As you prep for your freshman year, you may wonder how college courses will differ from the classes you have taken in high school. Here’s an outline of the types of classes you may find yourself enrolled in!
Lectures
This type of class is probably the most common, crossing all majors. Held in large auditoriums (similar to a movie theater!), lectures may fill with hundreds of students. It’s a class for listening; your professor will do all of the talking while students take notes. First-year courses tend to take on this format. If you’re an incoming freshman, you can expect to enroll in a lot of lecture classes.
Labs
Labs are typically paired with a lecture. You will use the knowledge you gain in lecture and apply it to hands-on experiments and projects. Often times, labs cover subjects in science and technology. Labs are usually more intimate in terms of class size.
Seminars
Seminars are discussion-based classes in which a professor teaches a small group of students. Expect this type of course later on in your college career when you take more advanced classes and learn about specialized topics within your major. Likely, you will participate in discussions and give presentations.
Independent Studies
For an independent study (sometimes called a directed study), you will work on a long-term project that may or may not require a lot of research. Typically, your professor will help you arrange your schedule, but then you will continue your independent study with little to no supervision. Anticipate an entire semester working on one big project/paper that you will present at the end.
Studio
Studio classes are courses for students involved in art, music, or theater. They are usually quite long, separated into blocks as long as 3 hours. This gives students uninterrupted time to work on projects and cultivate their craft.
Mixed Mode
These types of classes are a mix of in-class and online methods. For example, some classes will allow you the option of going to the in-class lecture or listen by streaming the class online. Or you may encounter a course that only meets once a week, but requires assignments submitted online on the days you don’t meet. It certainly keeps things interesting by switching it up!
Online
Online classes have gained popularity in past years. This type of class will include a series of lessons on a web browser or mobile device. All you need is a connection to the internet, and you can go to class whenever and wherever you want. Sounds easy, right? Well, sometimes online classes can be even more challenging than classes in traditional settings. You need discipline to avoid leaving lectures to the last minute. For those who are willing to stay on top of their work, online courses are a great option.
Don’t worry if there’s a type of class you don’t particularly enjoy! No matter your major, you will have the opportunity to try all different types of classes. Best of all, you will discover which learning environments work the best for you!