Duke University Study Abroad: Study Abroad Policies

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Duke University Study Abroad Policies and Procedures

Duke University Office of Study Abroad Statement of Ethical Practices (external link)

Duke University policies and procedures apply to all students studying abroad on programs administered by Duke University, as well as to all Duke University students studying abroad on approved non-Duke programs. Both students and their parents should be familiar with these policies. Details are available at http://www.registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/Undergraduate/. Some policies apply only to semester programs.

Duke University Non-discrimination Policy

Duke University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation or preference, gender or age in the administration of educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid, employment, or any other university program or activity. It admits qualified students to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students. The university also does not tolerate harassment of any kind.

Academic Eligibility for Study Abroad

While acknowledging that all study abroad programs and overseas institutions have their own criteria for admissions, Duke University students are held to an institutional standard before being allowed to study abroad for credit. The minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) required for Duke students wishing to study abroad is 2.7 on a scale of 4.0. A student with a GPA lower than 2.7 must obtain permission from his/her academic dean before he/she will be approved for study abroad by the Associate Dean for Study Abroad. GPA waiver forms are available in the Office of Study Abroad (email requests can be made to Deborah Kearney).

Students Under Academic or Disciplinary Sanctions

A student who is on academic or disciplinary probation or does not meet academic continuation requirements will not be permitted to study abroad during the period the sanction is in effect, regardless of the student's acceptance in a program. Students who have been dismissed for any disciplinary reason must complete at least one semester with no further infractions on campus prior to being eligible to study abroad. Similarly, students who have been dismissed for any academic reason must successfully complete a full semester on campus prior to being eligible for study abroad.

Students may not apply to study abroad programs while suspended from Duke.

International Students Studying in Their Home Country

Trinity College international students may receive a total of two domestic transfer credits for study in their home country. Pratt international students may receive a total of four transfer course credits. Both Trinity and Pratt international students must request a personal leave of absence from their academic dean if they plan to study in their home country during the academic year.

Statement of Authorization and Consent

All Duke students studying abroad and all non-Duke students studying abroad with Duke University, along with their parents or legal guardians, are required to sign a Statement of Authorization and Consent prior to departure. Duke students studying abroad must submit the form (referred to as "Form A") in the semester prior to departure as part of the Study Abroad Packet (see below). Non-Duke students studying on Duke-administered programs will receive a copy of the form with their acceptance letters. The signed form must be submitted by the date indicated in the acceptance letter. The form may be required as part of the application process for some program. Parents may submit their signatures by fax for deadline purposes, but the original signature should be forwarded immediately to the Office of Study Abroad, where it will remain on file.

The Study Abroad Packet

Duke students wishing to study abroad for credit for a semester must complete a Study Abroad Packet prior to departure, according to deadlines established by the Associate Dean for Study Abroad. Students who fail to submit a properly completed Study Abroad Packet by the published deadlines will not be placed on Study Abroad Agreement with the university and will not be allowed to study abroad.

In addition to the parent or guardian signatures discussed above, the Study Abroad Packet will require a signature from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Trinity - Pratt) of the student’s major department or the student's major advisor. Submission of the Study Abroad Packet is considered to be incomplete until Form C (“Final Request for Study Abroad Status at Duke”) is received by the Office of Study Abroad. Click here for a list of Pratt directors of undergraduate studies.

Study Abroad Agreement

Duke students studying abroad on approved programs will be put on Study Abroad Agreement status for the duration of their study programs. Study Abroad Agreement status will preserve the student’s place and standing at Duke while away from campus. The Study Abroad Agreement also controls the type and amount of debits posted to the Duke bursar account. The Associate Dean for Study Abroad grants these special study abroad statuses in conjunction with other university administrators. Students with Bursar’s Blocks on their accounts must settle their accounts to be eligible to be put on study abroad agreement.

Part-time Status for the Final Semester at Duke

Juniors studying abroad who intend to apply for part-time status in the last semester of their senior year must request permission from their academic dean by April 15 preceding the academic year in which the part-time semester will be taken.

