About SLE

Structured Liberal Education (SLE) is among Stanford’s longest-running programs designed especially for frosh. Since 1974 it has served as a liberal arts college experience within the research university.

Focusing mainly, but not exclusively on the Western tradition, SLE is an integrated program in humanities classics (literature, philosophy, and the arts) and writing instruction in which the 90 students live together in two houses in East Florence Moore Hall. All components of the course take place in the residence: lectures, discussion sections, film screenings, and special events. The thrice-weekly lectures by distinguished humanities faculty from across the University introduce students to scores of scholars with whom they might like to do further study in sophomore through senior year.