Program Overview
Learning communities are an alternative to traditional, stand-alone college courses, in that they restructure class time and curriculae. At MassBay, students co-enroll in courses that share common themes, assignments, and readings. While some give preference to students in certain programs, like criminal justice, others focus on broader disciplines like liberal arts. Smaller class size, increased academic and social support, stronger connections to campus life, and the opportunity to participate in events outside of the classroom, are just a few of the benefits. 
 
Transfer Forecast
Because the majority of courses in the learning community initiative come from many of the degreed programs and are core requirements, most courses are transferable. For more information about transfer opportunities, please click here.

Our Faculty and Students
Our faculty is made up of educators who value the social aspect of learning and who enjoy the collaborating with other faculty. For each learning communities, there are two experienced faculty, who work together with the student as he/she moves through a program. This team effort is a critical part of the success of learning communities because it allows for improved instruction and evaluation. Faculty are often program coordinators in their discipline, which means their role as faculty takes on the added value of student advisor and mentor. They regularly attend and present at regional and national conferences and are part of the Massachusetts Northeast Learning Community Collaborative. Students are typically first-year freshman enrolling in a variety of programs, although many are still undecided about their major. Once they are successful in a learning community environment, many of them look to repeat the experience.

Our Offerings
Our offerings frequently connect a skills-based course, like composition, learning strategies, or computer science, with a content-based course like psychology, critical thinking, sociology, or criminal justice. Generally, the courses are scheduled back to back on the same day of the week, with short breaks in between. Many of the learning community courses take advantage of campus events or initiatives, such as The One Book Project or service learning opportunties that occur outside of class time. For a listing of this semester offerings, please click here.

For more information or a list of frequently asked questions, please contact Professor Nina Keery, Faculty Coordinator, at 781-239-2249 or at nkeery@massbay.edu.

Nina B. Keery
Professor, Writing and Literature
Coordinator of Learning Communities
Massachusetts Bay Community College
781 239.2249
email: nkeery@massbay.edu