A&SRC: The Arts and Sciences Residential College
The Arts and Sciences Residential College (A&SRC) welcomes students with a declared major in one of the college’s fifteen departments, along with those wishing to explore any of those programs.
Our Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) house students majoring and minoring in English, world languages and cultures, humanities, political science, public service, anthropology, sociology, communication, music, theatre, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, geology, and environmental science.
We also welcome undeclared students interested in exploring the majors and minors offered in the College of Arts and Sciences.
What is A&SRC?
The Arts and Sciences Residential College (A&SRC) is one of five residential colleges on UTC’s campus. A&SRC houses between eight and ten residential learning communities (RLCs) that bring together students with similar interests to live and learn with one another. Most of our RLCs are sponsored by one or more departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and focus on unique curricular themes. As part of the RLC experience, participants enroll in one or two courses alongside fellow RLC members, fostering bonds in the classroom and extending their learning beyond the classroom and into the community.
While education is essential, college is about much more than what happens in the classroom! A&SRC members make life-long friendships, develop a support system, and participate in transformative experiences that shape their futures. One example is the exclusive A&SRC Explorers program, a competitive, application-based academic experience that takes participants to Mexico as they study Mexican culture. These students are immersed in Mexico’s vibrant culture as they learn about the Yucatán peninsula’s history, experience its culture firsthand, encounter the natural resources that shaped the region’s development, and engage with students and faculty from the area’s foremost university, UADY (Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán).
As a student success initiative, A&SRC’s mission is to cultivate in our students a sense of belonging that promotes inclusion, instills confidence, and empowers them to try new things, set ambitious goals, and push themselves to succeed. A&SRC students are full of passion, energy, and a clear sense of purpose; A&SRC’s coordinators, programming assistants, and Housing and Residence Life partners help channel these attributes into actions that build habits for academic achievement and success beyond graduation.
- CAS Explorers
For undeclared first-year students interested in exploring majors in the College of Arts and Sciences (sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences). CAS Explorers website coming soon!
- Content Creators
For first-year students majoring in Communication and Art (BA track) wanting to develop and refine their content creation skills. Content Creators website coming soon!
- Helping Hands (formerly AdvanceU)
For first-year students interested in community service and service learning (sponsored by the Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology Department). Visit the Helping Hands web page.
- Life Out Loud
For first-year students passionate about world cultures and languages (sponsored by the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department). Visit the Life Out Loud web page.
- MEDIC
For first-year students planning to attend professional health programs, i.e., medical, dental, vet, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and more (sponsored by Pre-Health Services and the Biology and Chemistry Departments). Visit the MEDIC web page.
- Mocs in STEM
For first-year students interested in STEM fields, such as Math, Chemistry, Physics, and more (sponsored by the Math, Chemistry, and Physics Departments. Visit the Mocs in STEM web page.
- Music Row
For first-year students majoring in Music and looking for a collaborative and creative experience (sponsored by the Music Department). Visit the Music Row web page.
- POLIS
For first-year students majoring in political science and public service (sponsored by the Political Science and Public Service Department). Visit the POLIS web page.
- Sustainable Mocs
For first-year students interested in sustainability (sponsored by the Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science Department). Visit the Sustainable Mocs web page.
- Writers' Collective
For first-year students interested in creative writing (sponsored by the English Department). Visit the Writers' Collective web page.
Upcoming Events
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Applying to A&SRC is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
If you are already admitted to UTC and are majoring in a College of Arts and Sciences program or are undeclared, you can apply for A&SRC membership by following these steps:
- 1. Complete UTC's Admissions application
Use THIS LINK to access UTC's application portal and apply for admission. We will reach out to you within a week of receiving your form.
- 2. Complete your A&SRC Membership application
The Arts and Sciences Residential College App is accessible via the UTC Admissions portal, located in the 'Other Applications' area's drop-down menu. Our staff and RLC Coordinators will review your application and notify you of your status.
