Study Abroad Transfer Credit
Below are the steps you must take to have courses from a study abroad program evaluated for the degree at the University of Puget Sound:
- Select a University of Puget Sound study abroad program. Only courses completed on Puget Sound approved programs are eligible to transfer to the degree. When selecting a program, consult with International Programs staff, the International Programs website and other resources available in their office (Howarth 215). Check also with your faculty advisor and any department resources pertinent to study abroad.
- You must be approved as a study abroad student. To apply for approval, submit the Puget Sound Application form (formerly the Approval to Apply for study abroad form) found at the International Programs Office website. The form is due on February 1 for the following summer or academic year of study abroad.
- Complete the Study Abroad Course Evaluation Request form for your first-choice program only. See note in Step 4 below regarding alternate or second-choice programs. Students who are applying for the Dijon Program should use the Course Evaluation for Dijon Program form. Using Microsoft Word, you will enter on the form the courses you would like to take at the first-choice program. Be sure to include all courses you might take, including alternates, since you may not be able to enroll in your first choice classes due to class cancellations, schedule conflicts, policies at the host institution, or enrollment limits.
Before completing this form: You must meet with your major advisor. If you have two majors, you should meet with both faculty advisors. If you hope to earn minor credit abroad, please check with the department chair of that minor department to be sure you have selected an appropriate study abroad program. The advisor’s role in study abroad planning is essential to a successful study abroad experience. Please read the The Role of the Advisor in Study Abroad handout.
You must update your Cascade account with all majors, minors, and interdisciplinary emphases that you plan to complete (you enter this in the “My Degree” section of your account). If you are unsure whether or not you will be able to complete a second major or a minor, you can drop the major or minor at a later date. In order to receive an accurate evaluation of study abroad courses, you will need your academic plan entered in Cascade. -
Save the completed form as a Word document. Email it to Kathleen Campbell, Transfer Evaluator in the Registrar’s Office kcampbell@pugetsound.edu. The form should be emailed from your pugetsound.edu email account.
Deadline: February 15 for summer, fall, and full year study abroad students, September 15 for spring study abroad students.
(You may have an alternate study abroad program given competitiveness for some programs. If you are not admitted to your first choice program, the Study Abroad Course Evaluation Request form can be submitted for the alternate program after the February 15 or September 15 deadline.) - The Transfer Evaluator will review your proposed courses and determine whether and how each course will transfer to your degree requirements, following university transfer credit policies. Frequently, she will need to consult with academic departments if you hope to earn major or minor credit abroad. She may ask you to provide a course syllabus to make a final transfer determination. Upon your return, you may also need to submit the textbook and completed assignments for review as the basis of the final transfer credit evaluation.
This process can take several weeks given the high numbers of students studying abroad. Normally, summer/fall/full year evaluations are completed in March and April. Spring evaluations are completed mostly in October and November. Please be patient, but if you need a transfer determination and have not heard back yet from the evaluator, please email her to let her know of your concern or to meet an important deadline in your study abroad planning deadline. - The Transfer Evaluator will email you when your courses have been evaluated and schedule an appointment with you to review the transfer determination for each class. At this appointment, the Evaluator will give you a copy of the completed Study Abroad Course Evaluation Request form and a copy of your Degree Progress Report that will show how the approved courses apply to core, upper-division, foreign language, major, or minor requirements, or if they transfer simply as elective credits. She will review with you the degree requirements you will likely need to complete following your study abroad and registration procedures for UPS classes while you are abroad.
- You may need additional courses evaluated after your meeting with the evaluator. If you learn of new courses later, or when you arrive at your study abroad site, email the Evaluator with the course number and titles of any new courses not yet evaluated. To the extent possible, please do not register for any courses unless you know whether and how the course will apply to your degree. Not all courses are transferable from study abroad programs and universities. If you are on site, your evaluation request is first priority and she will try to provide a transfer determination within a couple of work days.
- Be sure to request from your study abroad program an official transcript to be sent to this address upon completion of the program:
Registrar's Office
University of Puget Sound
1500 N. Warner St. #1034
Tacoma, WA 98416-1034
It is the student’s responsibility to have the transcript sent to Puget Sound. - After your official transcript arrives, the Transfer Evaluator will apply your approved courses to your academic record at Puget Sound, and email you confirmation that this has happened.
