Exploratory Studies

What this community is

The Exploratory Studies living-learning community is a themed floor or wing in Riverside Hall, for incoming students who have not yet declared a major.

What's different from a standard floor

Structured major-exploration programming instead of a single linked course, plus early and frequent advising check-ins built into the floor's regular schedule. Rent is the same as a standard room in the same hall — the community adds programming and structure, not cost.

Faculty and staff partner

Each community has an academic adviser from the University Studies office rather than a single-department faculty member, who holds regular office hours on the floor and is the community's point of contact for both programming and the occasional roommate or academic concern.

Signature programming

A rotating "meet a major" series bringing a different department to the floor every few weeks, on top of the regular hall-council events every floor gets.

How to get in and how long it lasts

Rank this community as a preference on the housing application and complete any short supplemental question; placement is by contract date and space, so apply early. First-year only. You can leave a community at any time through the standard room-change process if it turns out not to be the right fit.

Common questions

Do I have to be in this exact major to join? The community is built around students planning that path, but exploring or undecided students with a genuine interest can usually request a spot if space allows — ask Housing directly.

What if I want to switch majors after joining? Nothing about your housing changes automatically; talk to your resident assistant if the community no longer fits and you want to explore the standard room-change process.

Is this the same as an academic minor or program? No — a living-learning community is a housing and programming structure, not a credit-bearing requirement, though some communities link to specific course sections.