Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Prospective Students
- When will I meet with an adviser?
- What if I cannot meet with an adviser during New Student Enrollment?
- I just got admitted to UNL, what can I do to prepare myself for college and NSE?
- Current and Prospective Students
- Who do I meet with to discuss my general education requirements and major classes?
- What are ES courses?
- What are IS courses?
- What is Library 110 and do I have to take it?
- Do I have to take a language in college?
- When should I meet with my adviser?
- Can my parents contact my academic adviser?
- What is pre-professional?
- How do I add and drop a course?
- What classes are easy?
- Will my GPA transfer from my previous institution?
- What kinds of jobs can I get with my Major?
- How do I declare or change majors and/or minors?
- Can I minor in anything?
- Do I have to have a minor?
- How do I register for classes?
Prospective Students
When will I meet with an adviser?
New Student Enrollment (NSE) will be the first time you will meet with an adviser from the College of Arts and Sciences. At your advising appointment at NSE you will go over transfer work presented, dual enrollment credit, AP credit, major selection, time commitments, credit hours desired, selection of classes and you will also register for your classes.
What if I cannot meet with an adviser during New Student
Enrollment?
If you cannot attend New Student Enrollment you will do a mail-in registration through the New Student Enrollment office. Through mail-in registration you will be able to select courses you may be interested in taking and advisers will take this into consideration when making your schedule. Schedules are made on availability of courses.
I just got admitted to UNL, what can I do to prepare myself
for college and NSE?
View materials for NSE and advising preparation.
Current and Prospective Students
Who do I meet with to discuss my general education requirements and major classes?
To discuss your general education requirements you should come to the Arts and Sciences Advising Center. Advisers are available M-F 8-12, 1-5 by appointment (please ask if a same-day appointment is needed). We would be glad to talk with you about your general education requirements including your Essential Studies and Integrative Studies requirements.
For any questions regarding your major you will need to meet with your Chief Major Undergraduate Adviser. Each major within Arts and Sciences has a faculty member or professional adviser that is designated as the Chief Adviser in that area. View complete list of Arts and Sciences Chief Major Undergraduate Advisers
What are ES courses?
ES courses are Essential Studies, and are a part of your college general education requirements. These courses provide students a context for understanding the breadth of human endeavor. They map out a minimum experience for an undergraduate student in a broad range of university offerings. They cover many different areas including:
- Area A: Communication
- Area B: Mathematics and Statistics
- Area C: Human Behavior, Culture, and Social Organization
- Area D: Science and Technology
- Area E: Historical Studies
- Area F: Humanities
- Area G: Arts
- Area H: Race, Ethnicity and Gender
- Area I: Language: Classical or Modern
The number of ES courses you will take will vary on whether you declare a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science.
ES Courses Offered for Summer 2008
ES Courses Offered for Fall 2008
What are IS courses?
Each incoming student will take ten courses of Integrative Studies or IS courses. IS courses are meant to engage students in writing, speaking, thinking critically, and consider of human diversity.
If a student transfers to UNL from another institution the number of IS courses may be prorated depending on how many transfer credit hours the college accepts.
What is Library 110 and do I have to take it?
Library 110 is a one credit hour class that teaches students how to use the library system and how to do research with emerging electronic databases. Every Arts and Sciences student must take Library 110 before graduation. It is highly recommended that students take this course during their first year to orient themselves to the library. Transfer students that have 27 hours of accepted transfer work are exempt from taking Library 110.
Do I have to take a language in college?
If you have had four years of the same foreign language in high school you have fulfilled the language requirement in Arts and Sciences. If you have taken less than four years of the same language in high school you must complete through the 202 level of any approved language before graduation. If you have had Spanish, French, or German you can take the Modern Language Placement Exam to determine what level you should start at. If you took another language you can work with the Department for Modern Languages for placement. Arts and Sciences offers the following languages:
Omaha (Native Language)
Chinese
Czech
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Japanese
Latin
Russian
Spanish
When should I meet with my adviser?
Students will meet with an academic adviser at New Student Enrollment for the first time. Students should then plan on meeting with their adviser and their chief major adviser AT LEAST once a semester after NSE to ensure their anticipated graduation date.
Can my parents contact my academic adviser?
A student’s record is protected under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). FERPA restrictions can be waived with a release form from the student. Parents and guardians can contact an academic adviser about a student’s academic record if this form is signed by student. This form can be filled out at New Student Enrollment, via phone or in person during an advising meeting. If this form is not filled out an adviser cannot divulge any information about a student or his or her academic record.
