For Students

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About the Requirement

All UC Berkeley undergraduates (admitted after fall 1991) must fulfill the AC requirement in order to graduate. The AC requirement is fulfilled by taking a pre-approved course of at least 3 semester units (or 4 quarter units). Courses must take substantial account of groups drawn from at least three of the following: African Americans, indigenous peoples of the United States, Asian Americans, Chicanos, Latin Americans, and European Americans.

Since its creation in the 1990s, the AC Requirement remains foundational to a UC Berkeley education. As the only university-wide undergraduate graduation requirement, an AC class might the the only time students are exposed to the diverse cultures of the United States through a critical and comparative lens. Existing across displines, all AC courses share a commitment to integrating and understanding race, culture, and ethnicity in American society historically and contemporarily.

Satisfying the AC Requirement at UC Berkeley

American Cultures courses can be taken at any time during a student's undergraduate career at Berkeley, but we strongly urge students to meet the requirement as early as possible. Students must receive a grade no lower than C- or P to satisfy the requirement.

Unfortunately, a Reading and Composition (R&C) course cannot be used to fulfill the AC Requirement. We encourage you to explore other courses that are eligible to meet this requirement.

To search for AC courses, use the Berkeley Class Schedule and filter for "American Cultures" and the relevant semester. For a comprehensive list of AC courses, review the Academic Senate's list of Approved AC Courses at UC Berkeley. If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Satisfying the AC Requirement at Other Institutions

AC courses may also be taken "off-campus" at a community college or a partner institution. For a list of approved courses, please visit the Academic Senate's list of Approved AC Courses at Other Institutions.

Petitioning a Course for AC Credit

Students have the option of submitting a petition to the Academic Senate, to have a non-AC course they have taken and successfully passed, if they believe that course satisfies the AC requirement. Please note, a separate campus entity, the Academic Senate Subcommittee, reviews all student petitions, not the AC Center. The AC Subcommittee meets once a month on Fridays during the fall and spring semesters. Student petitions must be received by 4 p.m. on the Friday before the scheduled meeting. For a list of meetings dates and/or to download a petition form, please visit the Academic Senate AMCULT site. All materials should be emailed to Academic Senate Analyst Rachel Marias Dezendorf at rmariasdezendorf@berkeley.edu. Students will receive a written response from the Academic Senate within two weeks of the meeting when the petition was reviewed.

Creative Discovery Fellows (CDF)

The student-led CDF team aims to uplift students as empowered producers and storytellers who shape, co-construct, and influence knowledge, seeing themselves as effective changemakers. From one-on-one technical support to group project brainstorming, students can connect with CDF for immediate technical and design support!

Ethnic Studies Library

Established in 1997, the Ethnic Studies Libraries draws on the legacies of the the Asian American Studies Library, the Chicano Studies Library and the Native American Studies Library whose collectios grew from student demand for perspectives not found in other campus libraries. The archives and the Ethnic Studies librarians are incredible resources for a range of projects.

Ethnic Studies Resource Hub

The High School Ethnic Studies Initiative (HSESI) has cuurated a collection of resources to support students and instructors gain deeper understandings of oppression, liberation, and social movements. Students can tap into the resource hub for their own learning or to support thier course work!

Student Project Inspiration

Students create powerful, innovative projects through AC courses, programs and initiatives. Many of these projects have been collected and serve as both needed testaments of the AC Requirement and inspiration for future students.

This is not an extensive list of resources, and the AC Center team is always happy to direct students to relevant resources!

High School Graduates FAQs

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Can I take my AC course on a pass/not pass basis or do I need to take it for a letter grade?

Yes, the AC requirement may be taken for either a letter grade of C- or better, or on a Pass/Not Pass basis.

Can I also use my AC course to satisfy a breadth requirement?

Yes. Many AC courses also satisfy college and major requirements, in addition to satisfying the campus-wide AC requirement.

I know I passed an AC course at Berkeley, but my transcript still shows that I haven't satisfied the AC requirement. How can I fix this?

If you passed an American Cultures course at Berkeley, go to 120 Sproul Hall, the Registrar's Office and fill out a correction form. If you passed an American Cultures course at a community college before transferring to Berkeley, go to 110 Sproul Hall, the Admissions Office.

Do I have to take my AC course here at Berkeley? Can I take it online or at a community college? What if the courses have the same course number?

Several community colleges offer courses that count towards the AC requirement. These courses are listed here. Please always consult with an advisor in choosing community college courses. Just because a course has the same course number at two institutions, this does not mean it is the same. In this situation, a course with the same course number only counts if the course is listed as one of the approved courses at other colleges that satisfy the AC requirement. If not, then you would need to petition the AC subcommittee to determine if the course meets the criteria for AC.

I am an international student. Do I still need to satisfy the AC requirement?

Yes, all students, including international students, need to satisfy the requirement.

Do all AC courses have an AC suffix? I notice some courses (e.g. Sociology 3, Anthropology 3, American Studies 10) are sometimes offered with the AC suffix and sometimes without. Are both versions AC courses?

