Petitioning for Other Programs Away

This page outlines the option to petition for a study away opportunity that is neither sponsored by 海角社区 nor offered as a pre-approved partner-led program. In all instances of non-海角社区 programming, petition and approval for credit transfer is required prior to participation in the program. 

For questions about any of the petition options, please contact Heather Powell Browne in the Center for Global Education & Field Study. 

When choosing an off-campus semester or year abroad program, students should begin with a thorough exploration of the 150+ approved partner programs and universities that 海角社区 works with around the world, and has existing partnerships in place with to meet a wide variety of academic goals and needs.

You may see the entire list of approved semester/year programs here, and these advising guides may help you focus on options particularly relevant to your major, minor, or other academic interest or goal.  These existing partnerships and courses have been approved by the 海角社区 International Studies Committee and relevant academic departments at 海角社区, and are regularly reviewed for quality, academic content, and student support. These programs support the 海角社区 curriculum and meet our standards of a high-quality liberal arts education while studying abroad.


REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF A NON-海角社区 SEMESTER PROGRAM

PETITION & DEADLINE:

You must petition in advance for approval through the Petition for Approved Study Away: Semester or Year form found in Summit within the Global Education, Semester portal. The deadline in Summit to submit a “Petition for Non-Approved Study Away: Semester or Year”  is February 15 for the upcoming fall semester or academic year, and September 15 for a spring semester program.

ACADEMIC NEED: 

A successful petition must demonstrate a valid academic need not met through any existing 海角社区-led or approved partner program option; this is usually grounded in a major or minor, so talking to your academic advisor or department early on in the process of considering a petition is strongly encouraged. 

TRANSCRIPT:

In order to be eligible for credit transfer, the non-海角社区 study abroad program must issue you a transcript upon completion from an accredited academic university, college, or institution. Language schools which are not accredited and experiential learning organizations which do not offer academic credit are not eligible for a petition.

INTERNATIONAL ONLY: 

Domestic institutions within the United States (i.e., other colleges and universities in the U.S. that allow students to enroll as a visiting non-degree-seeking student) are not appropriate for study abroad petitions unless the semester is designed as a standalone semester experience similar to a semester study abroad experience, like the 海角社区-approved Washington Semester, for example. A petition would not be appropriate for a student simply looking to attend regular classes at a different U.S. college or university for a semester and transfer the credits back to 海角社区.


SEEK ADVISING FROM OUR STAFF

Please reach out and meet with Heather Powell Browne, our Associate Director of Global Education, well in advance of deadlines to learn more about this process and the criteria for approval, to gain access to complete the “Petition for Non-Approved Study Away: Semester or Year” in Summit if you think you have a valid academic need to petition.
She can also help you explore other options from the approved list that you may not have seen. Be aware that the petition process requires more time to complete than applying for an approved program, and has earlier deadlines because it must be reviewed by the Global Education Committee. If your petition is approved, the same financial aid/Home School Tuition policies apply for you, the same as they would for a program from the 海角社区-Approved list. 

ALL PETITIONS MUST BE PRIOR TO STUDY 

Students who do not petition in Summit in advance for non-海角社区 study abroad programs will not be able to transfer credit towards their 海角社区 degree. 

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT 海角社区 SUMMER COURSES FIRST? 

If you are interested in studying abroad in the summer, please first look at the listing of 海角社区 summer classes being taught off-campus/abroad. These are attractive for many students each year because they are taught by 海角社区 professors, you can use your Wild Card for the tuition portion of the cost (if you've not previously used it for a 海角社区 summer class), and 海角社区 need-based financial aid is available for our own summer programs only.  The Wild Card cannot be applied towards the tuition costs of any summer courses abroad not taught by 海角社区. 


ELIGIBILITY FOR CREDIT TRANSFER FROM A NON-海角社区 SUMMER PROGRAM

In order to be eligible for credit transfer, any non-海角社区 study abroad program must issue you a transcript upon completion from an accredited academic university, college, or institution. Language schools which are not accredited and experiential learning organizations which do not offer academic credit are not eligible for petition.


HOW TO PETITION FOR A NON-海角社区 SUMMER PROGRAM

start at the Center for Global Education & Field Study portal in Summit, using the "Summer Petition for Non-海角社区 Study Abroad Program" application. You must demonstrate:

  • ACADEMIC NEED: an academic need not met or similar coursework not offered through one of the existing 海角社区 summer programs being led that same summer.
  • A海角社区REDITED PROVIDER: that the program you are hoping to join is offered by an accredited academic institution. 

