Summer ACE

Coursework

USF Summer Ace students standing in front of a building and taking a picture together holding up the bull sign.

In 2023, the Summer ACE program offers students a variety of academic “herds” tracks from which to choose.  As part of ACE, you will enroll in two linked classes (six credits) of General Education course requirements: one core foundational course (IDS 2378) and one paired-interest specific course. 

The ACE team will enroll deposited ACE students in one of our academic tracks found below. More information about our classes and faculty will be provided via our next steps process through Canvas.

Please note: The Summer ACE staff considers the student's intended major and previous course work earned by the student prior to course placement. These credits earned with the ACE program will fulfill the six out of nine summer credit hour requirements that are mandatory for all students.

ACE students may only take 6 credits during their ACE summer; they must then take 3+ credits in subsequent summers to fulfill this requirement. Speak with your academic advisor for more details.


SUMMER ACE COURSE MODALITY

ACE academic courses will be conducted face to face (in-person) with classes meeting on campus at specific days and times.

Please monitor USF’s latest updates pertaining to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) trends through accessing official university website here, Coronavirus Updates


SUMMER ACE 2023 COURSEs

Paired General Education Interest Tracks or "Herds"

Please find this year’s list of potential student interest academic tracks (or herd) themes below along with the potential courses offered:

Track One: Cultural Anthropology and Humanities

  • ANT 2410: Cultural Anthropology OR 
  • HUM 1020: Introduction to Humanities

Track Two: Social Issues and Problems

  • EDF 2085: Education, Diversity, and Global Society OR 
  • EDG2930: Special Topics - Education and Society

Track Three: Leadership

  • LDR 2010: Leadership Fundamentals 

Track Four: Sustainable Futures

  • IDS 2231: Introduction to Global Sustainability OR 
  • PHC 2100: Introduction to Public Health

Track Five: Environmental Issues 

  • EVR 2861: Introduction to Environmental Policy

Mandatory for all ACE students

IDS 2378 – Critical Thinking: Foundations of Interdisciplinary Knowledge and Inquiry

Through applied critical thinking, students in this course will examine social problems through the lens of these major disciplinary domains, preparing them to engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary problem solving.  This course allows students to explore their current major and to collaborate with others as they identify new and creative ways to solve problems of today. Embedded within this curriculum are multiple avenues to engage with USF faculty and to access a myriad of resources as you begin your college career.


SUMMER ACE COURSEs - what makes them special?

Class Size and Specialized Faculty

Summer ACE is proud to offer six credits (two 3-credit classes) worth of credit to students enrolling in the summer. These smaller classes consist of 20-25 students and will fill general education requirements while allowing students to create connections with their peers and instructor. 

Community Engaged Learning

Summer ACE is proud to offer students opportunities to explore and serve the Tampa Bay community through their classes as part of the "community engaged learning" initiative. Students will travel with their courses during the summer to sites surrounding the University of South Florida to learn more about their community outside the university and give back to their neighbors. The experiences vary widely by class; however, all share the three key components: educational enhancement, civic engagement, and excitement. Check out the experiences from Summer 2022!

Paired Courses

All summer ACE students will take take two classes: IDS2378 and a paired interest course. The class rosters for both students' IDS2378 course and paired interest course will be the same; this allows the faculty instructors to coordinate learning across both classes. Examples of past collaboration include coordinating research topics and groups for activities between courses. This model helps increase learning and helps students become even more familiar with their classmates as they work together across both classes.

Ready to get started on your ACE journey? Check out your next steps!