Will my transfer credit count towards my UNO degree?
Almost all courses from other universities receive UNO transfer credit. Only in rare circumstances will credit be denied for courses from other universities. Your UNO transcript will indicate the course number and title from your previous institution, as well as the new UNO course designation. It is not uncommon for students to have taken courses for which UNO has no equivalent. For example, if you took a Survey of Western Civilization course at another university, it will be labeled on your transcript as “HIST 1000ne – transfer credit, no UNO equivalent.” This simply means that although UNO does not offer Western Civ, you have received credit for a 1000-level history course (which can be applied to your history electives).
When transferring credit from other universities, be careful not to run afoul of UNO’s residency requirement. The university mandates that all students complete their last 30 hours of coursework at UNO. This means that as you approach graduation, you should not take courses at other universities. Even if you transfer to UNO with 120 credit hours and have completed all the courses required for degree, you will still need to complete 30 hours of UNO courses to be regarded as a UNO graduate. UNO international summer school classes are regarded as UNO courses and therefore may be taken as part of your last 30 hours.
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How do I know which English, Math, and Foreign Language courses I should start with?
Most freshmen are given a math and English placement during orientation. Transfer students often will have already taken courses in these fields. However, there are sometimes students who need to be placed following their admission to UNO. The math and English departments determine these placements and offer placement tests at the beginning of each semester. For students who have prior foreign language experience, it is possible to skip one or more introductory courses by passing a placement exam. Both the English and foreign language departments post information about their exams on their websites. For information on the math placement exam, please contact the math department:
English
Foreign Languages
Math: phone Dr. Daunis, 280-7203
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What are the alternatives to the Computer Science 1000 requirement?
EDFR 1000 or Business 2780 automatically satisfy the Liberal Arts computer science requirement. Students may also test out of the course through the Competency Exam.
There are two parts to the Competency Exam. Students have up to two hours to take each part. The first part deals with computer-related terminology and understandings, and is multiple-choice. You have a copy of an old exam that students can consult in your office (Room 212 of the Math Building). You also suggest that they take a look at one of the basic texts (e.g. "Computers for Dummies") before taking the test.
The second part of the exam is a hands-on, practical test. Students will be required to use Microsoft Office, including Excel and Word, to create documents and spreadsheets. They may also have to navigate the web and perform basic tasks using the operating system (e.g. Windows XP). There is a CSCI 1000 lab manual that is normally carried by the Bookstore, and students taking the exam might want to consult it in advance. They can also contact the graduate student who administers this part of the test through your office, or by phone: Andrew Cristina, 280-2407.
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How do I register for the Computer Science Competency Exam?
Students have to go to the College of Liberal Arts (LA 201) and obtain the appropriate form -- a "Request for Advance Standing Credit by Examination" form.
They then return to the Computer Science Department (MATH 212) and get the Chair's signature.
They should then return the form to the College of Liberal Arts (LA 201) for another signature by the Dean of Liberal Arts.
After this, they take the form and $20 fee to the Bursar (ADMIN 1006), from whom they will receive a receipt.
They have to be careful to make sure that the form and receipt get a date stamp from the Registrar (ADMIN 112) -- and they must be sure that this date stamp is not more than 30 days from the date of the Competency Exam. Competency Exams are given only once each semester, at the beginning of the term. The stamped form then will be put in an envelope by the Registrar, and this will serve as their admittance "ticket" to the exam.
The student must return the envelope to the Computer Science Department (MATH 212), where it will be forwarded to Dr. Bill Green and the student will be added to the exam list.
The student takes both portions of the test at the announced date at the beginning of the semester.
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What options are there for completing the foreign language requirement?
There are two ways to complete the foreign language requirement: either pass the third semester (course 2001) of any foreign language, or pass the second semester (course 1002) in any two foreign languages. If you follow the second, two-language option, you will need to ensure you have two 2000+ level humanities classes (rather than just one).
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I’ve noticed that each section of HIST 1001 and 1002 (the World history surveys) are scheduled at two times. How does this work?
