Catalog

The Baker Hall Residential Academic Program (RAP) is designed primarily for freshman and sophomore students who are interested in the natural sciences and environmental studies. The program provides courses that satisfy various core curriculum requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences and in majors such as ecology and evolutionary biology, integrative physiology, geography, geology, chemistry, and the interdisciplinary major in environmental studies. Courses are typically limited to 25 students and are taught in classrooms located in Baker Hall. Baker RAP offers access to academic advising, career counseling, student internships, guest speakers, field trips, and close faculty contact. The combination of small classes, a group of students who take many of the same classes together, and frequent field trips and special lectures creates a small-college atmosphere while offering the advantages of studying at a major research university.

Baker RAP offers courses in biology, geology, physics, chemistry, geography, mathematics, economics, history, political science, philosophy, anthropology, and expository writing. The curriculum is designed to maximize the opportunities for students to satisfy core curriculum requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences. Upper-division courses are presented in geography and environmental studies. Upper-division credit also is available through independent study and research. Students usually take one or two of the above courses each semester. Baker RAP also reserves seats for its students in certain high-demand courses taught outside the program, including introductory biology and chemistry laboratories.

The Baker RAP curriculum is augmented through experiential learning outside of the classroom. Undergraduate research plays an important role in these experiences. Interested students are encouraged to participate in research projects as early as their first year. Baker RAP instructors work closely with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to facilitate matching Baker RAP students with faculty members with similar research interests.

Baker RAP cocurricular activities offer social and educational opportunities for students in the program. These activities include a kick-off barbeque at the beginning of the school year, local hikes, a day of cross-country skiing, and a spring-time service-oriented activity emphasizing environmental conservation. Guest lecturers are invited to speak about scientific or environmental themes.

There is a fee for participation in Baker RAP in addition to regular tuition, fees, and room and board. Students eligible for financial aid may request that their budget be adjusted to include the program fee. Their eligibility for aid will then be increased by an amount equal to the Baker RAP fee. Students interested in the program should write to the Baker Hall Residential Academic Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, 176 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0176, or call 303-492-3188.

Buckingham Hall’s Communication Residential Academic Program (COMMRAP) offers a living-learning environment for 225 students designed around the theme of Communication and Society. It offers students an opportunity to engage with faculty and other students in a small college atmosphere within a major research university. Students explore the complex social problems and challenges of communication in contemporary society in seminar-sized courses. They also have opportunities to participate in co-curricular activities that stress civic engagement. The many opportunities for outreach and collaboration with the Boulder community provide an excellent venue for learning by doing.

A unique feature of the program is its integration of courses from its three supporting units, the Department of Communication, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Program for Writing and Rhetoric. These courses emphasize the role of participation, deliberation, and collaboration in shaping and resolving public problems and problems in daily life. Its offerings also include opportunities for upper-division courses on topics germane to communication and society.

In addition to communication offerings, the curriculum includes courses that satisfy the writing and core requirements in Arts and Sciences. Across the year, guest lectures and seminars provide opportunities to interact on civic engagement and societal participation with leading experts on the CU faculty and distinguished visitors to the university.

The Buckingham COMMRAP is open to students with an interest in communication and society, regardless of major. A fee is charged for participation in the program. For more information, contact Gerard Hauser at 303-492-6756.

Farrand’s small seminar courses in the liberal arts are taught by award-winning faculty especially selected to help create a close intellectual and social community. As the Humanities and Cultural Studies Residential Academic Program, Farrand focuses on the study of the humanities within the larger frame of culture and society. Farrand also offers high-demand courses from all areas of the curriculum. These include service-learning classes, which provide a deeper cultural understanding by applying classroom learning to service to the community.

Each semester, every Farrand student takes a Farrand course that provides a shared academic experience. For many students, this course will be a humanities course, such as Greek Mythology, Introduction to Ethics, or the interdisciplinary Introduction to the Humanities, reflecting a commitment to the humanities that is central to Farrand’s identity. Because helping others contributes to the learning experience as well as to the whole community, Farrand offers several service-learning classes each semester. Service learning gives students the chance to apply what they study in their classes to real-life situations, such as a homeless shelter, a humane society, or a tutoring program. These classes include Gandhian Philosophy; Nutrition, Health, and Performance; and Global Women Writers. The Farrand curriculum also offers a wide range of popular core curriculum classes taught by faculty known for their teaching skills. Deviance, Calculus, and Introduction to Environmental Studies are just a few examples.

