Cantonese opera, Bob Dylan, Middle Eastern diplomacy, Jane Austen and earthquakes.
What do these seemingly unrelated clauses have in common? They are all the subject of fall quarter Fiat Lux classes.
These bite-sized seminars allow students to thrive in a small classroom setting. Fiat Lux classes, more than any other course accessible to freshmen, let students learn about a niche subject that can lead to great relationships spanning their entire college career.
Jennifer Jay, a professor of civil and environmental engineering who teaches a Fiat Lux class, said they facilitate “small group learning, out-of-the-box thinking and fun curricula.”
A key benefit of the courses is their small size. According to a Scholastic study, small classes are a great way to build relationships between students.
“I think everybody appreciates the opportunity for a small class, and the opportunity to speak to each other and the teachers,” said Ann Kerr, the coordinator of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Enrichment Program and another Fiat Lux professor. “That’s huge, in contrast to the large lecture courses that students have to take.”
These small classes also facilitate close relationships with professors. King-Kok Cheung, professor emerita of Asian American studies and English, said her Fiat Lux classes allowed her to build relationships with students that have lasted for years.
Small classes also create a smoother transition for new students. Coming to UCLA can be a culture shock in terms of class size. After all, a 30-person high school class is a very different experience from a 300-person Cluster lecture.
These small seminars also grant students the unique opportunity to analyze niche topics.
Zoe Zarubin, a second-year English student, took “The Social World of Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice” during her freshman year. She said she jumped at the opportunity to take a class that examined such a specific subject.
“When I was looking for a college, a lot of the private schools advertised these uber-specific classes,” Zarubin said. “I thought the Fiat Lux was cool because that’s not something I thought I was going to be able to get at a big public university. The Fiat Lux just proved me wrong.”
The Fiat Lux class is also an opportunity to not be restricted by major requirements.
There is a great, often untapped value in interdisciplinary learning. It helps build connections to other areas of interest, enhances problem-solving skills and provides information that makes you more capable in the post-graduation world.
But more importantly, these classes allow students to learn for learning’s sake – a powerful thing in a university often defined by a rush to streamline credits and focus on a singular focus of study.
“In a culture that values productivity and efficiency, I think a lot of people just see university and getting a degree as a means to an end,” Zarubin said. “The goal of the Fiat Lux, of learning for learning’s sake, is actually very admirable, because it gives an opportunity for people to see beyond learning as a means to an end, but learning, in and of itself, is valuable.”
Students who walk into a Fiat Lux often do so with an open attitude, which leads to a rejuvenating academic experience that contrasts with a GE course overflowing with participants who typically loathe being there.
“I don’t want you to stay in my class if you’re not having fun,” Cheung said.
In the slog to complete GEs and major requirements, Fiat Luxes can be a bright spot in your schedule. Instead of falling into a mindset that your specific degree is the only reason you are here, it is necessary to actively seek out opportunities to learn.
When taking one last pass over your fall schedule, see if there are any open spots in Fiat Lux classes. Taking a Fiat Lux could bring forth an entirely unprecedented and exciting academic opportunity.
Theresa Ambo, an associate professor who teaches a Fiat Lux class, said students should take these classes to continue on their journeys of being “forever students.”
“Fiat Lux courses, like all other courses you will take at UCLA, are reciprocal,” Ambo said in an emailed statement. “In other words, you get what you give. Invest yourself in learning and you won’t regret it.”
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