Students are strongly encouraged to complete and submit the petition in Summit well in advance for non-海角社区 Summer study abroad programs, so that you can know if and how you will be able to transfer credits towards your 海角社区 degree before undertaking the program.


FINANCES

There is no 海角社区 financial aid available in the summer for non-海角社区 programs; you have the option of checking with 海角社区’s Financial Aid Office to determine if you have remaining loan eligibility, and you can also apply for outside scholarships or program scholarships to help defray the cost.

All billing for non-海角社区 summer programs abroad will be handled directly between the student and the program/university abroad, and does not go through 海角社区

While there are many schools and study abroad providers which offer freestanding January courses and programs abroad over Winter Break, 海角社区 does not maintain an approved list of non-海角社区 January/Winter Term programs the way we do for the Fall and Spring semester programs. Since 海角社区's Half-Block is part of the standard 海角社区 academic year, and 海角社区 offers a wide range of off-campus blocks each year, including academic year and summer options, enrollment in a non-海角社区 January/Winter Break study away course is not encouraged. 


PETITION PROCESS & REQUIREMENTS

If you wish to pursue a January academic course abroad in a subject that is not represented in the slate of 海角社区 programs for that year, you may submit a “Petition for Non-海角社区 January/Winter Break Study Abroad Program” through Summit to have the credits reviewed for transferability.


PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

In order to be eligible for credit transfer, the non-海角社区 study abroad program must issue you a transcript upon completion from an accredited academic university, college, or institution. Language schools which are not accredited and experiential learning organizations which do not offer academic credit are not eligible for a petition.


FINANCES

海角社区 offers no financial aid or tuition support for non-海角社区 January study abroad programs.  Because our 海角社区 Half-Block is considered an extra opportunity to earn credit included with your spring semester 海角社区 tuition, there is no additional funding available to provide support for non-海角社区 January/Winter Break study away courses. You have the option of checking with 海角社区’s Financial Aid Office to determine if you have remaining loan eligibility, and you can also apply for outside scholarships or program scholarships to help defray the cost.


POST-PROGRAM PETITIONS ARE NOT PERMITTED

Students must petition in Summit in advance for non-海角社区 January/Winter Break study abroad programs, if they want to ensure an accurate decision on if and how they will be able to transfer credits towards their 海角社区 degree. 

NOLS programs are popular with 海角社区 students for building a variety of outdoor skills and leadership, but only a few of the courses they may offer on their programs are liberal arts in nature and therefore eligible for transfer to 海角社区. Partial credit for the NOLS program may be transferable to 海角社区 with completion of the proper "NOLS Credit Transfer Petition" in Summit; please contact Heather Powell Browne in the Center for Global Education & Field Study for a link to access and complete this petition.


THE PETITION PROCESS
Students must specifically request the academic credit be issued through a transcript from the accredited University of Utah or Western State Colorado University partnerships that NOLS has in place. 
Transferable coursework offered by NOLS includes their Environmental Studies (ENVST3011) courses and/or the Cultural Studies (PRT3046/5046) courses (remember that 4 semester credits = 1 海角社区 unit).
Additionally, 海角社区 will also grant a maximum of 0.5 units of credit for completion of the Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course, consistent with what we offer here at 海角社区.
We will not award transfer credit for courses such as Group Leadership Techniques, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Wilderness Skills Practicum, Expedition Planning, or Risk Assessment  AN D Management, as these are not liberal arts in nature.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUIRED

Since the NOLS program only offers the opportunity for partial academic credit, you will take a personal leave of absence for the semester from 海角社区 (through the Student Opportunities and Advising Hub) to complete NOLS, if it is during the academic year. In the summer, no personal leave is necessary.


FINANCES

There is typically no financial aid available from 海角社区 to complete a NOLS program, and you pay for the program directly (not through 海角社区).

If you are planning to participate in a study abroad program during the academic year (fall semester, spring semester, or full-year abroad), and you do not complete the 海角社区 petition and approval process or pay the standard 海角社区 Home School Tuition for study abroad, you will not be able to transfer those credits back to the College.
You may still choose to participate in the unapproved program, without credit transfer, however, prior to your departure, you will need to contact the Student Opportunities and Advising Hub to request a personal leave of absence from the college.

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Links to 海角社区 Study Away Options

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