New College, comprised of an on-campus program and its LifeTrack program for adult students, is The University of Alabama’s commitment to providing personalized higher education. It is an interdisciplinary liberal arts program where highly motivated undergraduate students craft individualized courses of study, or "depth studies," consistent with their interests, aptitude, temperament, and skills. Each student, with the assistance of a dedicated advisor, builds a depth study that includes coursework from across the University, supplemented by study abroad, community-based learning, research opportunities, and independent or self-directed study. Both on-campus and distance students have the opportunity to learn in highly interactive seminar environments.
Programs
The major objective of New College is to create an opportunity for a highly individualized education that allows students to draw from the resources of all University classes and faculty. The New College curriculum has two principle elements. The first element is the depth study, which is the student’s area of concentration. Students are also expected to develop their own independent or self-directed studies and out-of-class learning experiences to enhance their understanding of the subject of their depth studies and to add to their learning experiences. The second element is the general education component, which provides students with opportunities to integrate humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences beyond their depth study. The interdisciplinary experience in New College affords excellent preparation for students with ambitions for graduate study or for professional careers in various areas, including law and medicine.
Faculty
Director
- Cherry, Julia A.
Assistant Director
- Miller, John C. H.
Professors
- Adams, Natalie G.
- Cherry, Julia A.
- Dewar, Andrew R.
- Galbraith, Marysia H.
- Roach, Catherine M.
- Spears, Ellen G.
- Steinberg, Michael K.
- Trost, Theodore L.
Associate Professors
- Miller, John C. H.
- Brickman, Barbara J.
Assistant Professors
- Hopson, Holland G.
- Willis, Vincent
Professor emeritus
- Blewitt, Harry L.
Instructors
- Blair, Bruce
- Caputo, Jennifer L.
- Colburn, Kimberly R.
- Connell, P. Leah
- Espy-Brown, Amanda S.
- Jones, Scott
- Pirkle, Amy L.
Courses
Each prospective LifeTrack student is required to attend the on-campus 2-day Adult Learning Seminar. This seminar includes online work in writing, assessment of computer skills, examining potential for learning outcomes including experiential learning and critical reading and thinking skills.
Designed to help current and prospective New College students become more informed about the University and about the interdisciplinary studies degree so that they may maximize their opportunities in their undergraduate programs through New College.