Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science

Why Experiential Learning at UCR Sets You Apart

At University College Roosevelt, learning isn't confined to lecture halls—it's deeply embedded in real-world problem-solving from day one. As a Liberal Arts and Science student, you'll move seamlessly between theory and practice, working on genuine societal challenges that matter. This Community Engaged Learning (CEL) approach means many of your courses include hands-on components where you collaborate with community partners, local organizations, and citizens to tackle scientific and social issues with actual impact. You're not just studying concepts; you're applying them to questions that shape your region and the world.

The university has designed its physical spaces and research infrastructure specifically to support this integrated learning model. Three distinct academic buildings—Franklin, Eleanor, and Anne—each serve different aspects of your education. Eleanor functions as the academic hub where most classes happen, while Anne provides state-of-the-art labs and flexible learning spaces. Beyond campus, you'll have immediate access to high-tech research facilities and community resources that extend your classroom into Middelburg itself.

Here's what this means for your practical education:

- Joint Research Center Zeeland (JRCZ): A cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research facility where you conduct lab work and research on pressing challenges in water, energy, and food systems. This isn't a siloed academic space—students from vocational, applied science, and academic backgrounds collaborate here, exposing you to diverse perspectives.

- Field-based Archives and Historical Research: If you're drawn to humanities or social sciences, you'll work directly with centuries of documents, maps, and manuscripts, conducting original historical research rather than just reading about it.

- Community Engaged Learning Projects: You'll team up with peers, instructors, and community members on real societal issues. Recent examples include *The World on Walcheren*, where students explored migration and memory through community objects and published their findings in a book, and a Virtual International Collaboration Project connecting UCR students with Native students in Canada and NYU's Interactive Media Arts program to create digital storytelling products on education and cultural history.

- Internship Opportunities: Complete a one-semester academic internship (part-time or full-time, typically 210 hours) with organizations in your field. You'll apply your Liberal Arts and Science training to real challenges while working under joint supervision from a UCR faculty member and your host organization.

- ZB Library of Zeeland: A modern public library just a short walk from campus, designed for collaborative study, group projects, and in-depth research with extensive academic resources.

- Flexible Group Learning Spaces: Anne building includes open study areas and a peaceful private garden—designed specifically for group projects, collaborative research, and informal knowledge-sharing that happens naturally when you're studying something that matters.

- Small Class Sizes in Purpose-Built Spaces: With only 500 students total, your classes are intimate enough that professors know your work personally. Eleanor's classrooms and Anne's modern learning spaces create environments where active discussion and hands-on application are the norm, not the exception.

The interdisciplinary nature of Liberal Arts and Science means you'll work alongside students studying data science, philosophy, engineering, and sociology—exactly the kind of diverse collaboration that generates creative solutions to complex problems. Your learning becomes cumulative: each course builds practical skills while connecting to real applications, and by graduation, you'll have a portfolio of genuine research and project experience that distinguishes you in any field.

At University College Roosevelt, our Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science immerses you in experiential learning that turns classroom ideas into real-world action, building practical skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving through hands-on projects with communities and partners. You'll dive into interdisciplinary challenges using state-of-the-art facilities right on campus and nearby, from high-tech labs to archives that let you uncover hidden histories. This approach ensures you're not just studying—you're creating impact, whether co-creating VR games for healthcare or partnering with local entrepreneurs on sustainable ideas.

Here's how you'll gain those skills through specific opportunities and tools tailored to our program:
- Joint Research Center Zeeland (JRCZ): Conduct lab work and interdisciplinary research in this high-tech facility linking science, data, and society—perfect for testing ideas alongside regional researchers.
- Community Engaged Learning (CEL) projects: Team up with peers, instructors, and societal partners on real issues, like exploring migration stories on Walcheren (resulting in a published book) or virtual collaborations with universities in Canada and NYU to create storytelling products on cultural history.
- Academic internships: Spend a semester (part-time or full-time, ~210 hours) applying your skills to organizational challenges under joint faculty and partner supervision—think fresh perspectives from data scientists, philosophers, and more.
- Archives and ZB Library of Zeeland: Dive into centuries of documents, maps, and manuscripts for hands-on historical research, plus group study spaces just a short walk away.
- Anne building labs and flexible spaces: Work on group projects or research in modern labs, open study areas, and a quiet garden designed for innovative, collaborative learning.

These experiences make UCR the ideal launchpad for your future—check out our full facilities list here: https://ucr.nl/student-life/life-on-campus/.