The University’s policy regarding FERPA can be found in the Board of Regent’s Policies.
What is pre-professional?
Pre-Professional is an advising category for students preparing to enter a professional school. Pre-Professional Health and Law areas are not majors and, therefore, cannot grant students baccalaureate degrees. Pre-Professional advisers at UNL help students prepare for entrance into professional schools.
The Arts and Sciences Advising Center advises on the following pre-professional areas:
Pre-Chiropractic
Pre-Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Pre-Clinical Perfusion Science
Pre-Cytotechnology
Pre-Dental Hygiene
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-Law
Pre-Medicine
Pre-Mortuary Science
Pre-Occupational Therapy
Pre-Optometry
Pre-Pharmacy
Pre-Physical Therapy
Pre-Physician Assistant
Pre-Radiation Science Technology
Some Pre-Professional areas will require that a major be declared and a degree be obtained before professional school. Others require a certain number of credit hours to be completed in specific subject areas before application to professional school.
Learn more about the Pre-Health fields.
Learn more about Pre-Law.
How do I add and drop a course?
To add a class that is full you must get the permission from the instructor. Override forms are available in 107 Oldfather Hall or in 107 Canfield Administration Building. Please visit Registration and Records for more information on the Drop/Add policy and calendar.
To add a class that puts you over the credit limit in a term, you must fill out a Credit Hour Override form. This will need to be signed by your Chief Major Undergraduate Adviser and submitted to the Arts and Sciences Advising Center.
To drop a course you must use your WAM! account and click the drop box next to your course in eNroll before the semester deadline. If you are unsure the add/drop deadline please see the Academic Calendar.
What classes are easy?
This is a question we receive quite often. However, the answer is complicated. Whether a class is "easy" for a student depends on many different factors. What is your learning style? What are your study habits? What subjects are strongest for you? All these things determine whether you find the class "easy". Some students would rather take Chemistry over English. Some students like large lectures rather than discussion based courses. Students also have varying preferences regarding course content. Some students prefer essays than multiple-choice quizzes and exams. Thus, "easy" is very subjective and this is why advisers do not have a simple answer for this question.
Will my GPA transfer from my previous institution?
If you previously attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney or Omaha, your GPA and credit hours will transfer; however, if you attended any other institution only your credit hours may be presented for transfer. The number of credit hours accepted is determined after your transcripts have been evaluated by an academic adviser after admittance to UNL.
What kinds of jobs can I get with my Major?
Career Services is a great tool when exploring majors and potential career options. Career Services can assist you in your resume and cover letter writing, mock interviewing, and your internship and job search, among other things.
How do I declare or change majors and/or minors?
If not a current student in Arts and Sciences: to declare a major you must visit your current college to fill out a CDMA (College Degree Major Adviser) form and get your advising folder. You will declare your major on the CDMA form. You will be asked if you want to meet with an adviser to discuss you general education requirements and how advising in the college works. If you want to discuss coursework within your major you will have to contact your chief major adviser.
If a current Arts and Sciences student: To declare or change a major or minor in Arts and Sciences you will have to stop by the Arts and Sciences Advising Center and fill out a CDMA form. If you have questions concerning your major or minor you will have to contact the chief major/minor adviser for that area.
Can I minor in anything?
In the College of Arts and Sciences you can minor in any of our major areas (except for Speech and Language Pathology), as well as many other areas that are listed along with the adviser on the Chief Major Undergraduate Adviser handout.
Do I have to have a minor?
Some majors REQUIRE a minor. This can be a Plan A minor or a Plan B minor, depending on your academic plan. In a Plan A minor, students will have just one minor and one major and complete approximately 18 hours in that subject area. In a Plan B minor, students will have two or more majors or minors and complete approximately 12 hours in each minor.
How do I register for classes?
If you are unsure on how to register for classes, follow the steps outlined in our Registering for Classes in eNroll handout. You can also call the eNroll helpline at 402-472-3635
Location and Hours
107 Oldfather Hall
City Campus
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(402) 472-4190
asadvisingcenter2@unl.edu
Walk-In Advising Hours
8-12, 1-5
By Appointment Only
Links
Frequently Asked Questions
Majors & Minors
Pre-professional programs
Academic Requirements
Forms
Handouts
Advising Staff