- 3. Complete your Housing application
- Housing Application link
- Select Decosimo Apartments
- Select your A&SRC RLC on your housing application
- Answer ALL questions on the application
When Housing emails you your room assignment, you MUST formally accept the room assignment and pay your housing prepayment to finalize your A&SRC membership and secure your RLC room.
Why A&SRC?
As a student success initiative, A&SRC prioritizes our students’ success, which we measure in terms of retention, GPA, and progression toward degree completion and graduation. Creating a sense of belonging in our residential learning communities is the foundation of the support network we provide our students.
Beyond community building, we offer unique experiences to engage our participants both in and out of the classroom. Our social activities are fun and entice students to connect. Moreover, our co-curricular activities add another level of engagement to their studies by taking the learning out of the classroom and into the community or professional sector. Furthermore, our service opportunities empower our students, building character, agency, and the confidence to make a positive difference in the world.
Through our collaborations with campus partners, we can offer special resources to support our students’ individual needs, whether academic, social, or emotional. Through a partnership with UTC’s Center for Academic Support and Advisement, we provide peer tutoring in the residence hall, increasing our students’ access to this beneficial academic resource. Another valuable resource is the Faculty-in-Residence, who resides at Decosimo Apartments as part of our community. This College of Arts and Sciences faculty member provides another layer of support, from advising, mentoring, and tutoring our students to leading special programming and engaging in social interactions with Decosimo residents. Our partners in Housing and Residence Life provide our members with additional support and programming, coordinated by our Resident Director and Resident Assistants.
With this intricate and robust support network in place, it is no surprise that A&SRC members fare better than the general campus population: A&SRC students are retained by the university at higher rates than their non-A&SRC peers; moreover, they outperform their non-A&SRC peers academically, as shown by their GPAs.
So, why A&SRC? Because our mission is to support your success.
A&SRC Student Retention and Performance Metrics -Fall 2022 through Spring 2024
Want to learn more? Read on!
- Guiding Force: RLC Coordinators
These are faculty and staff within the College of Arts and Sciences. Coordinators usually teach one or more courses exclusively for their RLCs. Additionally, they plan and lead several co-curricular and social activities for their members each semester and provide informal mentoring for their students.
- Peer Support: Programming Assistants
These RLC members are typically returning students who previously participated in their community. They help coordinators organize and promote events and facilitate general communication with RLC members. Programming assistants receive special scholarships from Housing and Residence Life for their valuable contributions to their RLCs.
- Residence Hall Guidance and Mentoring: Faculty in Residence
The Faculty in Residence (FIR) lives in Decosimo and provides formal and informal interaction through educational programming, classes, individual and small-group advising, and casual engagement with our students. The A&SRC FIR is a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Building Community in the Classroom
RLC Coordinators select one or more courses that align with their membership’s particular interests and curricular plans and designate these as their RLC academic cohort courses. RLC members enroll in these courses as a group to build community in the classroom. A&SRC members are expected to participate in their designated academic cohort courses.
- Learning Beyond the Classroom
At A&SRC, learning happens in the classroom, in the residence hall, and in the community. Special activities and events amplify our students’ learning and skill acquisition and provide them with unique opportunities to apply this new-found knowledge and skills.
- Recipe for Success
Our mission is your success. By design, A&SRC’s benefits grow out of your engagement; therefore, accepting a place in A&SRC is an implicit commitment to be an engaged RLC member, participate in our special programming, explore our resources, and take advantage of our unique services.
- Eligibility
UTC undergraduate residential students majoring in programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are eligible to join A&SRC’s RLCs. Most RLCs are open to first-year, returning, and transfer students. Undeclared students interested in CAS academic programs are also welcome to participate.
- Application Process
Applying is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Follow these steps:
- Complete UTC's Admissions application. We will reach out to you within a week of receiving your form.
- Complete your A&SRC Membership application. The Arts and Sciences Residential College App is accessible in the UTC Admissions portal, located in the "Other Applications" area's drop-down menu. Our staff and RLC Coordinators will review your application and notify you of your status.
