How can I be sure I will receive transfer credit for the courses I take abroad?
You will automatically receive UR transfer credit for the courses you take abroad, provided you do all of the following:
Take the courses for a grade, not "pass/fail."
Earn the equivalent of C or better.
You take courses that are not a repeat of, or very similar to, ones you have already taken.
You take courses in subject areas that are offered at Richmond.
You participate in a Richmond program, or you participate in a non-Richmond program pre-approved by petition to the International Education Subcommittee.
Will the courses fulfill the requirements of my major or minor?
Yes, provided you obtain faculty approval. There is a course abroad approval form for this purpose that you will receive from OIE upon acceptance to study abroad. Students should provide faculty members with a syllabus or course description so that it can be determined whether or not the course can be approved for major or minor credit. It is preferable that students send this information to faculty via e-mail prior to an appointment or visiting the professor's office.
Faculty members designated to approve courses are:
Arts & Science -- Relevant department chair Business -- Dr. Thomas Cosse, Associate Dean, International Business Jepson -- Associate Dean Law -- Director of International Programs Foreign language courses -- Language abroad advisor in MLC & LAIS
To learn more, read the section on "Study Abroad Course Approval Form" in the Study Abroad Handbook.
An OIE study abroad advisor can suggest programs where you are likely to find courses that suit your academic needs. Students should also review the host institution's website for course offerings and information.
Can I fulfill a minor or field-of-studies (gen ed) requirement abroad?
You need to follow the same course approval procedure as explained in the previous question. Field-of-studies courses need to be approved by an "evaluating instructor." Refer to the course approval form for more information. NOTE: Students must go to the relevant department to approve general education (also referred to as field-of-study) courses. For example, for the FSLT requirement, students should seek approval from the chair of the relevant department (e.g., a Spanish or German literature course should be approved by the chair of the LAIS or MLC department). Students should go to the English Dept only for literature originally written in English.
Do I need approval for elective courses?
No. You do not need individual course approval for courses taken as elective credit toward graduation (that is, courses that do not count toward your major, minor, or field-of-studies). If the course is in a subject area which is not normally taught at Richmond (e.g., engineering), you should seek course approval from the most closely related discipline at UR.
How many units will I earn from a semester abroad?
That depends. You will earn between 3.5 (the minimum) and 5.5 (the maximum). Programs vary greatly in their academic structure. You may take as few as three courses or as many as eight. The brochure page for your program will tell you how courses are weighted and the normal course load for that specific program/institution.
Will my grades from abroad appear on my UR transcript?
Grades earned abroad will not appear on your UR transcript. However, as stated above, courses must be taken for a grade in order for you to receive transfer credit. Your UR transcript will show the host institution's name, course titles, and number of units transferred from abroad.
How can I find out more about the "Study Abroad Course Approval Form"?
Complete instructions are on the back of the form which you will receive in your study abroad acceptance packet. In the meantime, you can find a section devoted to this topic in the Study Abroad Handbook.
May I obtain course approval once I'm abroad?
In some cases, you will need to have a course approved after you've arrived abroad and are trying to register for classes. Follow the instructions in the Study Abroad Handbook.
May I obtain approval of a course after I return from abroad?
You can obtain post-approval after you return. The Study Abroad Handbook will tell you how to obtain informal "email" approval from abroad and official post-approval upon your return. Note that post-approval can be denied if the student does not provide sufficient material to justify awarding credit for a particular course taken abroad. It is recommended that students keep all syllabi, coursework, tests, quizzes, etc. until their credits have completely transferred to Richmond.
Can I earn credit toward my Leadership Studies major/minor?
Yes. Leadership studies majors and minors may count a maximum of 1 unit of study abroad credit toward the advanced course requirement. The course must enhance the student's academic plan in leadership studies (this is determined by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and by the student's Jepson advisor). Leadership studies students should meet with their academic advisor and/or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to discuss how particular study abroad courses might enhance the academic plan. Students must complete the LDST "Request for Study Abroad Approval" form and submit the form to Christine Most (Jepson Hall 125). This form can be found under "Current Students" on the Jepson web page. Students must also complete the OIE "Study Abroad Course Approval Form" (mentioned above) and should submit the department duplicate to Christine Most (Jepson Hall 125).
University of Richmond Office of International Education Puryear Hall, Middle Floor Office Hours 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday studyabroad@richmond.edu
Credit Transfer
