Over 700 courses have been certified for the ACE Student Learning Outcomes and courses are continuously being submitted by faculty for ACE certification. These courses will help prepare you to become a leader in your field by giving you a breadth of knowledge and skills. You will take ACE courses in many disciplines, equipping you to address the complex problems you will face in the future. Employers seek to hire applicants with these skills; graduate schools admit students who demonstrate these abilities.
By taking ACE courses you will learn to :
- Write better and communicate more clearly in various ways
- Sharpen your math abilities
- Think like a scientist, humanist, social scientist, and artist
- Expand your horizons in the areas of ethics, diversity, and global awareness
- Integrate what you've learned and apply that knowledge to develop solutions to new problems
Connecting ACE and Career Success
Faculty identified the ACE areas based in part on demands they heard from employers and graduate schools who sought candidates who can demonstrate these capabilities. The result was a cutting edge general education program that has been a model for several other institutions.
Employers hire students who can demonstrate these abilities and skills. The Association of American Colleges and Universities published results of a survey (2021)that demonstrates the importance of general education courses as a foundation for career success. More than 450 employers responded to the survey offering substantial reasons why students need to take general education courses and what they look for in candidates they hire.
As you look through the attributes employers favor note how similar these are to the ACE learning outcomes. This 2021 report offers evidence that the students who are competent in the ACE areas gain a solid foundation for learning that is relevant.
Current Semester ACE Offerings
ACE courses offered in the current or upcoming terms.
ACE Courses by Interest Area
To show you how you can make the most of ACE, we’ve created suggestions of courses around several themes. But you’re not limited to these areas. You can pursue your own interests.
Check out these ideas of courses to meet ACE requirements or electives that are available to all students, grouped by interest themes. Your advisor may be able to suggest other ACE courses related to your interests.
Courses
Politics
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 106 | Philosophy and Current Issues |
| 5 or 9 | PHIL 218 | Philosophy of Feminism (WMNS 218) |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 221 | Political Philosophy |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 230 | Philosophy of Law |
| 8 | PHIL 323 | Topics in Applied Ethics |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 325 | Advanced Social Political Philosophy |
| 6 or 8 | POLS 100 | Power and Politics in America |
| 6 | POLS 150 | Introduction to Biology, Psychology, and Politics |
| 9 | POLS 160 | International Relations (GLST 160) |
| 6 | POLS 227 | The Presidency |
| 6 | POLS 230 | Elections, Political Parties, and Special Interests |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 238 | Blacks and the American Political System (ETHN 238) |
| 4 or 6 | POLS 250 | Genetics, Brains, and Politics |
| 6 | POLS 350 | Issues in Biology, Psychology, and Politics |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 375 | Conflict and Development in Africa (ETHN 275) |
Health Related Fields
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ANTH 260 | Pandemics from Past to Present |
| 9 | ANTH 265 | Global Health |
| 4 | CHEM 109A | General Chemistry I (Pre-requisite: MATH 103 or higher) |
| 5 | ENGL 210I | Illness and Health in Literature |
| 9 | ETHN 330 | Multicultural Education (TEAC 330) |
| 5 | HIST 228 | History of Medicine in Western Society |
