The Undergraduate Colleges are designed to support and develop the interests of students and assist them in taking advantage of the vast resources Stony Brook has to offer.
Faculty members participate in the Undergraduate Colleges through various events organized within the college, through college dinners, and most especially, through special one-credit seminars designed to introduce students to what it means to be a University student and a member of a community of learners. Each seminar addresses some aspect within the broad theme of the college, based on the faculty’s expertise and interests, and is limited to no more than 20 students. As a result, the Colleges provide opportunities for students and faculty to meet both inside and outside the classroom. Upon admission, students are asked to indicate their College preferences, but most students will find that each College resonates with some area of the student’s own interests. For instance, a student might be a fan of computer games, so the College of Information and Technology Studies might be of interest; but if that student also is concerned about environmental issues, the College of Science and Society will be appealing as well.
All Undergraduate Colleges include individualized advising and support, special educational and social programs, and opportunities for close interaction with faculty and fellow students around themes of common interest. Each Undergraduate College will have both a commuter and a residential focus. First-year resident members of each college are housed together in the same residential quadrangle. First-year commuters have a centrally located home on the Academic Mall. The academic themes of the colleges are described below:
The College of Information and Technology Studies is designed for students interested in the growing areas of technology development and information processing and management. The College seeks to infuse students with a sense of wonder as they discover the power of information and technology and consider their own role in shaping the future. It provides an enriched first-year experience by creating a learning community focused on leadership, scholarship, integrity, and creativity. For upper division students, the College is home to the Science and Engineering Living Learning Center.
The College of Arts, Culture, and Humanities is designed for individuals who are interested in the wide scope of human activity—the making of art, the study of behavior, and the varieties of language, society, and culture that make up our world. Through programs that point the way to opportunities to think, make, do, and perform, the College is intended to encourage students to stretch their imaginations, hone their skills, and enrich their minds. The College will also boast a newly refurbished arts and cultural center, scheduled for completion in summer 2003, including a performing arts space and digital media, broadcasting, music and art-making facilities. For upper division students, the College is home to both the Media Arts and the Interdisciplinary Arts Living Learning Centers.
The College of Science and Society emphasizes imagination, research, and discovery in a social context. Students explore the power of creativity to transform the modern environment in which we live. Students are given opportunities to visit laboratories at Stony Brook and elsewhere where cutting-edge research is carried out. The College focuses on developing a well-rounded student who is intellectually prepared to meet the challenges of today’s complex and changing world. For upper division students, the College is home to the Environmental Studies and Health and Wellness Living Learning Centers.
The College of Global Studies focuses on the ways in which the modern world has become a single global community and the implications of this fundamental shift. Students will explore contemporary global culture, issues, debates, and solutions. Students will gain a greater level of understanding from political, scientific, economic, business, environmental, social, and technological perspectives. Global Studies is designed to examine the modern world system and the greater connection and interdependence among people. The College of Global Studies is home to the International Studies Living Learning Center.
The College of Leadership and Service fosters awareness of, and a commitment to work in, the public interest regardless of the career a student chooses to pursue. Students from diverse backgrounds and majors work in teams to meet challenges that bring about personal and social change. Students learn about the work of business, government, and non-profit organizations and take part in internships to gain professional experience and test career choices. The College of Leadership and Service is home to the Service-Learning Living Learning Center.
The College of Human Development is devoted to the exploration of what it means to be human, in all its dimensions—physical, social, and cultural. Students will be exposed to the perspectives on humanness of a variety of disciplines and professions. Students will learn about the wide range of careers that center on human development, from education to psychology to the health professions. The College of Human Development is home to the Human Sexual and Gender Development and Health and Wellness Living Learning Centers.