STUDY ABROAD
Education abroad presents students with unique opportunities for academic exploration and personal growth, and the Office of International Education is grateful for the support of St. Edward’s University faculty and staff advisors in promoting these programs to the student community. The OIE provides advising to students who wish to study, complete an internship, or engage in service learning in an international setting. International Advisors work with students to identify approved programs that will allow them to achieve their academic and personal goals while gaining cross-cultural competency and a broader global perspective. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a faculty member or advisor in their major or area of interest to discuss how study abroad can be most beneficial and how the proposed plan of study will apply to the student’s degree plan.
In addition to advising students, the OIE also aids in coordinating customized summer study abroad programs for St. Edward's faculty members. Faculty members have led customized programs to Spain, Mexico, and Uganda. Programs should be proposed a year in advance using the application provided on this website.
For assistance in advising study abroad students, please see the links below or contact the OIE.
Affiliated Programs and Approved Study Abroad
Advising Undergraduate Study Abroad Students
Advising New College and Graduate Students
Course Approval and Transfer of Credit
Proposal Process for Customized Study Abroad Programs
Scheduling Class Visits
Affiliated Programs and Approved Study Abroad
The Office of International Education provides three models of study abroad to students:
Exchange partners and study abroad providers are chosen based on academic integrity, feasibility of credit transfer, and the level of student services that are provided to students during their time abroad. The OIE only facilitates the transfer of academic credit from accredited study abroad programs and universities; credit is not offered for life experience or cultural immersion.
Students who wish to study at an institution or through a provider not currently approved by the OIE may petition for program approval. To obtain a petition, a student must meet with an International Advisor and bring sufficient supporting documentation about the program’s accreditation or university affiliation to supplement his or her petition for approval.
Direct enrollment in a university abroad may be possible provided that the university meets accreditation requirements and the student applicant is willing to collect supporting documentation needed by the OIE and the Office of the Registrar. The process of direct enrollment can be lengthy and time-consuming, and may carry implications for the student’s housing and living arrangements. This option is best suited to students who already have experience in the host country or have family that currently resides in the city of study. Students wishing to enroll directly in a university abroad must petition for approval if they wish to receive credit for this type of program.
A note about language schools: Although language study is a beneficial component to any student’s academic and professional experience, few language schools carry the accreditation necessary for the transfer of credit to St. Edward’s University. The OIE does not maintain a portfolio or evaluations of language-intensive programs and students are responsible for researching these programs independently or with the assistance of a faculty member. Credit is rarely granted, but students may take the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test to earn language credit when they return to campus. Financial aid does not apply to non-credit bearing study abroad experiences.
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Advising Undergraduate Study Abroad Students
All prospective study abroad students are encouraged to discuss the course work they wish to take abroad with their academic advisor. In order to ensure that a program meets their academic needs, students are advised to have this discussion before they apply to a study abroad program. Students are encouraged to consider specific course work that will allow them to continue making progress toward their degree, and courses taken abroad may also be applied as elective credit. Elective courses may allow students to explore their host culture through coursework and can be beneficial to a student’s understanding of their study abroad country and region.
- During pre-advising many students have questions about courses they should “save” to take abroad. There are a range of major-specific and general education requirements that can be taken abroad but many students find it possible to fulfill the following courses during study abroad:
CULF 1318, 1319, 3330, or 3331
Foreign Language courses
Religion courses
Regional Emphasis courses
Final approval lies with the dean’s office in the student’s major, but equivalents to these courses are offered on many study abroad programs and are routinely approved in all five schools at St. Edward’s.
- Many students find it helpful to obtain a degree audit during the advising process. Knowing what areas of the degree plan are still open can be particularly helpful for students who change their pre-approved courses once they reach their study abroad location, as they can attempt to find other courses that can fulfill specific education requirements at St. Edward’s. (Students who take courses other than those pre-approved by their school dean must contact the OIE or the dean’s office from their study abroad location to confirm that changing courses is acceptable.)
- Advisors may have critical information about academic opportunities in their disciplines; the OIE staff has information about programs and locations, but may not be familiar with all academic opportunities or specializations. Study abroad is meant, above all other considerations, to be academic in nature and students can benefit immensely from guidance from St. Edward’s faculty members about strong schools or programs abroad.
- Many students approach their academic advisors for recommendations for study abroad applications or scholarship programs. It is helpful for advisors to become as familiar as possible with the student’s motivations for studying abroad and the goals that he or she has for the program and incorporate these into the recommendation letter.