| 4 | LIFE 120/L | Fundamentals of Biology I |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 213 | Medical Ethics |
| 4 or 6 | POLS 250 | Genetics, Brains, and Politics |
| 9 | WMNS 202 | Women, Gender, and Health |
African American Life
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 244 | African American Literature since 1865 (ETHN 244) |
| 5 | ENGL 244E | African American Literature before 1865 (ETHN 244E) |
| 8 or 9 | ETHN 200 | Introduction to African American Studies |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 238 | Blacks and the American Political System (ETHN 238) |
| 9 | RELG 226 | The History of African-American Religious Experience (ETHN 226/HIST 226) |
Civic Engagement
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | AGRI 115 | Biotechnology: Food, Health and Environment |
| 2 | COMM 209 | Public Speaking |
| 2 | COMM 210 | Communicating in Small Groups |
| 8 | COMM 220 | Public Advocacy and Civic Engagement |
| 5 | COMM 250 | Rhetoric, Media, and Civic Life |
| 8 | COMM 375 | Theories of Persuasion |
| 1 | ENGL 151 | Writing for Change |
| 5 or 8 | ENGL 275 | Introduction to Rhetorical Theory |
| 8 or 9 | ENGL 376 | Rhetoric: Argument and Society |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 106 | Philosophy and Current Issues |
| 5 | PHIL 220 | Elements of Ethics |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 221 | Political Philosophy |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 225 | Environmental Ethics |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 320 | Ethical Theory |
| 8 | PHIL 323 | Topics in Applied Ethics |
| 6 | POLS 230 | Elections, Political Parties, and Special Interests |
| 4 or 6 | POLS 250 | Genetics, Brains, and Politics |
| 9 | POLS 333 | Immigration and Politics (ETHN 333) |
| 6 | POLS 350 | Issues in Biology, Psychology, and Politics |
| 6 | PSYC 288 | The Psychology of Social Behavior |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 180 | Social Problems |
| 3 | SOCI 206 | Introduction to Social Statistics |
| 8 | WMNS 210 | Activism and Feminist Communities |
Social Justice
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ALEC 102 | Interpersonal Skills for Leadership |
| 2 | ARTP 160 | Street Art: Visual Voice in the Urban Environment |
| 5 | COMM 250 | Rhetoric, Media, and Civic Life |
| 2 or 9 | COMM 311 | Intercultural & Intergroup Communication (ETHN 311) |
| 2 | COMM 374 | Mental Health Communication: Communication, Stigma & (Dis)Connection |
| 9 | CRIM 338 | Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice |
| 1 | ENGL 151 | Writing for Change |
| 5 or 8 | ENGL 210P | Literature of War and Peace |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 212 | Introduction to LGBTQ Literature (WMNS 212) |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 215 | Introduction to Women's Literature (WMNS 215) |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 242 | Global Literatures since 1850 (GLST 242) |
| 1 | ENGL 254/254H | Writing and Communities |
| 5 or 8 | ENGL 275 | Introduction to Rhetorical Theory |
| 1 | ENGL 354 | Writing: Uses of Literacy |
| 8 or 9 | ENGL 376 | Rhetoric: Argument and Society |
| 8 or 9 | ETHN 100 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 244 | African American Literature since 1865 (ETHN 244) |
| 5 | ENGL 244E | African American Literature before 1865 (ETHN 244E) |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 312 | LGBTQ Literature and Film (WMNS 312) |
| 9 | ENGL 315B | Women in Popular Culture (WMNS 315B) |
| 7 | FILM 373 | Film Theory and Criticism |
| 8 | GEOG 403 | Environmental Justice |
| 6 | GLST 280 | Colonization, Decolonization and Globalization (ANTH/ETHN 280) |
| 5 | HIST 204 | Women and Gender in U.S. History (WMNS 204) |
| 9 | HIST 254 | Human Rights in Modern World History |
| 9 | HIST 286 | The Music of Protest |
