Undergraduate Education
This is the 2012-2013 Undergraduate Bulletin
Other editions:
The Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor or Academic Affairs is responsible for coordinating, administering, and advocating for campus-wide policies, programs and initiatives affecting undergraduate education and the retention of UNL students.
General Education Requirements (ACE)
Consistent with the mission and values of the University, Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) is based on a shared set of four institutional objectives and 10 student learning outcomes. The ACE program was approved by faculty in all eight undergraduate colleges and endorsed by the Faculty Senate, the student government, and the Academic Planning Committee in January 2008 and implemented in the fall 2009. Key characteristics of ACE demonstrate the benefits of the program to students:
- Students receive a broad education with exposure to multiple disciplines, critical life skills and important reasoning, inquiry, and civic capacities.
- ACE is simple and transparent for students, faculty and advisers. Students complete the equivalent of 3 credit hours for each of the ten student learning outcomes.
- Students connect and integrate their ACE experiences with their selected major.
- Students can transfer all ACE certified courses across colleges within the institution to meet the ACE requirement and any course from outside the institution that is directly equivalent to a UNL ACE-certified course. Courses from outside institutions without direct equivalents may be considered with appropriate documentation for ACE credit (see academic adviser).
- ACE allows faculty to assess and improve their effectiveness and facilitate students’ learning.
Pre-Professional Studies
In addition to undergraduate programs leading to a bachelors degree, several UNL colleges offer pre-professional programs of study designed to prepare students for advanced training or professional study after graduation.
These are not programs with a predetermined outline of courses leading to a degree in a specific professional field. Rather, with careful planning and an adviser’s assistance, students build a degree program designed to enhance knowledge in areas relevant to future professional work.
Students can obtain advising and courses for pre-professional studies from three undergraduate colleges at the University. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources offers preforestry and preveterinary medicine; the College of Architecture offers prearchitecture and preinterior design; the College of Arts and Sciences offers preparation in prechiropractic, preclinical perfusion science, precytotechnology, predental hygiene, predentistry, prelaw, premedical technology, premedicine, premortuary science, prenuclear medicine technology, preoccupational therapy, preoptometry, prepharmacy, prephysical therapy, prephysician’s assistant, preradiologic technology, and preseminary/theology information.
Students can develop a prelaw program in any of UNL’s undergraduate colleges, but they should choose their courses carefully beginning their freshman year.
Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management
The Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Managementt develops leaders for a technology-driven world. Graduates will be professionals who understand the multiple levels of new information systems, and who become the technology sector’s innovators, product developers, entrepreneurs, chief information officers, and CEOs.
The undergraduate program is designed to give students a strong well-rounded education and to give them not only the ability to create information technology applications and solutions, but also the capacity to understand the implications of information technology for business and society. The program produces graduates with high technical proficiency as well as a strong sense of the business problems and organizational needs that information systems are intended to serve.
Students interested in learning more about the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management are encouraged to call the Program at 402-472-6000 or visit the Program website at http://raikes.unl.edu.
University Honors Program
The University Honors Program is a special program for which formal application is required. Students admitted to the Program have ACT composite scores in the upper 20s or above, are in the top ten percent of their high school class and, most importantly, have demonstrated a commitment to intellectual curiosity and academic excellence. Acceptance into the Program is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the student’s potential by the Honors Program Faculty Committee. All the undergraduate colleges support the Program, and honors courses apply to college and major requirements. A special notation is made on the transcript and diploma upon graduation from the University Honors Program to inform graduate schools and employers of the student’s superior performance. Honors Program students may request housing in the honors residence, the Neihardt Residence Center.
Students admitted to the Honors Program in their first year of college must fulfill the following requirements in order to complete the Program:
A. Full-time student: 12 credit hours each semester (fall and spring)
B. Cumulative GPA: 3.5
C. 24 credit hours in honors courses with a grade of B or better: to include 189H and 395H
D. Sequence:
First and Second years:
Complete 15 honors credit hours with a grade of B or better in the first four semesters of college work including 189H and file a Statement of Academic Interest.
Complete at least 6 honors credit hours with a grade of B or better each year (Fall and/or Spring).
Third and Fourth years:
Complete 9 honors credit hours with a grade of B or better in the junior and senior years, including 395H.
File a Memorandum of Study (research prospectus) prior to completing 100 hours.
Complete at least 3 honors credit hours with a grade of B or better each year (Fall or Spring)
E. Completion of an honors research or creative project (e.g., thesis).
Students admitted to the Program having earned college credits after high school graduation either at the University of Nebraska or another school should discuss modified requirements with the Honors Program director.
Students admitted to the University Honors Program have access to all honors courses taught at UNL without additional authorization.
NOTE: 189H Freshman Seminar is an honors course offered by participating academic departments. Required of all students in the University Honors Program.
