Kansas State University

Get prepared for the "real world" and learn about topics that will help you be successful inside and outside of college. This interactive class will focus on a set of life skills and current issues based on things like the K-State First Book theme(s), current needs or trends, or topics of interest to students. These may include things like financial planning, identifying fake news, identity, time management, health & wellness, relationships, career planning, difficult conversations, and more.

EDCEP 111 University Experience

PFP 105 Introduction to Personal Financial Planning

DAS 195 Adulting 101

This learning community is for students in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. It focuses on developing a solid understanding of the importance of science as a foundation for engineering while working to improve the students' ability to communicate, especially science and engineering design, with a diverse group of people. Students in this learning community must enroll in BAE 101 Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Technology as well as CHM 210 Chemistry 1. 

Required Courses

CHM 210 Chemistry 1 

BAE 101 Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Technology

Recommended Courses

COMM 105 Public Speaking 1A

MATH 220 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 

This learning community is for students in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. It focuses on developing a solid understanding of the importance of science as a foundation for engineering while working to improve the students' ability to communicate, especially science and engineering design, with a diverse group of people. Students in this learning community must enroll in BAE 101 Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Technology as well as MATH 220 Calculus 1 and the recitation for MATH 220. 

Required Courses

MATH 220 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1

BAE 101 Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Technology

Recommended Courses

CHM 210 Chemistry 1

COMM 105 Public Speaking 1A

Join this CAT Community for an introduction to the many dimensions of our life cycle and healthcare. Special attention will be given to life stories, sickness and health, diversity and cultural competencies, differing perspectives on health care and well-being, professionalism, and other topics and insights important to healthcare providers. Healthcare is ultimately about people, both patients and providers, and this will be an opportunity to explore the personal dimensions of healthcare as a field.

BIOL 198 Principles of Biology

ENGL 295 Life Stories

DAS 195 The Art of Healthcare

Cultivate your own agricultural literacy while enhancing your teaching, communication, and advocacy skills to advance the agriculture industry. We will explore agricultural issues from the perspective of multiple stakeholders through purposeful discussions and keynote speakers. This class will be highly interactive with opportunities to discuss agricultural topics and agricultural literacy programs. We will focus on current events, engage with industry leaders, and strategize how we can all become more agriculturally literate.

AGRON 220 Crop Science

ASI 102 Principles of Animal Science

GENAG 201 Cultivating Agricultural Literacy

What does it really mean to be a healer? We will answer this question by looking at what healing means for individual patients, for communities in different cultures, and for global systems. Along the way we will learn how both shamans and physicians bring about healing through ritual transitions, how cultural miscommunication can become a matter of life and death, and how anthropological insights help make global health a human-centered practice.

ANTH 315 Introduction to Medical Anthropology and Global Health

STAT 340 Biometrics

DAS 195 Cultures of Healing and Global Health

As the world becomes smaller, our classrooms become ever bigger. What does this mean for the future of education and what does the classroom of the future look like? Together we will explore how education is changing around the world and how you can be prepared for a global classroom.

EDCI 110 Foundations of Education

GEOG 100 World Geography and Globalization

DED 150 Education in a Global World

In this community, you will explore different engineering degree programs and careers while engaging in learning activities that promote your personal and professional development. You will also develop a solid understanding of how engineers utilize math and science to solve all types of problems. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to get to know other general engineering students and begin building a community of peers. Please keep in mind that the Engineering Futures CAT Community is designed for students who are in the General Engineering program. The required orientation course will help you make progress towards any engineering degree, but depending on the program, you might have to take an additional introduction course.

ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics

MATH 220 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

DEN 161 Engineering Futures

The Engineering Foundations CAT Community is designed specifically for General Engineering students enrolled in College Algebra or Trigonometry. This community will provide students with a connection to the College of Engineering and resources to help them successfully navigate their first semester on campus. Students will engage in learning activities that will strengthen their time management skills, study skills, goal setting and give them the tools to be successful future engineers.

MATH 150 Plane Trigonometry

ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics

DEN 160 Engineering Orientation

Learn all about participating in scientific research opportunities as an undergraduate. You will take part in a research project under the guidance of mentor through K-State's "Research for All" program. These research experiences typically will require one to two hours per week outside of class. We'll share our experiences throughout the semester in our community and finish by presenting posters at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

BIOL 198 Principles of Biology

CHM 210 Chemistry 1

DAS 195 Exploring Scientific Research

Are you interested in potentially becoming a healthcare professional? In this CAT Community, you will explore this interest by learning about different health professions, taking part in different experiences and activities that assist you in discerning your interest in them, and understanding the path to becoming a successful a pre-health applicant.

