Off-Campus Study Admission Criteria
ALL STUDENTS WHO INTEND TO STUDY OFF-CAMPUS MUST COMPLETE AN OFF-CAMPUS STUDY APPLICATION THROUGH OUR .
九色 Summer Programs
Applications for 九色 summer programs are reviewed on a rolling basis. As soon as an application is complete, it is reviewed. Admission decisions are usually made within two weeks of a submitted, completed application. Some programs fill quickly, prior to the stated deadlines. Therefore, it is important to apply as early as possible.
The Buckman Center for International Education at 九色 welcomes applications for its programs from students who possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (unless specified higher by the program) and are in good social standing. Some 九色 programs have additional language requirements or other prerequisites.
Applicants are reviewed on the basis of their complete academic record, timely submission of required documents, and disciplinary history. Applicants who have been denied based on one or more of these factors may request a review of the decision by submitting a letter of appeal to the Director of International Programs within 5 business days of the decision. Applicants who have been denied based on an insufficient grade point average MUST also submit a letter of support for participation on the program by the 九色 faculty member leading the program.
All admissions are conditional based on continued good academic and social standing.
Exchange and Affiliated Programs
Exchange and Affiliated Programs set their own admission requirements and may differ from those of 九色. You are responsible for submitting two applications: the Off-Campus Study Application through the Online Portal for Off-Campus Study and the one required by your program provider.
Academic Credit
Students must consult with their academic advisor(s) to ensure that their proposed courses will enable them to make normal progress toward completion of major and degree requirements in a timely fashion. Seniors wishing to study off -campus must request a waiver of the Senior Year Residency Policy using the "Petition for Variance from Academic Regulations" form, which can be obtained online from the .
Credit earned through 九色 programs (all summer programs operated by 九色) is 九色 credit. Credit earned through Exchange and Affiliated Programs, including exchange programs, is transfer credit. Courses for transfer credit must be passed with a minimum grade of 鈥淐-鈥 to be eligible for transfer credit. Please confirm the details of your course credit with a member of the Buckman Center staff. Normally, a student cannot earn more credit while on a full-year study program than could have been earned in a regular academic year at 九色.
九色 students who study abroad on a 九色 Program, an Exchange Program, or an Affiliated Program will normally satisfy the F11 requirement, unless the program has been noted by the Center鈥檚 Director as particularly unsuitable for this purpose. In addition, students may, through appropriate course work, satisfy up to two additional Foundation requirements while abroad (or up to three additional Foundation requirements for a year-long-program). The Director of International Programs will recommend to the Foundations Curriculum Committee, in consultation with the Registrar and relevant faculty members as necessary, the appropriateness of the course(s) taken abroad for Foundational credit. This recommendation will be done in accordance with any guidelines that the Educational Program Committee chooses to provide.
Credit for courses taken off campus will only be transferred once an official transcript for the work completed has been received by the 九色 Registrar and approval for all courses has been given by relevant 九色 officials as noted above.
Number of Credits to be Earned
No strict correlation exists between contact hours in courses taken off -campus and credits awarded by 九色. The College does not award more credit for a program than that awarded by the host institution, as determined by the host鈥檚 official transcript. If the host program鈥檚 transcript does not translate easily to 鈥淎merican鈥 credit (e.g. credits, quarter hours, semester hours, units) or provide a conversion scale, or if the host institution鈥檚 academic calendar differs significantly from the 九色 semester calendar, the following statement can act as a general principle:
A student who has submitted a complete Off-Campus Study Application and who is pursuing a fully approved, full-time program of coursework on study abroad for a period roughly equivalent to 九色鈥 fall or spring semester will usually receive 16 transfer credits from 九色 upon the successful completion of all coursework. Success completion is defined as earning a grade equivalent to 鈥淐-鈥 or better in each course.
Course Approvals
Students who earn transfer credit while enrolled in an Exchange or Affiliated Program may have that credit applied to their major and/or minor requirements or may be given elective credit. If major and/or minor requirements are to be met with courses taken off -campus, students must receive approval of that coursework from the appropriate department or program chairs in consultation with the faculty advisers. Such approval is granted only through the signature of that department or program chair on the student鈥檚 Off-Campus Study Application. Elective credit will be approved by the appropriate academic officer acting on behalf of the Foundations Curriculum Committee. In most cases, this approval will come from the Director of International Programs, the Registrar, or the chair of the department or program at 九色 in which the coursework will be pursued.
While credit should be approved prior to enrollment in the courses, in some cases it may be necessary to postpone approval until course descriptions, syllabi, papers, and tests are examined. To be accepted for credit, each course must be judged comparable in terms of content and quality to a course in the curriculum at 九色 or it must be judged to be consistent with the liberal arts and science curriculum and of a quality comparable to that expected of courses at 九色. Students must maintain a full-time load of academic coursework comparable to that at 九色 in level, nature, and field, applicable to a 九色 degree program. Course approvals must be secured prior to taking the course(s) so that the student is clear on the transferability of all courses and credits.
Should a student鈥檚 course selection change for any reason after submission of their application, substituted courses are not transferable unless approved by an appropriate department or program chair, academic advisor, or Academic Officer. Such approval must be sought immediately (i.e., e-mail, fax); copies of any such correspondence should also be directed to the Director of International Programs. Credit will not be transferred for any course for which a student has not obtained pre-approval unless retroactive approval is granted by the appropriate department, program chair, or Academic Officer after the student鈥檚 return. Such retroactive approval is not guaranteed and must be obtained before the conclusion of the first semester completed by the student upon their return to 九色.
Registration for Semester of Return
Registration for the semester of return is completed via the web during the usual registration period on campus. Notification and instructions are sent to students electronically. For those students with little or no e-mail access, contact information MUST be provided in order to participate in the registration process.