Farrand’s many cocurricular opportunities include a wide variety of events and performances, active and well-supported student governance (Farrand Community Council), and group projects benefiting the community and the environment.

The program is designed primarily for students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Interested students in other colleges should contact the Farrand program for special admission procedures. It is administered by academic directors selected from the faculty and a hall director experienced in the operation of a large residence hall. There is a charge for the program in addition to regular tuition, fees, and room and board.

Inquiries concerning any aspect of the academic program may be directed to the Farrand Academic Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, 180 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0180, 303-492-8848.

The Global Studies Residential Academic Program (G-RAP) promotes the recognition of global interdependence, introduces 200 first-year students to the many cultures of the world, encourages the study of foreign languages and international affairs, and emphasizes the value of international education. Like all the other Residential Academic Programs, G-RAP provides its students with a small community of similarly interested students, which eases the transition to the university. A diverse group of students who have similar interests and goals participate in programs designed to promote understanding of the global community. All G-RAP students are required to take at least one designated course in the fall and spring semesters with an international focus. Dinner programs introduce students to faculty who work internationally and bring that experience back to their teaching on campus. Additionally, participating students attend many internationally focused events on and off campus, such as the Conference on World Affairs. Throughout the year, students receive guidance on academic and career options and study abroad opportunities. The Global Studies Residential Academic Program is open to all entering first-year students who submit an application. Participants live together in the east wing of the Cheyenne Arapaho residence hall, where they enjoy a number of special facilities, programs, and amenities. In addition to benefiting students interested in studying abroad or those whose majors have an international component, G-RAP enhances many of the majors offered at CU-Boulder. A fee is charged for participation in G-RAP. For more information, contact Tom Zeiler or Jessica Wilson at 303-786-3189.

The Honors Residential Academic Program (or HRAP; formerly known as the Kittredge Honors Program, or KHP) is the residential component of the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences. It is open to approximately 200 honors-qualified first- and second-year students. Participants live in Arnett Hall.

The Honors Residential Academic Program promotes and sustains academic excellence within a lively community setting. Each semester the program offers a variety of honors courses in Arnett’s state-of-the-art seminar rooms. The great majority of these courses satisfy arts and sciences core curriculum requirements. Each seminar is taught by an experienced faculty member, emphasizes discussion and writing, and ordinarily enrolls no more than 15 students. Beyond the classroom, HRAP fosters a variety of student-led activities, including evening events each week and a monthly lecture series that brings students into contact with leading teachers and researchers from the university community.

Members of the Honors Residential Program draw on a rich variety of academic, advising, and informational resources made available by the program’s joint sponsors, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Honors Program, and the Department of Housing. The Honors Program associate director who supervises HRAP’s daily functioning maintains an office in Arnett Hall for academic advising and acts as liaison to the rest of campus.

Eligibility: Beginning each December, the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences invites approximately 10 percent of all admitted students to participate in honors courses during their first year on campus; these invitations are issued on the basis of high school grade averages and scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT). All students receiving an honors invitation are eligible to become members of the Honors Residential Academic Program on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who wish to participate in HRAP beyond the first year must maintain a University of Colorado GPA of 3.300 or above. Like participants in all other residential academic programs, HRAP members pay a participation fee in addition to the standard charges for tuition, fees, and room and board.

Students interested in the program should visit www.colorado.edu/khp for further information. Inquiries can be addressed by e-mail to khp@colorado.edu; by telephone to the program office at 303-492-3695; and by postal mail to the Honors Residential Academic Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, 33 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0033.

This program is located at Williams Village and is dedicated to developing community, civic, and business leaders for a culturally diverse and democratic society. When a student enrolls in the Leadership Program they select one of two residential academic programs.

The Ethnic Living and Learning Community (ELLC) Leadership Studies Program provides students with a multicultural living and learning experience while studying leadership from a cultural and multi-disciplinary perspective.

The Chancellor’s Leadership Studies Program (CLSP) offers leadership development and an understanding of how institutions and communities solve problems. Students learn different leadership styles needed to work effectively in those settings.

Students in both of these programs take leadership courses offered each semester that meet core requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences and may be applied toward graduation as well as a Certificate in the Study and Practice of Leadership. Students from all schools and colleges on the Boulder campus are eligible to participate.

There is a program participation fee of $725. Scholarships are available to cover the cost of the fee for those with financial need. Contact the Leadership Program at Williams Village, University of Colorado at Boulder, 452 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0452, phone 303-735-1987, e-mail CLR@colorado.edu, or visit www.colorado.edu/Chancellor/chancellorslrap.