| 8 or 9 | JOMC 222 | Social Justice, Human Rights and the Media |
| 4 | NRES 108 | Earth's Natural Resource Systems Laboratory |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 105 | The Philosophy of Food |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 106 | Philosophy and Current Issues |
| 5 or 9 | PHIL 218 | Philosophy of Feminism (WMNS 218) |
| 5 | PHIL 220 | Elements of Ethics |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 225 | Environmental Ethics |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 230 | Philosophy of Law |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 320 | Ethical Theory |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 238 | Blacks and the American Political System (ETHN 238) |
| 9 | POLS 333 | Immigration and Politics (ETHN 333) |
| 9 | RELG 108 | World Religions |
| 9 | RELG 181 | Judaism, Christianity and Islam |
| 4 or 8 | SCIL 109 | Water in Society (AECN/ENVR/GEOG/NRES 109) |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 180 | Social Problems |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 200 | Gender in Contemporary Society (WMNS 200) |
| 6 | SOCI 209 | Sociology of Crime |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 217 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (ETHN 217) |
| 9 | WMNS 201 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Sexuality Studies |
| 8 | WMNS 210 | Activism and Feminist Communities |
Cultural Diversity
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | ANTH 212 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (ETHN 212) |
| 8 | ANTH 352 | Indigenous Peoples of the Great Plains (ETHN 352) |
| 2 | ARTP 160 | Street Art: Visual Voice in the Urban Environment |
| 2 | COMM 101 | Communication in the 21st Century |
| 2 | COMM 210 | Communicating in Small Groups |
| 2 | COMM 283 | Interpersonal Communication |
| 2 or 9 | COMM 311 | Intercultural & Intergroup Communication (ETHN 311) |
| 2 | COMM 360 | Dialogue Across Difference |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL | Chose from the many ethnic literature courses |
| 9 | ENVR 249 | Individual and Cultural Perspectives on the Environment (NRES 249) |
| 8 or 9 | ETHN 100 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies |
| 8 or 9 | ETHN 200 | Introduction to African American Studies |
| 8 or 9 | ETHN 201 | Introduction to Indigenous Studies |
| 9 | ETHN 202 | Introduction to Latinx Studies |
| 9 | GLST 214 | Food and Culture (ANTH 214, MODL 214) |
| 6 | GEOG 361 | Urban Geography |
| 9 | HIST | Chose from many ethnic history courses |
| 9 | HIST 113 | History of Hip Hop (ETHN 113) |
| 9 | HIST 181 | Introduction to East Asian Civilization (POLS 171) |
| 9 | HIST 219 | Introduction to Jewish History (RELG/JUDS 219) |
| 7 | MUNM 276G | The Music Experience |
| 7 or 9 | MUNM 280 | World Music |
| 3 | PHIL 211 | Introduction to Modern Logic |
| 5 or 9 | PHIL 218 | Philosophy of Feminism (WMNS 218) |
| 5 or 9 | PHIL 265 | Philosophy of Religion |
| 9 | POLS 160 | International Relations (GLST 160) |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 238 | Blacks and the American Political System (ETHN 238) |
| 4 or 6 | POLS 250 | Genetics, Brains, and Politics |
| 6 or 9 | POLS 375 | Conflict and Development in Africa (ETHN 375) |
| 9 | PSYC 330 | Psychology of Diversity |
| 9 | RELG 180 | Culture, Religion, and Society in Asia (HIST 180) |
| 3 | SOCI 206 | Introduction to Social Statistics |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 217 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (ETHN 217) |
| 9 | TEAC 330 | Multicultural Education (ETHN 330) |
Environment/sustainability
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | ARCH 107 | Sustainability Basics and the Built Environment |
| 9 | CHME 204 | Carbon Footprints: From Greenhouse Gases to Global Warming |