- Confirm and Finalize your A&SRC membership.
- Complete the UTC Housing Application (available in early December)
- Select your A&SRC RLC on your Housing application
- Answer ALL questions on the application.
When Housing emails you your room assignment, you MUST formally accept the room assignment and pay your $400.00 Housing pre-payment by their deadline to secure your RLC room and finalize your A&SRC membership.
- Cost
A&SRC is funded by a partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences, its constituent departments, and Housing and Residence Life. This means you can participate in this fantastic program at no extra cost to you!
- A&SRC Participant Guidelines and Expectations
A&SRC is a student success initiative that brings together UTC’s Academic Affairs faculty and Student Affairs staff to develop and incorporate high-impact practices that amplify student success. The program’s mission is to cultivate a sense of belonging in its members by creating communities that live together in a residence hall and engage in curricular (through academic cohort courses), co-curricular (through RLC-organized programming), service, and social activities. Interested students must apply and be accepted to participate in this competitive program. Participation in A&SR's RLCs is FREE, thanks to support from our partners in Housing and Residence Life, the College of Arts and Sciences, and its constituent departments. We make this significant investment to benefit your and our other students, but for this impact to result, you must commit to being fully engaged.
The following guidelines clarify A&SRC’s expectations of its members. You must acknowledge your understanding of these guidelines by signing the acknowledgment statement as part of the application process. Your signature also asserts your commitment to abide by these guidelines and expectations. Failure to do so will result in your forfeiting your membership and being room-changed out of your RLC in Decosimo so other interested students can participate.
Academic Cohort Courses: Our faculty coordinators carefully select the academic cohort courses. All first-year students participating in A&SRC are expected to enroll and remain enrolled in these courses. Academic cohorts are unique to each RLC and include courses in the Fall and Spring semesters. A list of academic cohort courses can be found HERE.
RLC Activity Programming Participation: RLC Coordinators organize and lead co-curricular and social activities to strengthen the bond within our communities. Engagement is an indispensable part of this process and our student success model. With that in mind, you are expected to participate in these activities. Your RLC plans at least six activities every academic year (three per semester), and you are expected to participate in at least four of these (two per semester).
Residence Hall and Engagement: Decosimo Apartments is home to A&SRC and its RLCs. Our partnership with Housing and Residence Life enables us to provide additional engagement and support opportunities in our residence hall (and adjacent congregational spaces at Stacy Town Center). These opportunities are also designed to develop skills, strengthen community building, and provide additional support services. Take full advantage of these resources to help you on your path to success.
Service Activities: We use service activities to give back to the community and to develop a sense of agency in our participants. You will be expected to participate in at least four service activities yearly (two per semester). These may be formal service events organized by A&SRC, its constituent RLCs, or other UTC offices. Additionally, you may opt to perform individual service hours organized independently with one of our Chattanooga community partnering organizations. In such cases, three (3) hours of individual service performed will be equivalent to one A&SRC/RLC/UTC-sponsored service event.
Communication via Navigate: A&SRC and its RLCs use Navigate to communicate with our members. When you receive emails and text messages from Navigate, you are expected to read and respond to them (when appropriate).
Good Academic Standing: A&SRC’s mission is to support your academic progression toward graduation. UTC defines Good Academic Standing as earning a GPA of 2.0 or higher. If your GPA falls below 2.0, you will be offered an Academic Success Plan, which includes student success measures such as academic coaching and tutoring. Following and completing your academic success plan will ensure you remain eligible to participate in your RLC.
Faculty in Residence: Our faculty are your primary resource in the classroom, and with the Faculty in Residence program, they are also a great resource in the residence hall. We have embedded in our residence hall a faculty member committed to your success who wants to engage with you regularly and provide extra support as needed. Take advantage of this unique and valuable resource!
The residential college contains substantial resources to bolster your success at UTC; however, no institutional support can do all the work for you. As an A&SRC participant, your job is to lean into these resources and take full advantage of what the residential college offers: a path to academic success through community, engagement, and service.