Insurance Requirements and Suggestions

Health insurance: Duke University requires that all Duke students studying abroad and all non-Duke students studying on Duke programs be covered by appropriate sickness and accident insurance for the duration of the program and that they be financially responsible for all medical expenses. In most instances, medical expenses abroad will have to be paid out of pocket and reimbursement sought later from the insurance carrier. Each student will be asked to provide the name of their insurance carrier, along with the number and date of expiration of the policy under which they are insured, on the Statement of Authorization and Consent.
The Duke University Student Medical Insurance Plan, available from Koster Insurance Agency, provides coverage for Duke students studying abroad. The insurance may be purchased through the University Bursar or directly from Koster Insurance Agency. Information about the Duke student policy is available at the web-site http://www.kosterweb.com. Inquiries can be made by email to dukestudent@kosterins.com or by calling 1-866-746-8700.

NOTE: Duke students who do not wish to purchase the Duke University Student Medical Insurance Plan will need to enter alternative insurance information on ACES each academic year or the insurance fee will automatically be charged.

Non-Duke students in need of insurance coverage abroad should consult student services and the study abroad office of their home institutions for suggestions.

Tuition insurance: For students who wish to purchase insurance through the Tuition Refund Plan, please go to the web-site at (www.tuitionrefundplan.com). This plan is designed to refund up to 100% of semester tuition, room and board when a student withdraws at any time during a semester for medical reasons.

Motor vehicle insurance: Duke University discourages students from operating motor vehicles abroad, but recommends that those students who plan to operate a motor vehicle obtain liability and collision insurance that will cover them in the applicable foreign countries.

Property insurance: Duke University also recommends that students insure their property from loss or theft while abroad, since out-of-pocket replacement expenses for laptops, Ipods, digital cameras, etc. can be quite costly.

Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains Insurance: International SOS

Duke University continues to put the health and safety of its students traveling on University programs as a top priority. Duke recognizes that in this rapidly changing world, there may be apprehension about travel and health. It may be challenging to contact a staff member while traveling abroad should something unexpected occur. It is for these reasons that the university has contracted from a company called International SOS (SOS) for travel assistance and medical evacuation services, on behalf of all undergraduates (Duke and non-Duke) studying abroad. In other words, parents do not have to worry about purchasing medical evacuation and repatriation of remains insurance on behalf of their students.

The services provided by International SOS range from telephone advice and referrals to full-scale evacuation by private air ambulance. The SOS network of multilingual specialists operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from SOS Alarm Centers around the world. Your SOS membership, provided by Duke University, protects you against a variety of difficulties that could arise while you are abroad. The coverage is designed to supplement the policies, procedures and support staff, which Duke University already has in place. For more information, please see the International SOS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Questions about the new policy should be directed to Duke Corporate Risk Management at corprisk@duke.edu or 919-684-6226.

It is important to understand that, although International SOS will offer our students travel, medical and security advice and services, as well as on-line access to information which many insurance companies do not offer, International SOS is NOT health insurance. Duke University continues to require all students attending our programs to maintain health insurance coverage that covers them while abroad.

Whenever you are traveling or living abroad, you can access up-to-date reports on more than 170 countries worldwide on health issues, medical care and vaccination requirements via the International SOS website—your home page for travel health and safety information (located at http://www.internationalsos.com). The International SOS website also contains an on-line Personal Locator form for inputting travel and destination information. We strongly encourage all travelers to complete the form so that this information is available to International SOS and Duke on-call staff should you need to be located in the event of a crisis or emergency.

All undergraduates studying abroad through Duke, including Duke students on non-Duke programs, will receive an International SOS wallet card, which contains the Duke University group membership number and the Alarm Center phone numbers. Students should carry these cards at all times when they are overseas.

While you are abroad, your first contact should always be the director of your overseas program, as instructed during your orientation. If you are traveling, and/or in a situation where you are not able to reach that person, you should contact the Duke University Police Department at 919-684-2444 or International SOS who will work to meet your needs immediately. They will contact the University's on-call staff in the United States while coordinating services with Duke University.

International Student Identification Card

Duke University requires that students attending certain programs obtain an International Student Identification Card (ISIC), issued by STA Travel. The ISIC must be purchased in the United States and should be valid throughout the dates of the program. The ID number of the ISIC must be submitted to the Duke Office of Study Abroad prior to departure. If purchased in the Duke University Student Service Center, no further notification to the OSA is needed. If purchased outside of Duke, please email your name, card/policy number, and expiration date to abroad@aas.duke.edu or send us the ISIC form via email attachment or mail.