| 5 | ENGL 317 | Literature and the Environment |
| 9 | ENSC 110 | Energy in Perspective |
| 8 | ENVR 201 | Science, Systems, Environment and Sustainability |
| 9 | ENVR 249 | Individual and Cultural Perspectives on the Environment (NRES 249) |
| 8 | ENVR 334 | Psychology of Environmental Sustainability (PSYC 334) |
| 6 or 9 | GEOG 181 | Global Environmental Issues |
| 6 | GEOG 362 | Rural Landscapes and Livelihoods in a Global World |
| 8 | GEOG 403 | Environmental Justice |
| 7 or 9 | PLAS 200 | Landscape and Environmental Appreciation (GEOG 200, LARC 200) |
| 4 | METR 180 | Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment |
| 9 | NRES 104 | Climate in Crisis |
| 4 | NRES 108 | Earth's Natural Resource Systems Laboratory |
| 4 | NRES 115 | Introduction to Environmental Science |
| 5 or 6 | NRES 289 | People and the Land: Human Environmental Interactions on the Great Plains (GEOG 289) |
| 2 | NRES 301 | Environmental Communication Skills (Pre-requisite: Take ACE 1 course first) |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 105 | The Philosophy of Food |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 225 | Environmental Ethics |
The Past
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | AHIS 101 | Cave Paintings to Cathedrals |
| 7 | AHIS 102 | Renaissance to Modern Art |
| 6 or 9 | ANTH 110 | Introduction to Anthropology |
| 6 | ANTH 130 | Anthropology of the Great Plains |
| 6 | ANTH 212 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (ETHN 212) |
| 4 | ANTH 232 | Introduction to Archaeology |
| 4 | ANTH 242 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology |
| 6 or 9 | ANTH 252 | World Archaeology, Global Heritage (CLAS 252) |
| 8 | ANTH 352 | Indigenous Peoples of the Great Plains (ETHN 352) |
| 5 | ENGL 260 | American Literature before 1865 |
| 4 | GEOL 103 | Earth Through Time |
| 4 | GEOL 105 | Fossils and the History of Life |
| 5 | HIST 130 | Premodern Europe |
| 5 | HIST 209 | Ancient Greece (CLAS 209) |
| 5 | HIST 210 | Ancient Rome (CLAS 210) |
| 5 | HIST 211 | History of the Middle Ages (MRST 211) |
| 8 | HIST 243 | Early America to 1800 |
| 5 | PHIL 231 | History of Philosophy (Ancient) |
| 5 | PHIL 232 | History of Philosophy (Modern) |
| 5 | PHIL 336 | Ethics: Ancient and Medieval |
| 5 | PHIL 337 | Knowledge: Ancient and Medieval |
| 5 | PHIL 338 | Metaphysics: Ancient and Medieval |
Nutrition and Health
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ANTH 260 | Pandemics from Past to Present |
| 9 | ANTH 265 | Global Health |
| 4 | AGRI 115 | Biotechnology: Food, Health and Environment |
| 5 | ENGL 210I | Illness and Health in Literature |
| 4 | FDST 131 | The Science of Food |
| 6 | GERO 200 | Introduction to Gerontology |
| 9 | NUTR 253 | Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition (Pre-requisite: NUTR 100 or 250) |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 105 | The Philosophy of Food |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 213 | Medical Ethics |
| 9 | WMNS 202 | Women, Gender, and Health |
Home and Family
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | COMM 210 | Communicating in Small Groups |
| 2 | COMM 283 | Interpersonal Communication |
| 6 | COMM 370 | Family Communication |
| 6 | CYAF 160 | Human Development and the Family |
| 6 | CYAF 280 | Family Science |
| 5 | ENGL 216 | Children's Literature |
| 4 | FDST 131 | The Science of Food |
| 6 | FINA 260 | Personal Finance |
| 6 | GERO 200 | Introduction to Gerontology |
| 9 | GLST 214 | Food and Culture (ANTH 214, MODL 214) |
| 5 | HIST 249 | History of the American Family |
| 7 or 9 | PLAS 200 | Landscape and Environmental Appreciation (GEOG 200, LARC 200) |
| 7 | PLAS 261 | Floral Design I |
| 9 | NUTR 253 | Cultural Aspects of Food and Nutrition (Pre-requisite: NUTR 100 or 250) |
| 5 or 9 | PHIL 218 | Philosophy of Feminism (WMNS 218) |
