About LEAP

A Learning Community for First Year Students

What is LEAP?

LEAP is a special program designed for University of Utah students like you who are just starting college.  LEAP is organized around a two-semester sequence of classes taught by the same faculty member and attended by the same students.  In LEAP you will complete two General Education requirements as well as the University’s Diversity requirement.  You’ll develop college-level writing skills and learn to use sophisticated library strategies to complete assignments related to what you study in LEAP courses and later in your major.

Who can enroll?

Any freshman entering the University!!

How do I enroll?

You register for LEAP during summer Orientation.  To reserve your place at Orientation, visit the Orientation website, http://www.sa.utah.edu/orientation/, or call 801/581-7069.

LEAP representatives will be present at each Orientation to answer questions about LEAP and to assist you in registering for classes.

A complete schedule of LEAP offerings appears in your Undergraduate Bulletin and Student Resource Guide, as well as in the online Course Schedule.

Which LEAP is for Me?

All LEAP courses focus on the themes of diversity and community, and are very similar in content. Four different kinds of LEAP are available for students with varying interests:

Thematic LEAP is for students with any major or for those who are still undecided. These courses explore the themes of community and diversity in different ways. The service emphasis version of Thematic LEAP incorporates service throughout the year and offers an optional add-on hour of service learning credit.

Residence Halls LEAP is open to any student living in the Residence Halls. It allows students to take their LEAP seminar and a Writing 2010 course on site on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and to get better acquainted with other students living in the Residence Halls.

Pre-professional LEAP is for students who already know their majors. It allows study of diversity and community in the context of a cohort of students with similar interests; there are programs for majors in Architecture, Business, College of Health, Engineering, and Fine Arts.

Multi-year Pre-professional LEAP is for students who belong to groups that are historically under-represented in, or under-served by, the Health, Engineering, and Legal professions. These programs continue beyond the first year and require applications; follow the links at the right or contact the LEAP office (581-3283 or c.bliss@leap.utah.edu) for more information. There are three multi-year LEAPs:

• Engineering LEAP Plus for future engineers.
• Health Sciences LEAP for those going into medicine, nursing, pharmacy, College of Health majors, dentistry, medical laboratory sciences, or veterinary medicine.
• Pre-Law LEAP for those seeking careers in law.

What are the benefits?

• LEAP will prepare you to succeed in your future college work by actively engaging you as an individual and in teams to think analytically, creatively, and practically about issues important to the role of the citizen, nationally and globally.
• You’ll improve your writing skills.
• You’ll develop sophisticated library research strategies to complete assignments related to your LEAP classes, and you’ll be offered the option of getting credit for a library research strategies course.
• You’ll connect with at least one professor. This is an important relationship when you need recommendations for awards, scholarships, internships, or jobs.
• You’ll have a chance to get to know your classmates and Peer Advisor, since you’ll have a class with them both fall and spring semesters.
• You’ll receive expert (and now required) academic advising right in your LEAP classroom and will automatically receive early registration for your second semester.
• You’ll be offered special LEAP-only classes that fulfill the lower division writing requirement as well as optional courses in service learning and major selection.
• You’ll make progress on your general education requirements: completing two of these, as well as the University’s diversity requirement, by taking your fall and spring LEAP seminars.