Living Learning Communities

For many incoming freshmen, the transition from an intimate high school setting to a university environment can be a daunting task. With the goal of easing this transition, the University Student Housing Department at Montana State University has established Living Learning Communities within the residence halls. The reason for establishing Living Learning Communities is so that residents of these floors have a smoother transition to university life and to help them achieve greater academic success. Any student who selects and is placed on an LLC floor will have an additional fee of $50/semester to pay for programming and educational opportunities on the floor.

A Living Learning Community is for students interested in being around others with similar academic interests. Rather than finding their way through class projects, research papers, and exams alone, students become part of a close community of students who are experiencing similar educational challenges and transitional issues. When you live in a Living Learning Community you:

  • Live with 30-50 students with similar majors/lifestyles
  • Have great opportunities to make friends and study partners
  • Have access to a peer academic assistance

What are the benefits of Living Learning Communities?

  • Students with similar majors/lifestyles live next door, or right across the hall
  • Students have great opportunities to make friends and study partners
  • Many students will be taking classes together while living together which promotes a smooth transition to university life and academic success
  • Living Learning Community participants will have access to peer tutoring and additional faculty support

 

Business:

The Business Living Learning Community is designed to provide career exploration and exposure to other majors/minors that allow for a career in the business field. Residents will have access to in-hall academic advising, study sessions, and evening presentations by business faculty and local business leaders. This living option is co-educational.

Offered in: South Hedges

Creative Arts:

Open to any student interested in exploring the academic options in the College of Arts & Architecture, and to students who have interest in creative industries and aligned careers. Residents gain experience with maker spaces on campus and a studio space on the floor.  Meet MSU Artists-in-Residence and CAA faculty, practice critiques and portfolio reviews in a supportive environment, or join a student guild aligned with your favorite media.

Offered in: South Hedges

Emerging Leaders:

Designed as a space for residents to explore their many roles as campus leaders.  Open to all majors, check out various opportunities and relevant coursework with the Leadership Institute, the Leadership Fellows Certificate program, and the College of Education, Health and Human Development.  Programming and mentorship will give residents unique avenues to learn and practice individual styles of leadership. Residents of the Emerging Leaders LLC are required to enroll in HLD 102 (Leadership Explorations, 1 credit) during the fall semester each year, and are strongly encouraged to enroll in HLD 121US (Leadership Foundations, 3 credits) for their University Seminar during their first year at MSU.

Offered in: South Hedges

Engineering:

Designed to give residents structure and motivation across the challenging curricula housed in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. Attend programs and workshops to connect you with NACOE faculty and alumni and find opportunities to further your in-class experiences through group study sessions, concierge tutoring, and social events.

Offered in: Hannon, Langford

Honors:

Designed to give students enrolled in the Honors College different environments to live and learn together. Residents participate in social and educational activities that will promote intellectual engagement, independence, and curiosity. Residents explore all academic options and gain critical thinking skills through faculty presentations and social events.  

Offered in: Quads, South Hedges, Hannon, Langford

Navigate MSU:

Designed to provide students with guidance and instruction on how to manage their learning and engagement to receive the full benefit of a university education. This program is situated to leverage the multiple dimensions and interface points between community/peer relationships, instruction, experiential learning, e-portfolios' mentoriing, tutoring, advising/coaching, alumni/speakers, and other experiences within the living environment to provide tools for students to help shape the life of the mind. More information about this LLC will be made available in the coming months. 

Offered in: South Hedges

Sense of Place:

Designed and developed to encourage students to explore various majors or career pathways while they learn about and enjoy Montana. Supplemental advising, workshops in experiential education, and lots of outdoor opportunities will encourage residents to gain a sense of belonging and engage with local experts on campus while they hone their interests and discover academic options. This living option is co-educational. Students living on the floor must enroll in a special section of US 103 during the spring semester.

Offered in: South Hedges

Well-Being:

Designed to encourage residents to find balance and thrive at MSU through programming developed for personal and academic well-being. Residents explore many resources on campus through the Office of Health Advancement, and have direct access to campus professionals to facilitate understanding and growth in all aspects of healthy living.

Offered in: Yellowstone Hall

 

 

Special Living Options

 

Sophomore and Above:

This quiet yet active living option provides an opportunity for students who want a change of pace from the traditional freshmen energy.

Offered in: Johnstone, Headwaters Complex, Julia Martin Apartments

*Gallatin and Jefferson Halls are the Sophomore and Above options in the Headwaters Complex.

21 & Older:

Similar to the Sophomore and Above living option, this option is for students who are 21 years of age or older and are interested in living around students who are around the similar age. This option is open with double and single rooms in Johnstone specifically.

Offered in: Johnstone

Co-ed Floors:

Co-ed floors feature men living on one side/wing of the floor and women on the other side/wing. Residents on co-ed floors quickly develop brother/sister type relationships.

Offered in: North Hedges, Yellowstone, South Hedges

Co-ed Buildings:

Co-ed buildings feature males and females living in the building on single gender floors, but the building is occupied by both genders. Residents in co-ed buildings have the opportunity to interact with a wide diversity of other students and be surrounded by a large amount of social and academically focused programming.

Offered in: Julia Martin Apartments, Johnstone/Mullan, North Hedges, Quads, Roskie, South Hedges, Yellowstone

Gender Inclusive Housing:

Montana State University is committed to creating a culture of intellectual and personal growth. Because learning is enhanced when topics are examined from diverse perspectives and because individuals possess unique outlooks which reflect the world around us, Montana State University is dedicated to creating an inclusive community that embraces a rich mix in the composition of its student body, staff, and faculty.

Offered in: Madison

We have listed some details below about the Gender Inclusive Housing living option:

  • Gender Inclusive Housing started as a pilot program during the 2018-2019 academic year at Montana State University that allows students to live in a suite, regardless of their sex or gender. This means that you may be in a suite with another student who identifies as a man, a woman, or any other gender identity.
  • Students will have the opportunity to participate in a number of hall and campus programs including Safe Zone Training, American Indian Heritage Day, Black History Month, India Night, Coming Out Day, International Food Bazaar as well as a number of other campus programs that are hosted throughout the year.
  • The community will have programs and resources provided throughout the year around various topics of diversity including race, gender, age, language, socioeconomic status, religion, political affiliation, geographical background, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and ability status.
  • Residents are encouraged to have open dialogue with parent(s) or guardian(s) about their choice to reside in a gender inclusive unit.

Please feel free to contact our housing assignments team at (406) 994-2661 to understand all of the living options available to you or to discuss any questions that you may have. Our goal is to provide a welcoming community for all students and the earlier we can discuss and address any of your concerns, the more flexibility we will have in assisting you with exploring different housing options.