Conversation Programs & Learning Communities

The First Year Experience

We are excited to welcome you to St. Olaf, and to support you in taking ownership of your education!

While at college you’ll explore how you can understand the world and your role in it. To begin this investigation, you will complete the First-Year Experience program which will set you up for success at St. Olaf.
All students take a First-Year Seminar and a Writing and Rhetoric course — one course each semester. You can choose to participate in a Conversation Program OR enroll in Individual Courses. But, you cannot do both. What interests you? Explore your two option paths below.

THE CONVERSATIONS PATH

You can choose to complete the First-Year Experience by selecting to be in a Conversation program. You will be with the same group of students throughout the year.  Some of the Conversations programs are one year, some are two years. One has a residential component.

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INDIVIDUAL COURSES PATH

You can choose to complete the First-Year Experience by selecting from a variety of different courses. You will be with a different group of students each term.

Click below to take a glimpse of a few past and current courses, a sample of the more than 80+ courses offered this upcoming year.

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Do you have questions?

Someone else might be wondering the same too!
Visit our FAQ page about St. Olaf’s first year experience.

FRequently asked Questions