FNDH 115 Introduction to Health and Nutrition Professions

FNDH 132 Basic Nutrition

DHE 195 Exploring the Health Professions

This CAT community will focus on empowering you with tools and resources to create a successful transition to college. You’ll accomplish this through hands-on workshops to learn about bettering yourself professionally and socially while exploring leadership potential. This  learning community is only for first-generation, first-year students.

LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts

EDCEP 111 University Experience

LEAD 195 First-Gen Fundamentals  

In this CAT Community, students will explore what it means to be a "global citizen" and utilize an international experience as an opportunity for personal growth and self-development. We will examine some of the major forces that shape identity and culture, foster ethical values and behaviors that promote human dignity, and gain practical skills to navigate the rigors of the modern world. No matter where your career path may take you, your sense of global citizenship should help get there.

LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts 

LEAD 350 Culture and Context 

LEAD 195 Leadership for a Globalizing Community    

Are you interested in delving into the archive and looking at historical materials like photographs, letters, and artifacts? You will learn how to conduct successful primary source research, strengthen your writing and note taking skills, and construct nuanced and compelling projects to present history to diverse audiences. As part of this hands-on practice, you will edit or upload a short Wikipedia article based on your research, as well produce a creative project, which could include a paper, a podcast, video, or even a dance.

ENGL 100 Expository Writing 1

HIST 152 History of the United States Since 1877

LEAD 195 Getting Lost in the Stacks  

Did you know that there are more than 400 international students from 50 different countries that are your fellow classmates and a part of the K-State family? In this CAT Community, you will learn how communication transcends

We often think of the arts (for example, literature) as the opposite of science. But what happens if you use literature to understand mental illness or read a medical case file as a work of literature? What if you analyze bio-chemical responses to art? Together we will explore the intersection of the arts and science so we can begin to understand how science shapes our understanding of the arts and the ways in which literature and art teach us about science. This CAT Community is for Honors students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

ENGL 297 Honors Introduction to the Humanities

BIOL 198 Principles of Biology OR PSYCH 110 General Psychology*

UHP 189 Honors First-Year Seminar  

*Students interested in the Breaking the Art/Science Divide CAT Community only need to enroll in BIOL 198 or PSYCH 110, not both.

College is a life changing experience. Together in this CAT Community, we will use a variety of study skill strategies, community building activities, and examination of life stages that will help you be successful during your time at K-State. You will also practice strategies that you can use to support and encourage your own future students.

EDCI 110 Foundations of Education

HDFS 110 Introduction to Human Development

DED 150 How-To College

Explore identity through cinema, theatre, pop culture, and performance. Together we will attend plays, read comics, and examine films in this exploration. 

AMETH 160 Introduction to American Ethnic Studies

THTRE 270 Introduction to Theatre

DAS 195 Identity, Pop Culture, and Performance

Discover the world of international opportunities at K-State! This interactive learning community, open to both domestic and international students, will help you explore international educational opportunities and build community with other internationally-minded students. Together we will create connections through exploring the Secondary Major in International and Area Studies, Education Abroad, and the International Buddies program. Check out the flyer (PDF) for additional information!

POLSC 145 World Politics

Any Language Class*

DAS 195 International Cats

*Students interested in International Cats can enroll in any of the language classes offered in Fall 2022, including SPAN 101, 102, 300, 301, 302; ARAB 101 or 300; CHINE 101 or 300; FREN 101, 102, 300, 301; GRMN 101, 102, 300, 301; JAPAN 101 or 300; or LATIN 101 or 301.

Mahatma Gandhi said "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." As a CAT community we will identify common interests, develop meaningful service projects, and spend time together learning through service. Nonprofit organizations in and around Manhattan rely on the generosity of volunteers—join us as we seek to develop our own leadership capacity in the service of others.

LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts

SOCIO 211 Introduction to Sociology

LEAD 195 Leadership and Service

In this community we will explore some of the untold stories of sports icons like Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Jessie Owens, Satchel Paige, and more. Through their experiences, we will examine the impact of coaching, important life lessons, and the ways in which protest, activism, and politics are framed within sports.

LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts

POLSC 115 U.S. Politics

LEAD 195 Leadership in Sports

Curious about the meat industry? Together we'll explore hot topics of the past, current, and future, from the use of the hormone and antibiotics in livestock to cultured meat. This will provide you the opportunity to learn prospectives of the meat industry from both the producers and the consumers’ sides.

ASI 102 Principles of Animal Science

CHM 210 Chemistry 1

GENAG 200 The Meat We Eat

This community engages outstanding freshman business students in a year-long, cohort-based program designed to foster leadership development, ethical decision making, and innovative thinking, while gaining technical knowledge and skills through rigorous coursework. Through industry learning trips, alumni connections, one-on-one mentoring, and other exclusive experiences, students will explore college leadership opportunities and career pathways in the business sector. Students will also work with top faculty members as they transition to college life, and benefit from early access to the College of Business Career Development Program, specialized advising, and career shadowing experiences. For more information on how to apply, click here.

LEAD 212 Introduction to Leadership Concepts

ENTRP 340 Entrepreneurial Mindset 

GENBA 195 CAT Community Connections

We’ve all heard the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” In this CAT Community, you and other pre-health students will explore the implications behind this saying and gain an understanding of how nutrition is important to promoting the optimal health and wellness of patients. You will also learn about different health care practitioner occupations. 

FNDH 132 Basic Nutrition

CHM 210 Chemistry 1

DHE 195 Nutrition and the Health Professions

This CAT Community explores issues concerning the nature and special status of law and the connections between law, society, and morality. Law is a complex social institution that influences our culture and is itself shaped by society. Law is also an institution that is deeply connected with morality. We think of law as obligating us independently of the threat of punishment. We also think the content of law should reflect some basic set of moral values and that law is defective and loses its authority to the extent it fails to reflect our own values. However, the nature of law and of legal reasoning, and the ways society and morality influence law are complex and sometimes controversial matters.

We will discuss the nature and functions of law and explore the links between political change and legal reform, and between law and morality. The course will also include interaction with the Pre-Law advisor and discussion of the many career paths available to students interested in the law.

PHILO 160 Introduction to Philosophy of Law

POLSC 115 U.S. Politics

DAS 195 The Law and Society

Learn the physical and behavioral attributes of physical fitness, health and movement in this CAT Community. You will develop an understanding of the physical therapy profession, examination requirements, education, and opportunities.

KIN 220 Biobehavioral Bases of Physical Activity

FNDH 132 Basic Nutrition

DHE 195 Pre-Physical Therapy

Why is managing money so hard? Why are we often our own worst enemy when it comes to saving? Explore the intersection of psychology and money to gain insight into how our perceptions and beliefs around money shape our day-to-day financial behavior. 

PFP 105 Introduction to Personal Financial Planning

PSYCH 110 General Psychology

DAS 195 Psychology of Money

Funded by Tony Dosien & family, this classroom setting allows you to see the business world through the eyes of a salesperson. Together we will explore the sales profession, including how to effectively create value for customers throughout the sales process. Coupled with mock sales role-plays to gain real-world experience, at the end of the course students will have demonstrated the ability to have an initial sales conversation by understanding how to ask effective questions and utilizing their active listening skills

MKTG 400 Introduction to Marketing

SALES 542 Fundamentals of Professional Selling

GENBA 195 CAT Community Connections

Get up close and personal with business and accounting in a classroom like no other! Let's take an exciting journey where you will discover the language of business and yourself. With a culminating business and culture experience to Washington DC, see first-hand the impact YOU can make in the business world.

ACCTG 231 Accounting for Business Operations

MKTG 400 Introduction to Marketing

GENBA 195 CAT Community Connections

Sports as entertainment and lifestyle have have been a dominant force in the United States both economically and in the public consciousness. In this CAT Community, students will take a look at the impact the industry has one all aspects of life in the United States, as it has become almost a religious experience for many. You will trace the rise and fall of a variety of American sports, discuss current-day trends, and engage in activities geared toward understanding the role of sports in the fabric of society. 

MC 160 Principles of Journalism

HIST 252 History of the U.S. Since 1877 

DAS 195 Sports in America

Do you appreciate the knowledge and perspective gained from reading, reflecting, conversing with peers, and sharing your thoughts through writing? In this CAT Community, you will improve your writing through practice, feedback, and revision while learning about yourself and the world around you. You will also have the opportunity to strengthen skills and habits that are crucial to success in college while developing meaningful relationships with other first-year students. 

ENGL 100 Expository Writing 1 

SOCIO 211 Introduction to Sociology

DAS 195 Writing Life