- It is possible for students to study abroad more than once, but it is critical that they meet with their academic advisor to ensure that their schedule allows them to complete all of the degree requirements offered only on the St. Edward’s campus. Study abroad credit is treated as transfer credit so residency requirements may be a factor in a student’s ability to study abroad more than once. Upper division courses may be difficult to take in non-English-speaking locations, particularly if the student does not have the second language ability to take university-level courses.
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Advising New College & Graduate Students
An increasing number of New College and Graduate students are participating in study abroad. It is important to remember that many opportunities in education abroad are tailored to the traditional undergraduate program, so New College and Graduate students may have to be creative in choosing program providers and their courses. Study abroad credit can be applied to degree plans as elective credit, so students may benefit from taking major-specific courses on campus and leaving elective hours open to take while they study abroad.
New College students have participated in St. Edward’s exchange programs and short-term summer study abroad programs. Students are encouraged to work with the New College advising staff to identify courses that can be taken abroad and may have to be flexible regarding the location where they study abroad, due to limited course offerings in some areas.
Graduate students have participated in short-term summer study abroad, customized summer study abroad, and semester-long provider programs in cases where the student’s degree plan allowed for off-campus study and transfer credit. There are a limited number of programs that offer credit at the graduate level, so these students should also be prepared to consider more than one location. Graduate students should contact the OIE and begin working at least an academic term in advance to determine which programs offer graduate-level course work.
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Course Approval & Transfer of Credit
All courses must be pre-approved by the Dean, Assistant/Associate Dean, or Assistant to the Dean in the school of the student’s major. Language credit must additionally be approved by the Assistant to the Dean of Humanities.
To obtain approval from the undergraduate schools students must use the Office of International Education Course Approval form, which is given to students during scheduled study abroad appointments. The form is not available on-line and the form should be signed by an International Advisor before the student takes the form to the dean’s office. The International Advisor’s signature indicates that the student has selected an approved study abroad program. Students are advised to schedule an appointment with the appropriate individual in the school of their major to complete the Course Approval form. Students are instructed to take with them the Course Approval form, descriptions of the courses to be taken abroad, and information about the number of contact hours each course generates to facilitate the accurate completion of the Course Approval form. The signed and completed Course Approval form is returned to the Office of International Education; copies of the form are distributed to all necessary parties, including the student’s academic advisor, and the original is retained by the Office of the Registrar.
Once the student has completed the Course Approval Form and the other requirements of the study abroad process, the student will be cleared to register for a study abroad holding course (SABR) that facilitates the use of financial aid and keeps a student’s academic record active while he or she is abroad. Enrolling in the course also enables the student to check his or her campus e-mail, use the EdWeb system, and access other campus resources while studying abroad. Students are e-mailed with specific instructions about registering for the SABR marker course that corresponds to the program they will participate in and the number of hours they intend to take while abroad. Students must be cleared by the director of the OIE AND their faculty advisor for SABR registration.
Credit received during study abroad is treated as transfer credit. Course titles and grades for all attempted courses appear on the St. Edward’s University transcript once credit has been transferred through the Office of the Registrar, but grades earned abroad do not affect a student’s GPA. The student’s transcript must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar and he or she must earn the equivalent of a C or better to earn credit.
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Customized Study Abroad Programs
The OIE is eager to assist faculty members who wish to pursue international education
initiatives. Faculty planning a customized study abroad program should submit a program proposal by the appropriate deadline.
For risk management purposes, all international trips must be coordinated through the Office of International Education. If you are taking a group of St. Edward's students outside the United States as part of a course or as the advisor of a student organization, the OIE will help you identify the risk management forms you should collect from participants and will provide a customized pre-departure orientation to address pertinent topics such as safety and health issues for travelers, packing and practical travel tips, dealing with culture and re-entry shock, and other important things students should know before traveling.
The Office of International Education applauds your interest in international education and strives to be an important and helpful resource for faculty going abroad.
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Scheduling Class Visits
The Office of International Education is happy to conduct classroom visits to promote study abroad. Visits are generally conducted by OIE staff members and study abroad returnees and are designed to provide students with an overview of study abroad resources, the study abroad process, financial aid, and opportunities for education abroad. Presentations can be tailored to specific subject areas, and major-specific and region-specific handouts are available upon request. Presentations generally last 15-20 minutes and can be made shorter or longer based on the class schedule. Evening class visits can also be arranged.
Click here to contact the OIE to arrange a class visit. Please include the following information in your message:
- Course title, location, and meeting time
- Number of students in the course
- Whether you prefer an OIE staff member, a study abroad returnee, or both as presenters
- Any major-specific or region-specific information that you would like addressed in the class session
- Handouts that may be helpful for your students (general, major-specific, region-specific, etc.)
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