The ISIC will allow you to enter many museums free or for reduced fees, and will often entitle you to travel discounts. If purchased in the U.S., the card also carries with it a supplemental insurance policy, which can prove to be very helpful in the event of serious injury. See the section entitled “International Travel” for details on where to obtain the ISIC.

The Duke-administered programs currently requiring the ISIC are as follows:

Duke in London-Drama (summer)

Duke in Greece (summer)

Duke in Flanders (summer)

Duke in Venice (summer)

Duke in Russia (summer)

All other students are encouraged to consider whether purchase of the ISIC would be benefit to them. You will find a comparison of coverage between the ISIC and Duke's International SOS policies here.

Financial Aid

Financial aid (for Duke students already receiving aid) is available on a semester basis for the full program budget (including airfare) of Duke-administered and Duke-approved programs, providing such budget does not exceed the budget for a semester on the Durham campus. Federal and Duke aid applies; work-study funds are converted to loans. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for further details. (Office of Financial Aid, Duke University, 2106 Campus Drive, Box 90397, Durham, NC 27708-0397; Phone: 919-684-6225; web: http://www.finaid.duke.edu/). Financial aid study abroad forms can be downloaded at http://www.finaid.duke.edu/forms/downloads/Study_Abroad_Procedures_Form.pdf.

Non-Duke students are not eligible for financial aid through Duke University, although the ICCS and OTS programs sometimes offer scholarships to non-Duke students. All non-Duke students should consult the financial aid office at their home institutions to apply for aid and to obtain approval for outside scholarship sources.

Behavior and Program Participation

As a participant in a Duke-approved or -administered study abroad program, each student is a representative of Duke University and the United States and should deport himself or herself in a manner that reflects favorably on both. In addition to regular classes, the program may include planned lectures and field trips germane to the educational experience. All students are expected to participate willingly in such activities in addition to attending the regular classes. Duke University gives discretion to the sponsoring institution to discipline a student or dismiss him or her from the program for behavior detrimental to the program and the student. A dismissed student will receive no refund.

Students are expected to adhere to the Duke University Community Standard while abroad.

Foreign Language Requirement in Non-English-speaking Countries

Students on Duke-administered and Duke-approved programs taught in English in non-English-speaking countries (e.g., Duke/OTS-Costa Rica, Denmark's International Study Program, Syracuse in Strasbourg, etc.) are required to take at least one course in the native language while on the program abroad. The only exception to this policy is the ICCS program in Rome, where Greek or Latin may be substituted for Italian. If students do not comply with the requirement, only three course credits will transfer back to Duke for the semester, regardless of credits earned.

Course Approvals

All courses taken while abroad on a Duke-administered or Duke-approved program must be approved by the appropriate academic department at Duke before academic credit will be granted by the University Registrar. Students on Duke-In programs should consult with individual program administrators about obtaining approval for non-approved courses. Students on non-Duke programs should follow the procedures outlined in the section below entitled “Transfer Credit Policies and Procedures.”

Course Load

Students studying abroad with Duke-administered or Duke-approved programs must take the normal (not minimum) full credit load as defined by the program or sponsoring institution. At some institutions in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, Duke requirements may vary from the “normal” course load of the host institution (please check with that country's OSA advisor for details). Otherwise, when studying abroad, no overloads and no under loads are permitted.

Students on Duke-administered programs will normally take four courses per semester.

Students on Duke-approved programs must take their program's normal full course load to receive credit at Duke. When a full load for the Duke-approved programs includes more than four courses in a single semester, students will be able to transfer no more than the maximum credit allowed by Duke for the program. For most programs, you may transfer a maximum of four course credits per semester or eight courses for the academic year. NOTE: Students enrolling in the short fall term at British, Irish, and Japanese institutions will only receive three credits. Japanese, Irish, and British spring and summer trimesters must be taken together and earn no more than five credits combined.

If a student is unsure about the number of credits he or she may transfer, or about what constitutes a normal “full load” or mandated full load for his/her program, he/she should consult the Associate Dean for Study Abroad or a study abroad advisor in Duke's Office of Study Abroad.

See “Transfer Credit Policies and Procedures” below for more information about course loads and how they will transfer to the Duke transcript.

NOTE: Failure to complete a full course load may lead to students being put on academic probation or being dismissed from the university upon the unsatisfactory completion of the program abroad.