Service & Volunteerism
We recognize the power of service to others to build character, agency, and purpose. Through service, we not only help those around us in need; we also begin to see our individual and collective capacity to become the changemakers of the world. Therefore, A&SRC uses service activities to help our members develop character and a sense of connection to their RLC, A&SRC, the UTC campus, the Chattanooga community, and beyond.
Throughout the academic year, you will have opportunities to engage in group and individual service projects and activities. To reap the benefits of A&SRC, engage in at least two service activities each semester (four total for the academic year). Service projects and activities will be posted on this website and in MocSync.
Fall 2025 Service Opportunities
- IRONMAN Chattanooga A&SRC Volunteer Team
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Join UTC’s A&SRC Volunteer Team as we help support the triathletes gathered in Chattanooga to compete in this extreme event! Our volunteers will staff Run Aid Station 1, conveniently located near the UTC campus on Riverfront Parkway, between Lindsay and Houston Streets (a block from McKenzie Arena).
Join UTC’s A&SRC Volunteer Team as we help support the triathletes gathered in Chattanooga to compete in this extreme event! Our volunteers will staff Run Aid Station 1, conveniently located near the UTC campus on Riverfront Parkway, between Lindsay and Houston Streets (a block from McKenzie Arena).
Run Aid Station 1 Location Map
Job Description: Volunteers will hand out water and food to athletes as they pass through the aid station.
Four shifts available:
- 11:00 AM-2:15 PM
- 2:00-5:15 PM
- 5:00-8:15 PM
- 8:00-11:00 PM
Registration is required in advance to participate in this activity.
Register here: https://go.utc.edu/oebjt
*Select one or more shifts in the + Run Aid Station 1
* For the question, “If you are associated with a group, please let us know what group you are a part of,” list our group as UTC A&SRC
Questions? Email Dr. Tejero at [email protected]
Spring 2025 Service Opportunities
Coming soon!
Individual Service Opportunities Links
How Does A&SRC Membership Work?
Becoming an A&SRC RLC member is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!
Your first step is admission to UTC. Declare a major in the College of Arts and Sciences or apply with "undecided" status. All students majoring in programs in the College of Arts and Sciences (as well as undeclared students who want to explore majors in our College) are eligible to apply for membership in A&SRC's RLCs.
Access the UTC Application Portal.
Be sure to declare your major (or select "undecided"), provide your highest ACT/SAT Math and English scores, list any college credits you expect to have earned when you enroll at UTC, and select the RLC that interests you.
- Access the Arts & Sciences Residential College Application on the UTC Application Portal.
- Select the Sign In Button and use your UTC credentials to log in.
- Select the Arts & Sciences Residential College App and complete the form.
Our team will review your application materials and contact you with updates on the status of your application. At this stage, your membership acceptance will be considered provisional and contingent on completing Step 3.
Decosimo Apartments is home to the Arts and Sciences Residential College, and A&SRC members receive priority consideration for room assignments in that building. Please note that you cannot bring a roommate group into an RLC unless all members of the group were accepted into the RLC.
- Complete your Campus Housing Application and select Decosimo to remain eligible to participate in A&SRC's RLCs.
- In your Housing application, select the RLC you indicated in your A&SRC membership application and complete all the questions.
- When you receive your room assignment (emailed by [email protected]), you must accept the offer within the stipulated deadline and submit your $400.00 Housing prepayment. Completion of this step will finalize your A&SRC membership. Please note that you must submit your Housing prepayment before your A&SRC membership is finalized.
Our Housing staff will place you in a suite reserved for your RLC, and our academic staff will enroll you in your academic cohort courses. You must remain enrolled in these courses. Our faculty and staff coordinators will plan and lead activities that keep you engaged, help you learn, develop new skills, foster relationships, and enhance your overall college experience.
Whether you choose AdvanceU, CAS Explorers, Content Creators, Helping Hands, Life Out Loud, MEDIC, Mocs in STEM, Music Row, POLIS, Sustainable Mocs, or the Writers' Collective, as an A&SRC member, you will be poised to achieve your academic and professional aspirations.