No. Most AC courses have the AC suffix, but some do not. However the schedule of courses should indicate which requirements a course fulfills. For example, Sociology 3AC is AC-approved, but Sociology 3 is not. The same goes for similar pairs of courses. For AC purposes, these pairs of courses are different. For most other purposes (college breadth requirements or major requirements), these pairs of courses are equivalent.

Transfer Student FAQs

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At my previous college, I took a course that was about race and ethnicity in the US so I thought it was an AC course. My Info-BEARS report still shows that I haven't satisfied the AC requirement. Why not?

If your course is not listed as one of the approved courses at other colleges that satisfy the AC requirement, then you haven't satisfied the requirement. Unless the course meets very specific criteria outlined in the Academic Senate regulations, it probably doesn't satisfy the requirement. If you believe the course meets those criteria, then you can submit a petition.

As a community college transfer student, I satisfied the IGETC requirements. Does this mean I have automatically satisfied my AC requirement?

No. Unless you specifically passed one of the approved courses at other colleges, you have not satisfied your AC requirement.

I'm a transfer student. Do I have to complete the AC requirement in order to be admitted to Berkeley?

No. AC is a graduation requirement, not an admission requirement. So you can satisfy this requirement after being admitted to Berkeley if you haven't already completed it at community college.

How can I tell what community college courses satisfy Berkeley's AC requirement?

Many California community college courses have been approved as satisfying AC. Please visit the Academic Senate AMCULT site of Approved AC Course at Berkeley

I know I passed an AC course at my Community College, but my transcript still shows that I haven't satisfied the AC requirement. How can I fix this?

If you passed an American Cultures course at a community college before transferring to Berkeley, go to 110 Sproul Hall, the Admissions Office.

My community college course is not listed on the Academic Senate pages of approved AC courses, but I think it should satisfy Berkeley's AC requirement. Who should I contact?

If this is the case you can try petitioning the course for AC credit. Download the petition form. Instructions for petitioning are on the form, but you can email americancultures@berkeley.edu with questions.

If students have already taken an AC course and/or just want to get involved further with the AC Center, there are so many ways to dive in! Review the AC Center's many programs, and don't hesitate to reach out.

*This prize is currently on hold due to financial changes. Check back soon for an update!*

Since 2008, the American Cultures Student Prize has recognized and celebrated undergraduate achievements within American Cultures courses. The prize is awarded annually to undergraduates for projects they develop in an American Cultures course that promotes understanding of U.S. race, ethnicity, and culture and exemplifies a standard of excellence in scholarship. Prior award-winning submissions have included essays, poetry, films, reflection statements on live performances, among other work produced for American Cultures courses. For examples of past recipients of this prize, please visit our eScholarship student prize website.

Recipients of the American Cultures Student Prize will receive a $1,000 award and have their submission published on the American Cultures eScholarship site.

How to Apply

Eligibility Guidelines

Student Requirements: To be eligible for the AC Student Prize, applicants must be enrolled as a UC Berkeley undergraduate student.
Applying as an Individual or a Group: Applicants may apply individually or as a member of an undergraduate student group, only if the group collectively developed the course project in an AC course. A student group may not consist of more than six undergraduate students. Students may only submit one application per academic year (whether the submission is presented individually or collectively, as a group).
Submissions Requirements: Acceptable submissions include any course assignments they have developed in an AC course, from all course levels, that promotes an understanding of race, ethnicity, and cultures in the U.S. (this includes, but is not limited to, course papers, short stories, digital projects such as film, photography or graphic design, or other written assignment prepared in an American Cultures course). Please note, students do not need to submit a final version of their American Cultures assignment. If the student is currently taking a course, a student may submit a draft of their assignment. If the course has ended, a student may edit and update the final version of their American Cultures assignment that they already submitted to the instructor for a grade.
Reapplying to the AC Student Prize: If an applicant's submission is not successful, they may reapply as many times as they choose until they are selected. However, an applicant may only be awarded the AC Student Prize once as an individual or as part of a group.

Submission Instructions for Students

Only complete submissions will be considered for the AC Student Prize, which must include the following:

A copy of the course syllabus
Instructions on how to complete the assignment from your instructor
A statement of 750-1000 words that describes your assignment and why you feel it supports the goal of the American Cultures curriculum--to strengthen understanding of race, culture, ethnicity, and the diversity of the American experience
A draft or final version of the course assignment from an AC Course. Please see "Acceptable Submissions" for examples in the Eligibility Requirements section.
A letter of support from the course instructor is also required and must be submitted directly by the instructor to the American Cultures Center. A letter from a graduate student instructor is acceptable. For more information about the letter and how to submit it, please see the 'Instructions for the Instructors' section below.

For Instructors: How to Submit a Letter of Support

Letters of support should be submitted by a course instructor or graduate student instructor. Letters may be emailed to americancultures@berkeley.edu.

Letters of support that discusses a student's project and how and why you feel it supports the goal of the American Cultures curriculum--to strengthen understanding of race, culture, ethnicity, and the diversity of the American experience. There is no page or word limit for the letter. For any questions about the AC Student Prize, please contact us at americancultures@berkeley.edu.