HSS Learning Connections
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences Learning Connections help you create a sense of belonging in your first year at UNC by connecting you with other first year students in the College with a common interest.
Each Learning Connection will group 25 first-time freshmen together around a theme: Global Affairs or Social Justice (see below for the full details).
Our hope is that you will not only create lasting friendships, but have the opportunity to explore a topic you're interested in and have a group of fellow students you can turn to for help and support as you begin to navigate college life.
Learning Connections Themes
Get in touch with your Learning Connection
To connect you with your fellow cohort members, we have created private Facebook Groups for each Learning Connection, but how you choose to communicate is up to you! Our primary means of communication with you will be via email (to your Bearmail account) and via these FB groups - please keep that in mind!
Joining the Facebook group: Please click "Join" and your request will be approved once you enroll in the Learning Connection at Orientation. Alternatively, if you "like" the HSS Facebook page, we will invite you to join the group once you register.
Questions? Contact us at (970) 351-2707 or email HSS.StudentSuccess@unco.edu.
- Meet our Staff
- Schedule an Appointment with an Academic Advisor
- Prepare for an Academic Appointment
- Student Success Center
- HSS Program Overview
- Success Guides and Worksheets
- New Student Advising
- Download the 2025 Spring Weekly Planner
Join a Learning Connection
Are you ready to join?
Choose. Decide which Learning Connection you'd like to join.
Get advising. You'll receive faculty advising at NSO. Your advisor will help you decide your courses
for the semester and discuss your major.
Sign up. At advising, let your faculty member know you are interested in a Learning Connection.
They will provide a sign-up sheet for you to fill out.
Register. Learning Connections courses are reserved just for you! After we get your sign-up
sheet, we will give "course overrides" for you so that you can register.
Connect. Learn. Succeed. Join the Facebook group, meet up, study, and take classes with your Learning Connection.
Learning Connections Goals & Outcomes
The HSS Learning Connections are designed to meet several outcomes in line with the Humanities and Social Sciences and University of Northern Colorado goals and mission. Primarily, Learning Connections will provide opportunity for first-time full-time students to develop a sense of belonging at UNC - one of the primary pillars of student success.
Program Goals
- Students will increase their sense of belonging
- Students will register for courses at UNC in the Spring 2020 semester
- Students will connect content from the selected courses to the Learning Connections theme and their personal/academic goals
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will establish positive social connections with classmates
- Students will interact in positive ways with diverse students
- Students will be able apply college-level study strategies and skills to their academic coursework
UNC Institutional Learning Outcomes Met
3. Connecting Ideas and Experiences
3a. Apply multidisciplinary perspectives to gain new insights into issues and concepts
3d. Connect experiences in and out of the classroom
2. Strengthening Interactions with Others
2a. Develop the capacity to understand and interact effectively with others whose
identities, beliefs, behaviors, and values differ from their own.
2c. Develop and sustain mutually beneficial relationships.
2d. Demonstrate the capacity to engage in civic, social and political responsibilities.