| 7 | PHOT 161 | Photography for Non-majors |
| 6 or 9 | SOCI 226 | Families and Society |
| 9 | TEAC 330 | Multicultural Education (ETHN 330) |
| 9 | TMFD 123 | Clothing and Society: You Are What You Wear |
| 4 | TMFD 206 | Textiles |
Sports
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | CLAS 241 | Ancient Greek Athletics |
| 4 | FDST 131 | The Science of Food |
| 5 | HIST 222 | History of Sport |
| 6 or 7 | MUNM 301 | Music and Sports: Performance and Perception |
Travel
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | AHIS 101 | Cave Paintings to Cathedrals |
| 7 | AHIS 102 | Renaissance to Modern Art |
| 5 | ENGL 231 | British Literature: Romantics Through Modernists |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 245A | Introduction to Asian American Literature (ETHN 245A) |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 344D | Caribbean Literature (ETHN 344D) |
| 5 or 9 | ENGL 346 | Cuban-American Literature (ETHN 346) |
| 9 | GEOG 272 | Geography of World Regions |
| 6 | GEOG 361 | Urban Geography |
| 9 | GEOG 380 | Geography of Africa (ETHN 380, NRES 380) |
| 4 | GEOL 109 | Oceanography |
| 4 or 9 | GEOL 125 | Frontiers in Antarctic Geosciences |
| 5 | HIST 209 | Ancient Greece (CLAS 209) |
| 5 | HIST 210 | Ancient Rome (CLAS 210) |
| 5 | HIST 231 | Revolutions and Misbehaving Monarchs in Pre-Modern England (MRST 231) |
| 5 | HIST 262 | Russia: The Nineteenth Century to the Present |
| 4 | METR 100 | Weather and Climate |
| 7 or 9 | MUNM 280 | World Music |
| 7 | PHOT 161 | Photography for Non-majors |
American Travel
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ENGL 260 | American Literature before 1865 |
| 5 | ENGL 261 | American Literature since 1865 |
| 6 | GEOG 361 | Urban Geography |
| 5 | HIST 110 | American History to 1877 |
| 5 | HIST 111 | American History After 1877 |
| 7 or 9 | PLAS 200 | Landscape and Environmental Appreciation (GEOG 200, LARC 200) |
| 7 | MUNM 387 | History of American Jazz |
| 5 or 6 | NRES 289 | People and the Land: Human Environmental Interactions on the Great Plains (GEOG 289) |
| 7 | PHOT 161 | Photography for Non-majors |
Science and Technology
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | AGRI 115 | Biotechnology: Food, Health and Environment |
| 9 | ENSC 110 | Energy in Perspective |
| 8 | ENVR 201 | Science, Systems, Environment and Sustainability |
| 4 | FDST 131 | The Science of Food |
| 4 or 9 | GEOL 125 | Frontiers in Antarctic Geosciences |
| 5 | HIST 221 | Science in History |
| 5 | HIST 228 | History of Medicine in Western Society |
| 5 | ENGL 277 | Being Human in a Digital Age (HIST 277) |
| 8 or 9 | PHIL 212 | Ethics of Technology and Big Data |
| 5 or 8 | PHIL 213 | Medical Ethics |
| 4 or 6 | POLS 250 | Genetics, Brains, and Politics |
| 4 | PSYC 273 | Brain & Behavior |
Business
| ACE | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | AECN 141 | Introduction to the Economics of Agriculture |
| 9 | AECN 346 | World Food Economics |
| 1 | BSAD 220 | Business Writing |
| 2 | COMM 286 | Business and Professional Communication |
| 6 or 8 | ECON 200 | Economic Essentials and Issues |
| 6 | ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics |
| 6 | ECON 212 | Principles of Microeconomics |
| 1 | JGEN 120 | Basic Business Communication |
| 1 | JGEN 200 | Technical Communication I |
| 3 | MATH 104 | Applied Calculus |
| 3 | MATH 106 | Calculus I |
| 8 | PHIL 208 | Business Ethics |
| 9 | POLS 160 | International Relations (GLST 160) |
Transfer Credit
When a course from another institution is established as equivalent to a UNL course through articulation or equivalency agreements, then that course will fulfill the same ACE outcome as the equivalent ACE-certified UNL course.
In cases where no articulation or equivalency agreement exists, the transferring course may be counted for that student as ACE-equivalent.