For additional information on this program, see the Other Academic Programs section.

The Libby Arts Residential Academic Program (LRAP), now in its seventh year, is the first program on campus to unite the arts under one umbrella. LRAP is designed for first-year and second-year students residing in Libby Hall who have an interest in the arts as a major, or who see arts courses as a corollary to a major in architecture, arts and sciences, business, or engineering. Classes satisfy core and major requirements or offer elective credit.

LRAP provides a unique living and learning experience with classes that are offered in specially equipped classrooms and studios in the Libby Residence Hall, taught by regular faculty from various departments as well as faculty with demonstrated excellence in teaching. (Past courses include Painting 2, World Art History, Introduction to World Dance and Culture, Introduction to Theatre, Introduction to Film Studies, Appreciation of Music.) In addition, a range of popular core curriculum classes are offered each year. Students need not have a previous background in any of the disciplines offered. During 2010–11 the program is limited to approximately 275 students, and class sizes are usually limited to 20–25 students. Thus, with students taking several classes together and living in the same residence hall, there is the opportunity to foster a small community within the larger university setting. Students enrolling in the program are required to take at least one course in the hall each semester. The director of the program and the office staff, located in Libby Hall, provide academic assistance to students throughout the year in planning their CU careers.

Residents are introduced to the diversity of the arts through an opening colloquium, community events, and other co-curricular activities. The opening colloquium, held before classes begin in the fall, brings students and faculty together for provocative and inspiring talks, presentations, performances, and discussions. Regular meetings are held during each semester to expose students to the breadth of the performing and visual arts, with opportunities to meet artists of both regional and national stature, as well as to view films of historical and contemporary significance. Other activities that meet students’ interests and needs may also be organized.

The LRAP is jointly sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Housing. Any arts and sciences major may enter the program. There is an annual nonrefundable charge for participation. Some university courses also charge course fees. There are a limited number of scholarships available. Students eligible for financial aid may request their budget be adjusted to include the program fee.

Students interested in the program may contact the program by writing to LRAP, University of Colorado, 175 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0175; by e-mailing LibbyRAP@colorado.edu; by telephoning 303-735-4211; or by visiting www.colorado.edu/lrap.

The Sewall Residential Academic Program (SRAP) is a program for first-year students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences who have an interest in the study of history and culture. Citizenship in the 21st century requires the ability to engage complex connections between the present and past, between local places and our global society, and between the arts and sciences. SRAP combines classes ranging from history and biology to economics and English, with co-curricular activities (such as lectures, films, and field trips) and local community outreach to help students recognize and think about these connections.

Limited to 330 students, SRAP provides the opportunity to enjoy the advantages of a small liberal arts college within the broader context of a large research university. The program offers a selection of small seminar-style classes (limited to approximately 18 students) that meet in the Sewall residence hall. Classes encourage active student participation and emphasize analytical thought through intensive reading, discussion, and writing. Most SRAP courses also fulfill College of Arts and Sciences core requirements.

Each semester all SRAP students must take a 3-credit course at Sewall. All students are further required to take SEWL 2020 either fall or spring semester. In addition, students have the opportunity to take the lower-division writing course (WRTG 1150) at Sewall in either fall or spring semester.

SRAP facilitates a successful transition from high school to the university. Sewall courses are taught by faculty with a demonstrated excellence in teaching and a commitment to working closely with first-year students. Faculty members have offices conveniently located in Sewall Hall, which helps foster communication between students and faculty. Participants in the Sewall program are also fully involved in regular campus life, take the majority of their classes with the rest of the university, and are encouraged to join in all university activities.

The SRAP director, associate director, and program assistant are readily available to help students with planning schedules, making sense of the rules of the University and the College of Arts and Sciences, and choosing majors. They can refer students to other university resources for specialized counseling when necessary, and the housing department office offers free tutoring in many subject areas.

Interested first- and second-year students who are admitted into the College of Arts and Sciences should indicate Sewall Hall as their first choice on the housing application form and return it to the Housing Reservation Center as early as possible. Students are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by date of receipt of the housing application form. There is an extra charge for participating in the program in addition to regular tuition, fees, and room and board. Some scholarships are available; please contact the academic program office for details.

Students who have questions about the program should address them to the Director, Sewall Residential Academic Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, 353 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0353, visit the program online at srap.colorado.edu, or call the SRAP office at 303-492-6004.