Pass/Fail Option

Duke University does not allow students, including those visiting from other institutions, to take courses on a pass/fail basis while studying abroad. All courses must be taken for a grade to receive academic credit at Duke.

Continuation Requirement

All Duke students are required to meet continuation requirements while studying abroad. Continuation requirements are explained for Trinity College students at http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/continue.html and page 56 of the Undergraduate Bulletin, and page 40 of the Bulletin for Pratt students. An explanation of grades and how they could affect continuation requirements at Duke can be found at http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/grades.html. Students should be aware that grade expectations and continuation rules apply to Duke-administered and Duke-approved programs alike. The fact that you may ultimately be earning transfer credit for your coursework does not relieve you from the high academic expectations of Duke University.

To meet continuation requirements while abroad, students must successfully complete the equivalent of three course credits per semester. For a four-course program, you must pass three courses to meet the requirements. For a credit-hour program, you must pass 12 credit hours to meet the requirements. Students who fail to meet continuation requirements while abroad must leave the university for at least two semesters (a summer session may be counted as a semester).

NOTE: Duke students have been dismissed from the university for failing to meet continuation requirements while abroad, on both Duke and non-Duke programs. Study abroad is NOT meant to be a break from studies and should not be treated at such.

Service Learning

Duke University is committed to educating undergraduates, not only in the traditional sense, but also with regard to practical lessons in civic engagement and social responsibility. To this end, the university supports service learning opportunities for students in both curricular and extracurricular realms. With regard to service learning opportunities abroad, credit expectations vis-à-vis service learning in Duke-administered programs will be clearly defined and explained in program literature.

NOTE: Students desiring to take service learning courses in non-Duke programs should make initial inquiries about credit to the Office of Study Abroad (abroad@aas.duke.edu) before they go abroad; academic credit should not be assumed for service learning activities.

Duke University's definition of service learning for undergraduates is explained at http://civic.duke.edu/ltmd/pdf/What_is_Service_Learning.pdf, part of a website devoted to civic engagement and social responsibility (http://civic.duke.edu/). To determine if a Duke-administered on-campus or abroad course receives the Service Learning (SL) label, faculty and administrators use the guidelines below as a starting point in assessing the academic merit of a given service learning opportunity:

Students engage in a minimum of 20 hours of planned service activities.

The service experience is integrally related to the academic subject matter of a course.

Coursework involves critical reflection on the relationship between academic course content and the service experience.

Coursework involves critical reflection on the ethical and civic dimensions of the service experience.

Independent Study While Abroad

Only students who study abroad for the full academic year in the same program are allowed to enroll in an independent study course at a foreign institution in their second semester. They will have to submit a proposal to the Office of Study Abroad to prove that the independent study course has academic merit and fits in their curriculum. They also have to submit the name and full address (with fax and email) of the foreign faculty member who agrees to work with them. The Office of Study Abroad will then forward to the foreign faculty member the Duke guidelines for independent study as outlined in the most current undergraduate bulletin. If the foreign instructor agrees in writing to adhere to these guidelines, the student will be able to do the independent study project under the supervision of the foreign faculty member.

The independent study course must be one of the courses constituting the full study abroad course load and must be listed with a grade on the foreign transcript. The student should be aware that credit is not guaranteed for the independent study course until he/she has submitted all academic work (with substantive paper) completed in the course for retroactive credit approval by the appropriate department at Duke.

Any compensation for the instructor, if required by the foreign institution, has to be borne by the student. Independent study courses may not be arranged in the first semester of the study abroad sojourn.

Extension of Study Abroad Agreement

Any student wishing to remain with the same study abroad program for an additional semester will need to complete a Notification of Extension of Study Abroad form and submit to the Associate Dean for Study Abroad at Duke. Faxed copies of signed forms are acceptable. In addition, students should contact their academic dean prior to making a final decision to extend time abroad. Click here for a list of academic deans in Trinity College. Pratt students should consult Dean Connie Simmons.

Students wishing to switch to a different program for an additional semester of study will need to request an extension of the Study Abroad Agreement in writing as described above and must submit a new Statement of Authorization and Consent, complete with parent’s signature, for the new program.

