New College at the University of Alabama http://web.as.ua.edu/nc/

The New College at the University of Alabama was founded in 1971 to serve as an experimental unit with the expectation of exporting successful innovations to other sectors of the University. From the outset, the purpose of New College has been to offer ambitious, responsible, and self-disciplined students the freedom to build a curriculum from several departments.

The New College curriculum has two principal elements. First is the depth study, which is the student's area of concentration. The depth study may or may not resemble a traditional major. The second element of the curriculum is a general education component, which helps to ensure that students will have an exposure to the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences beyond their depth study. Included here are six interdisciplinary seminars focusing on these three areas, offered by New College faculty. Students are expected to complete this component either through these interdisciplinary seminars or, in exceptional circumstances, through other courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students are also expected to develop their own independent studies and out-of-class learning experiences to enhance their understanding of the subject of their depth studies and to add to their learning experiences.

The six interdisciplinary seminars were introduced as an intelligent way to guide students into a deeper way of thinking. The New College classroom is not a lecture rather students are responsible for the majority of discussion. We prepare students for higher learning and rational, critical inquiry. The concept of allowing a student the freedom to think as an adult in a college atmosphere is not novel, but impressive. New College graduates are successful and well-rounded individuals.

The underlying assumptions of the New College program are:

·  students are capable of accepting much of the responsibility for their own learning

· each individual is unique, and that educational programs can be developed which reflect each student's interests and capabilities

·  significant learning can occur outside of the classroom as well as within, and that students may receive credit for such outside learning experiences

·  problem-focused, general education experiences of an interdisciplinary nature are highly desirable in a fast-changing society

Throughout its existence, New College has been committed to the relationship between a student and his or her advisor, the independence of the classroom, the quality of learning, and the community-based network of everyone involved. These standards are kept strong through individual advising and limited admission into the program.

Michael Steinberg, Assistant Professor, CIEL Coordinator
Jim Hall, Director of New College