The HIST 1001 and 1002 courses are taught in two parts: a large lecture for all enrolled students, as well as discussion sections (often led by a teaching assistant) in which smaller groups of students will meet individually to discuss assigned readings. Both parts of the course are required. In the schedule of classes, the first meeting time and location listed for each section refers to the lecture, the second meeting time and location are for the discussion section.
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What is HIST 3001?
History 3001 (Historical Thought and Writing) is a history workshop designed for majors, teaching basic research techniques and the various methods historians use to interpret the past. This course is a critical part of your historical training, and ideally should be taken in the junior year of study. Since enrollment is limited primarily to history majors, you must contact the undergraduate advisor for permission to register for the course.
History 3001 is offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters.
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What is the oral competency requirement?
Students on the new curriculum will automatically satisfy the university’s oral competency requirement by passing HIST 3001. Students on the old curriculum need to either pass the FTCA 2650 (Oral Communications) course or HIST 3996. To enroll in HIST 3996, you must also enroll in a 4000-level history course and obtain the permission of that instructor to complete the oral competency requirement in that class (professors will usually require an oral report of some kind to satisfy the requirement). That permission then needs to be conveyed to the undergraduate advisor, who will then allow you to enroll in HIST 3996.
Note: the oral competency requirement must be satisfied by making a classroom presentation in a 4000-level class; therefore, it cannot be completed in a lower-level course, in a private tutorial with a professor, or over the internet (and believe me, students have tried)!
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How does the system of concentrations in the major work?
History majors are required to take 24 hours of history electives, 12 at the upper level and 12 at any level. Out of those electives, the department asks that majors choose a concentration. A concentration consists of 9 credit hours (at any level) taken in ONE of three fields (US, European, or Non-Western (i.e. Asia, Africa, Latin America)). For breadth, majors need to take 3 hours (at any level) outside of their concentration, plus another 3 hours (at any level) of Non-Western history. The remaining 9 hours of courses students may take what they like. Students must ensure, however, that they have taken 12 credit hours of upper level electives.
Example: A history major decides to concentrate in US history. She takes one 2000-level and two 4000-level courses in US history for her concentration. She also takes a 2000-level European history course and a 2000-level Asian history course outside of her concentration. She has satisfied the requirements of her concentration and can take 1 lower-level and 2 upper-level courses in any field.
The department instituted the system of concentrations to ensure that majors develop some familiarity with the history and historiography of a particular region. At the same time, the department wants to ensure that majors are exposed to the diversity of historical experience.
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What are “approved electives”?
The college requires students to take a certain number of approved electives. History students need at least 59 credit hours to complete their university and college degree requirements, plus another 39 credit hours to complete their major requirements (for a grand total of at least 98 credit hours). The difference between the number of credit hours you use to complete your university, college, and major requirements and the 120 hours required for degree (at most 22 hours) are to be taken in approved electives. Most course offerings at the university are regarded as approved electives by the College of Liberal Arts.
Below is a list of approved electives:
- Accounting
- Anthropology
- Arts and Sciences
- Bacteriology
- Biology
- Botany
- Business Administration
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Education (only courses from Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Foundations and Research, Library Science, and Special Education)
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- English
- Environmental Science and Policy
- Film, Theatre and Communication Arts
- Finance
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- Fine Arts
- Foreign Languages
- Geography
- History
- Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration
- Humanities Journalism
- Management
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Music
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
- Women’s Studies
- Zoology
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Note: Although this seems counterintuitive, students are allowed to include 9 hours of non-approved electives among their approved electives! Within these nine hours, a maximum of three hours of human performance and/or health-safety are permitted. So even if you do manage to take a couple of courses not on the above list, you can still count them among your approved electives.
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May I take a HIST 4991 course more than twice for credit?
Yes, providing their topics are different. However, you will need to get a memo from the undergraduate advisor to allow you to take a third HIST 4991 course.
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Do I need to take the exit exam?
The exit exam is only required of some students using the old curriculum. Under the old curriculum, students need 128 credit hours of course work. However, students may graduate with 120 credit hours if they complete the exit exam. If you are eligible to use the old curriculum (i.e., you entered UNO before the Fall of 2005) and you would like to graduate with only 120 credit hours, please email to arrange to take the exam with Dr. Candy in your last semester.
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