Study Abroad Guidelines

The International Studies Program allows a maximum of 6 petitions (or six course credits, whichever comes first) for majors and 3 petitions (or three course credits, whichever comes first) for minors. A petitionable course is anything taken outside UCSD (please note INTL 101 and 102 cannot be petitioned). Courses must be pre-approved by the academic advisor prior to departure and petitioned upon return. It is recommended that students take INTL 101 and 102 during their sophomore or early junior year prior to studying abroad. It is recommended that students study abroad during their junior year.

Select a study abroad program

Before selecting a program, please take into consideration the number and type of courses your program offers. Students typically have an easier time petitioning courses from abroad when they select a program that offers courses consistent with their chosen tracks of study (Economics, Anthropology, History, etc.).

EAP program information, please visit, www.eap.ucop.edu

For information on OAP programs, please visit http://pao.ucsd.edu/pao/OAPoverview.htm

UCSD offers Global Seminar Programs which are taught during the summer by UCSD faculty, for information please visit: http://icenter.ucsd.edu/pao/find-a-program/program-options/global-seminars/apply-checklist.html

Select courses from abroad

Once you have decided which program suits your needs you will need to select the proper courses.

Courses offered by EAP can be found on the EAP course finder website: http://eap.ucop.edu/coursefinder

For information about third party study abroad providers (i.e. Semester at Sea, ISA, AIFS, etc.) contact the OAP office

Pre-approve courses (Academic Planning Form)

Once you have selected the courses you want to take abroad you will need to have them pre-approved by the ISP academic advisor. Pre-approved courses serve as a guide to make sure the courses you have selected appear to be comparable to upper-division courses at UCSD. Pre-approved courses do not guarantee academic credit. Academic credit is only granted upon approval of petitions submitted after you return.

All courses applied to the International Studies Program must be four UC quarter units, upper- division, non-language courses (if you have completed your language requirement), taken for a letter grade of C- or better. In addition, at least 50% of the course content must focus on a country OUTSIDE of the United States.

The International Studies Program petitions courses on a course-to-course ratio rather than a unit-to-unit ratio. This means if a student takes an 8-unit course; we would most likely grant one course toward major requirements rather than two. However, in this example, we would consider granting two credits if the student can demonstrate (through completed coursework) that the quantity and quality of the coursework was equivalent to two UCSD courses.

You do not need an appointment to discuss the EAP or OAP academic planning form. All you need to do is drop it off with the Intake Advisor during normal business hours ( 8:00am-4:30pm , Monday - Friday) in room 100 ERC Administration Building . Your academic planning form will be ready in two business days after the day you submitted the form.

The form must indicate the following:

Course Name
Course Number
What you want each course applied to (i.e. primary track, secondary track, elective units, etc.)
Attach the course description for each course that you have listed on the form.

For information on available EAP course descriptions, please visit www.eap.ucop.edu/coursefinder. For OAP courses refer to your provider's catalog of courses, website, or contact the OAP office.

Note: If you will be attending an OAP program you must take your academic planning form to the ADMISSIONS office first, International Studies second, and then your college.

Previously Approved Petitioned Study Abroad Courses

Note: These courses are not guaranteed, they must still be petitioned.

Course	University	Petition Approved For
Comparative Asian Economics	Yonsei University	Economics
French History and Culture	University of Toulouse	History
European Politics	American University of Paris	Political Science
Sociology of India	University of Delhi	Sociology

Pre-Departure

Prior to departure you will need to attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation. Refer to the Programs Abroad website for step by step instructions: http://pao.ucsd.edu/pao/predeparture.html

While Abroad

While abroad keep all coursework to include (but not limited to):

Syllabi
Reading list
Bibliographies
Exams
Papers
Notes
Study guides
Course outlines

If you have any questions concerning pre-approvals or your academic progress before or during your time abroad, please email isp@ucsd.edu for information.

Upon Return

Upon return you will need to petition the courses you took abroad in order to receive academic credit toward major requirements.

Wait until your coursework posts to your Academic History on TritonLink before beginning the petition process (this will take an average of three months).
Once the courses post you will need to fill out an Undergraduate Student Petition for each course you want to apply toward the IS Program. On each petition write the course # (as it appears on TritonLink), course title, EAP or OAP, quarter/semester you took the course, and what IS requirement you want to apply the course toward. Sign and date the petition & attach all coursework i.e. syllabus, exams, & papers.
Submit all petitions to the ISP Advising Office.
We will contact you via your UCSD email account in 1-2 weeks to inform you of the final outcome.
Please pick-up all petitions and coursework from the Intake Advisor after you have been notified.