PETITIONING A NON-APPROVED PROGRAM
When the Duke-administered and Duke-approved programs do not meet a student's particular academic needs, that student can then petition for approval of a non-approved program. This approval is granted by the Faculty Committee on Study Abroad and is a one-time approval of one particular program for one particular student. After the student returns to Duke from the program, his/her work must be evaluated by the relevant Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). If these evaluations are positive, the program can then be petitioned by other students in the future. After a minimum of two petitions in two different semesters or years, a program may be placed on the approved list if all student and faculty feedback is deemed positive.
I. Procedures for Filing a Petition
In order to petition a program, a student must meet with an advisor (director level) in the Office of Study Abroad. The advisor will determine from the information the student presents if the program meets minimum requirements for transfer credit at Duke. The advisor and student discuss the merits of the petition program, as well as the student's academic rationale for requesting the program. If basic criteria are met, the student is given a petition packet, and the petition process is explained.
The completed petition packet is made up of seven items, as follows:
- Submission of Office of Study Abroad on-line application;
- Personal Information Sheet;
- Request Form for Approval of Non-Approved Foreign Study Program;
- Course Approval Forms for a full course load of courses (signed by relevant DUS's);
- Personal statement from student explaining his/her academic rationale for choosing the program;
- Official transcript; and
- Documentation about the program such as brochures, course syllabi, student handbooks, web page printouts, etc.
Completed petitions are submitted by the Office of Study Abroad to the Faculty Committee at their monthly meetings. The Committee makes all decisions on approval. The Office of Study Abroad will not accept partial petitions from students, and careful attention should be paid to ensure that all items with the appropriate signatures are submitted. In addition, students will not be given petition packets without having had an advising session.
These procedures are in place for both summer and academic year/semester programs.
II. Returning from a Petitioned Study Abroad Program
Upon return to Duke from a petitioned study abroad program, a student is required to submit all course materials from the program (syllabi, reading lists, papers, tests, and exams) to the DUS's who originally approved each course. This work, accompanied by a memo from the Director of the Office of Study Abroad, serves as an evaluation tool to determine if participation on the program should be allowed for future Duke students. Each DUS is asked to make this determination based on the documentation provided by the returning student. After a program has received positive evaluations in two different semesters or summer terms, it may be considered for addition to the Duke Approved Program List. Petitioned programs are reviewed annually to determine their eligibility for the list.
III. Petitioning Programs Formerly on the Approved List
If an approved program has not been attended by a Duke student for a period of five years, it may be removed from the active approved list. The removed program will be placed on a list of previously approved programs, which is made available to the Duke community via the Office of Study Abroad website. If a student wishes to attend a “removed” program, s/he must petition the program as normal, but the program may be reconsidered for addition to the approved list after only one successful petition and follow up evaluation process.
Last revised: 15 August 2008