Elementary particle physics is the most fundamental science in that it addresses the laws of nature in their most basic form. The first goal is to have you understand this scheme and rich phenomenology at a conceptual level. Because they will be necessary to understand the formalism, we will do some calculations, but the primary goal is not to leave you with a set of calculational tools. They can come later, if you decide to continue the study of particle physics at a graduate level.
Most undergraduate courses are rather impersonal.
The instructor gives lectures, the students take notes, and only occasionally ask questions. It is quite possible for the instructor never to learn the names of a majority of the students. Since this course traditionally attracts a smaller number of students, it is ideal for a format in which there is more give and take during the lectures and through seminars. This is the reason for setting up the classroom so that everyone can sit around the table. Most undergraduate courses proceed largely as a mathematical deduction from a few principles.