UA’s New College attracts bright students who want to chart their own course: future patent attorneys, scientists or performing artists. Or entrepreneurs — like the alum who started an electric guitar pedal company and created custom work for rock musician Jack White. Here’s what you need to know.
1. New College is not new.
In fact, it was started in 1971, and named for New College in Oxford, England, which is also not new — it was founded in 1379. But the point is that New College offered a new approach, for the University, to education, serving motivated students who don’t necessarily fit the traditional higher education path.
2. New College is also not a college.
Although it was founded as a standalone college within the University, it is now, in fact, a department within the Barefield College of Arts & Sciences. But location, whether organizational or physical, matters little: A founding principle of New College is that a classroom isn’t necessary for learning. Students can receive independent study and internship credit for activities ranging from working in a political campaign to studying meteorology.
3. New College awards three different degrees.
The first is the interdisciplinary studies bachelor’s for traditional undergraduates, the kind of “design-your-own-major” which is likely what most people think of when they think of New College. Then there is New College Lifetrack, which is run in partnership with OTIDE and geared toward returning students. Finally, there is Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences, which helps students with 80+ credit hours complete their degree.
4. Anyone can take their foundation courses.
At its base, New College is a liberal arts curriculum. All New College students have to complete a seminar sequence, but those seminars are open to everyone on campus. These small classes, designed to be 21st-century Socratic seminars, include courses in creativity and culture; environment, sustainability, and conservation; and social problems and social change.
5. Teaching and mentoring are their superpowers.
An impressive number of New College faculty are currently or have been in the past, College of Arts & Sciences Teaching Fellows or recipients of the College’s Outstanding Commitment to Students Award. This list includes Dr. Barbara Brickman, Dr. Marysia Galbraith, Holland Hopson, Dr. Natalie Adams, John Miller and Dr. Julia Cherry. Also, Drs. Catherine Roach and Andrew Raffo Dewar have each been awarded the Burnum Award for Distinguished Faculty.
And New College stresses close mentoring relationships between students and faculty, assigning each student a faculty advisor to guide their studies.