All first-time UTC students are required to participate in New Students' Orientation. You can register here: Fall Orientation Registration
A&SRC Academic Cohort Courses (Fall 2025 - Spring 2026)
A&SRC RLC members are expected to enroll and remain enrolled in their academic cohort courses throughout their first year at UTC. Below is a list of each RLC's academic cohort courses. Specific course sections and CRNs will be added before your registration windows open.
- Helping Hands (formerly AdvanceU)
Fall
- USTU1250 - The First Year Experience: Helping Hands/AdvanceU
- SOC1150 - Sociology of Social Problems (SB)
Spring
- TBA
- Life Out Loud (First-Year Students)
Fall
- USTU1250 - The First Year Experience: Life Out Loud
- MLNG1500R - World Cinema (CZ or HF)
Spring
- LTAM1750 - Intoduction to Latin American Studies
- MEDIC (First-Year Students)
Fall
- CHEM1250/BIOL 1250 - The First Year Experience: MEDIC
- BIOL1110/1110L - Principles of Biology I/Lab
Spring
- BIOL 1120/1120L - Principles of Biology II/Lab
- Mocs in STEM
Fall
- MATH1250/PHYS1250/CHEM1250 - The First Year Experience: Mocs in STEM
- MATH1730 Combined Precalculus
Spring
- PHYS1350 - Introduction to Data Analysis and Python Programming for STEM Students
- Music Row
Fall
- MUS1250: The First Year Experience: Music Row
- MUS1000R - Seminar
Spring
- MUS1710 - Musicianship I
- MUS1730 - Musicianship Lab I
- MUS1750 - Aural Skills I
- POLIS
Fall
- PSPS1250 - The First Year Experience: Political Science
- PSPS1000 - Introduction to Political Science and Public Service
Spring
- PSPS1030 - Controversies in Public Policy
- Sustainable Mocs
Fall
- BIOL1250/ESC1250 - The First Year Experience: Sustainable Mocs
- BIOL1110 - Principles of Biology I / ESC1500 - Introduction to Environmental Science I / GEOL1110 - Physical Geology
Spring
- BIOL1120 - Principles of Biology II; ESC1510 - Introduction to Environmental Science II; GEOL1120 - Historical Geology
- BIOL1050 - Life on Earth (LL)
- Writers' Collective
Fall
- USTU1250 - The First Year Experience: Writers' Collective
- ENGL2700 - Creative Writing
Spring
- ENGL2060R - Topics in Literature: On the Road: Journeys in Literature
Explore our communities!
Helping Hands (formerly AdvanceU)
Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology (AGS)
Helping Hands RLC is a community for students interested in community service, service learning, and servant leadership.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
Life Out Loud - Languages and Cultures
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures (MCLL)
Life Out Loud is a Humanities‐inspired community for students passionate about world languages and cultures, especially those majoring or minoring in Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
MEDIC
Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science and Chemistry
MEDIC (Medical Dental Interests Company) is the residential learning community for students on the pre-professional health tracks.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
Mocs in STEM
Mathematics and Chemistry and Physics
Mocs in STEM is the residential learning community for students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields and those who want to learn to work with data.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
Music Row
POLIS
Political Science and Public Service (PSPS)
POLIS is the residential learning community for Political Science majors eager to engage with the local history and politics of Chattanooga to become active citizens with a stake in their communities.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
Sustainable Mocs
Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
Sustainable Mocs is the residential learning community for students majoring in Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science who want to learn about and tackle issues related to sustainability.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
The Writer's Collective
English
The Writers Collective is a residential learning community for students with a passion for creative writing!
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
CAS Explorers
College of Arts and Sciences
CAS Explorers residential learning community welcomes undeclared students interested in exploring major programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Location: Decosimo Apartments
Content Creators
Communication
Content Creators is the residential learning community for students interested in creating content to share with others, such as creating art, taking photos, making videos, and more!
- Location: Decosimo Apartments