNYfirst code 33637, Prof. Hassan El Houari
      • SCC201: CUNYfirst code 49171, Prof. Kevin Mark


    Recommended for majors in:
    • STEM majors
    • Liberal Arts: Math & Sciences majors


    Culinary Arts I (SCD114)
    Topics in Chemistry (SCC101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM SCD114 SCD114
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM SCD114 SCD114
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM SCD114
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM SCC101
    4:35 PM - 5:35 PM SCC101
    5:45 PM - 6:45 PM SCC101

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Connect culinary concepts with basic chemistry and understand the Chemical reactions/decomposition of food samples
    • Learn how to quantify (e.g. in terms of moles or % composition) culinary ingredients and the physical aspects (acidity and alkanility) of culinary ingredients
    • Perform qualitative testing of macronutrients (e.g. proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and quantitative testing of micronutrients (e.g. vitamic C)


    This learning community:
    • Contains 5 equated credits - add at least 7 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (SCC101) and Program Core (SCD114) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • SCD114: CUNYfirst code 32512, Prof. Nicolle Fernandes
      • SCC101: CUNYfirst code 49144, Prof. Amit Aggarwal


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Nutrition and Culinary Management


    Introduction to Discrete Math (MAT231)
    Object-Oriented Programming (MAC190)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM MAT231 MAT231
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM MAT231
    4:35 PM - 5:35 PM
    5:45 PM - 6:45 PM MAC190 MAC190
    6:55 PM - 7:55 PM MAC190 MAC190

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Identify connections between mathematics and computer programming
    • Apply mathematical concepts and models when writing computer programs
    • Write computer programs to find solutions to mathematical problems


    This learning community:
    • Contains 6 credits - add at least 6 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Program Core requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • MAT231: CUNYfirst code 33279, Prof. Steve Cosares
      • MAC190: CUNYfirst code 33383, Prof. Andi Toce


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Computer Science


    Beginning Photography (HUA130)
    Chemistry of Photography (SCC102)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM HUA130 HUA130
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM HUA130 HUA130
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM SCC102 SCC102
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM SCC102 SCC102

    In this learning community, students will:
    • Consider the creative use of photographic techniques as they relate to creative expression
    • Learn about lighting, exposure, processing, film scanning, and Photoshop
    • Learn how light interacts with film and dyes to produce an image
    • Be introduced to the chemical basis of the photographic development process
    • Participate in a field trip to the Princeton University Art Museum


    This learning community:
    • Contains 6 credits - add at least 6 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Required Core (SCC102) and Program Core (HUA130) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • HUA130: CUNYfirst code 32229, Prof. Scott Sternbach
      • SCC102: CUNYfirst code 32230, Prof. Sunaina Singh


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Liberal Arts: Social Sciences & Humanitites
    • Commerical Photography
    • Fine Arts


    First Year Seminar (CJF101)
    Public Speaking (HUC106)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM HUC106 HUC106
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM HUC106
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CJF101 CJF101
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM CJF101
    3:25 PM - 4:25 PM CJF101

    This learning community:
    • Contains 6 credits - add at least 6 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Flexible Core (HUC106) and Program Core (CJF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • CJF101: CUNYfirst code 31722, Prof. Jill Kehoe
      • HUC106: CUNYfirst code 53658, Prof. Jaimie Riccio


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Criminal Justice


    First Year Seminar (CJF101)
    Public Speaking (HUC106)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM HUC106 HUC106
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM HUC106
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CJF101 CJF101
    2:15 PM - 3:15 PM CJF101 CJF101

    This learning community:
    • Contains 6 credits - add at least 6 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Flexible Core (HUC106) and Program Core (CJF101) requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • CJF101: CUNYfirst code 32365, Prof. Cory Feldman
      • HUC106: CUNYfirst code 30768, Prof. Francine White


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Criminal Justice


    First Year Seminar (CMF090)
    Introduction to Communication Studies (HUC101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM HUC101 HUC101
    11:45 AM - 12:45 PM CMF090 HUC101
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CMF090

    This learning community:
    • Contains 4 equated credits - add at least 8 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Program Core requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • CMF090: CUNYfirst code 58923, Prof. Poppy Slocum
      • HUC101: CUNYfirst code 31422, Prof. Poppy Slocum


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Communication Studies


    First Year Seminar (CMF090)
    Introduction to Communication Studies (HUC101)

    Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
    5:45 PM - 6:45 AM HUC101 HUC101
    6:55 PM - 7:55 PM HUC101 CMF090
    8:05 PM - 9:05 PM PM CMF090

    This learning community:
    • Contains 4.5 equated credits - add at least 7.5 additional credits in session I and/or II to be full-time
    • Fulfills Program Core requirements
    • Contains these courses:
      • CMF090: CUNYfirst code 58936, Prof. TBD
      • HUC101: CUNYfirst code 53375, Prof. TBD


    Recommended for majors in:
    • Communication Studies