Study+Abroad

=Study Abroad Issues=

UW (International Academic Programs)
Credits earned in [|IAP study abroad] programs apply toward graduation and count as residence credit -- in fact students are able to graduate abroad (although their graduation is delayed until UW receives their transcript from the other institution). The general process for study abroad is like this:

1. Student decides on the program 2. Student meets with an advisor -- at this point, you should go over their DARS and fill out the IAP's "Advising Worksheet" 3. Student participates in orientation programs 4. Student enrolls in classes abroad 5. While abroad, the student fills out a Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF, given by IAP) -- usually around the 4th week of being there. It is assumed that the student will take advantage of the advising on-site (provided by their Resident Director, program coordinator, and professors) but they may also be in touch with their Geography advisor about classes. Students studying abroad will also register while they're on the program; they get all that information from the IAP. 6. Upon their return, their CERF is reviewed and hopefully approved, and the IAP sends their grades to the Registrar. Students do not find out final equivalencies until the semester they return.

There is a page devoted to the faculty/advisor side of IAP [|here].

[|IAP has many events] designed to make the decision process easier, and the peer advisors in Room 250 Bascom are a great resource. There is also a [|set of blogs] from Study Abroad Correspondents that should give them some idea of what to expect.

Equivalency Process

 * Courses with previously established equivalents** will show up on the student's program specific IAP webpage under the academics tab. If a pre-approved equivalent exists, there will be an “Equiv Code” on the list. There may be a few equivalents listed for the same course; the student should choose the equivalent that seems most appropriate.


 * Courses with no previously established equivalents** require students to check the UW Course Guide to find a UW-Madison course that may match the course taken abroad. Students may also check with our department, or their program's Resident Director or On-Site Staff for suggestions. The student then fills out the CERF with the course's UW-Madison department, course number, and course title. They must also include a course description, syllabus (in English), and reading list so that the course can be evaluated. If the class does not have a syllabus, there is an IAP Syllabus Form available on their website that gets sent to IAP. Final approval for the equivalent will come from us, by means of a form (as of Fall 2011, this is online and will come to you via email). **In general we do not offer equivalency for 500 level courses. We also rarely check the "count permanently" box on the form** -- if you feel a course should be a permanent equivalent, it needs to go through the Undergrad Affairs Committee. In general, the Chair of the Undergrad Affairs Committee will review most equivelencies, but they may be routed to other faculty better able to judge a given area. The process is the **same for courses for which an equivalent exists (but the student wants a different one)**.


 * Courses with NO possible equivalent in our department** fall under a “virtual” Timetable subject listing (it does not exist in the actual Timetable or Course Guide). The listing appears as “STDYABRD” on transcripts, with a subject title showing that it is a topics course. These topics courses carry course attributes used to meet general education and L&S degree-credit requirements for breadth and level. Use of the listing is restricted to the IAP.

Non-UW (Office of Admissions)
Students can participate in any study abroad program as long as it is sponsored by an accredited American college or university -- but they must work with the [|Office of Admissions] if they want to get credit for it, and they're pretty much on their own for planning study. **For any program that lasts a semester or more, the student must file a new application for admission to UW-Madison when they return.** The institution sponsoring the study abroad will certify credits taken and submit transcripts to the Office of Admissions, after which Admissions place these credits on the student's transcript as General Electives. These electives eventually become equivalent UW courses. In some rare cases, the student will have to take an examination here to gain credit for the work.

There is a [|new page on the OA's website] that should help students navigate the process (and it might help us too!)

Equivalency Process
Because The Office of Admissions has its own Course Equivalency Request Form, and as with IAP, this is the student's responsibility -- however, in this case students can fill this out before going abroad, and sometimes do. There is a note on the form saying:"The equivalencies we give are preliminary and for informational purposes only. They should not be construed as a contract or offer to contract. We cannot guarantee final, official equivalencies until we receive your final, official study abroad transcript." So in the long run, no matter how much planning goes on beforehand, things still only get settled after they return.

Pre-existing course equivalencies are listed on the Admissions Study Abroad website.

UW (School of Business International Programs)
[|International Programs] works in partnership with the Center for International Business Education and Research ([|CIBER]) to provide study abroad opportunities to UW-Madison students, to assist international students who participate in an exchange between their university and the School of Business, and to support the international business curriculum. Their study-abroad is a //business// exchange, so they require that all students on a semester exchange take at least 6 credits of business classes.

The process is similar to the IAP's, with students working very closely with International Programs, and having to do an orientation session before they go abroad.

Equivalency Process
There is a database of equivalencies currently in effect [|here]on the School of Business website. Regardless of whether or not a course has equivalency, the student should meet with a Geography advisor to go over their DARS and fill out an Academic Advisor Contact Form (this would be provided by International Programs). The form would be turned in near the end of the semester preceding the study abroad. Equivalencies are established after the SA institution provides the School of Business with a transcript.