About the Academies
Welcome! I am excited that you are interested in the UB Academies! Participating in an academy will allow you the opportunity to be active in shaping your own undergraduate experience. The academies are unique in that you can be involved in a variety of activities and determine how frequently you participate—you can get involved in a lot of what we do or just sample a little! I’ll work with you every step of the way to ensure you have a great experience and the academies meet your needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
- Hadar Borden, Academies Interim Director
Academy Activities & Benefits
The Undergraduate Academies will provide you with a distinctive undergraduate experience and allow you to explore, in-depth, a topic with several of UB’s preeminent scholars. You will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of experiences that has been developed to enhance your undergraduate years.
The center of the academy experience includes two seminar courses, one during fall semester and one during spring semester. Each seminar course will provide you with an in-class academic experience focused on the theme of the academy. The seminar courses will allow you special access to the Academy Academic Director as well as other distinct theme related learning activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, workshops, guest lectures, community projects, and career guidance.
You will have the opportunity to live on an academy floor in the residence halls as space permits. However, if you plan to commute you are also encouraged to participate with an academy.
You will enjoy many benefits from engaging in an academy. Most notably, you will have the opportunity to develop a closer relationship with faculty, staff, and students with similar interests. This enhanced involvement in university life will also give you an opportunity to meaningfully engage academic concepts outside of the classroom through interaction with the campus and external communities. We believe that these extraordinary opportunities will enhance your degree program and lead to tangible opportunities for personal and intellectual growth.