Withdrawal

Students withdrawing from any program after they have been placed on Study Abroad Agreement should immediately inform the Associate Dean for Study Abroad in writing of his or her withdrawal. Please use the Notification of Withdrawal From or Termination of Study Abroad form. Students are responsible for making all arrangements for their return to campus the following semester and should consult their academic dean as soon as possible.

A student withdrawing from a Duke-administered program is subject to the refund policy outlined in the Statement of Authorization and Consent.

A student withdrawing from a non-Duke program should consult the program’s refund policy.

Students, withdrawing once a program has begun, will most likely face refund penalties from the sponsoring institution. In addition, depending on the starting dates of the program, the student may experience difficulty returning to his or her home institution in the United States for study during the same semester. Financial aid recipients considering withdrawal after the start of a study abroad program and after the start of classes on his or her home campus should discuss the situation with the issuing financial aid office prior to making a final decision. A student's ability to earn credit may also be jeopardized by early withdrawal.

Additional Policies and Procedures for Duke Students Participating in Duke-Approved Programs

This section applies to Duke students only. The material in this section is included in Form B of the Study Abroad Packet. Your signature on Form B signifies that you understand and promise to adhere to the policies and procedures stated below.

Transfer Credit Policies and Procedures

Credit transfer. All students placed on Study Abroad Agreement for an approved semester or year abroad program administered by another institution must transfer credit back to Duke. Failure to do so may result in your registration at Duke being blocked for your final semester. You must authorize your host institution abroad to send a complete transcript to the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) as soon as they are available. Graduation dates may need adjustment if study abroad transcripts are not received and credit transfers are not completed by the specified deadlines.

If you are a transfer student to Duke University you must consult your academic dean to determine whether you will be able to graduate on time by earning additional transfer credits from abroad.

Transfer credit process. To transfer credit, it is the student's responsibility to do the following:

• Verify that all the courses you plan to take abroad are listed in the Database of Approved Courses. On occasion, a course is approved by more than one department. If this is the case, please let our office know which approval you want so that a note can be added to your file. Please make sure that you have the necessary prerequisites for the courses you plan to take.

• If the course(s) is (are) not contained in the Database of Approved Courses, you need to contact Cathy Penny in the Office of Study Abroad and provide her with an official description of each course. Such descriptions can usually be found in a program guide, bulletin, catalogue, or syllabus. You should request syllabi from your program in advance if possible. Ms. Penny will consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) of the appropriate department to determine the Duke equivalent of the course not yet approved or he/she may assign 888 (lower-level) or 999 (upper-level) as an approved course number if there is no equivalent. The DUS and OSA will also recommend a course credit value (cc) for the course (normally 1 for a semester and 2 for a year course). The DUS and OSA also will designate an area of knowledge where applicable. Independent study courses, field study, and internships will not carry area of knowledge designations. Upon return, students must promptly reconcile credit transfer.

• Request that an official transcript of courses with final grades from the program you attended be sent to the Office of Study Abroad, Box 90057 , Durham , NC 27708; generally programs will not mail transcripts automatically. Only courses that have been approved will be transferred to your Duke transcript. Your credit transfer cannot take place until your official transcript has been received. Transcripts must be forwarded to the Office of Study Abroad as soon as they are available.

In some instances, you will not have been able to make course selections before leaving Duke to study abroad, or your courses may change after you arrive at your program abroad. After you return to Duke, you will need to apply retroactively for approval for all courses for which you did not obtain prior approval. If you postpone approvals until after you return, there is no guarantee of credit.

Required course load. You must take the normal (not minimum) full credit load of the study abroad program as defined by the program or sponsoring institution. No overload or under load is permitted. To calculate the normal semester load of any school, find the regular yearly load and divide by two -- whether or not it is a semester system school; the yearly load is whatever is required of regular, degree candidates at that school in order to graduate on time. Students enrolling directly in foreign universities should contact the International Student Advisor there and Duke's OSA to find out what a normal load is. In some instances, Duke, through consultation with the host university, may have worked out an alternative calculation for a full course load, which may include an overload by the host institution's standards. In such instances, students must take the agreed-upon course load in order to receive a full semester's worth of credit at Duke. (You will find examples of this at some institutions in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa .) Otherwise, overloads, by policy, never transfer. Don't set yourself up for a surprise; ensure that you are taking what Duke will transfer as a full load. The key for many transfer situations is that one Duke semester course credit is equivalent to four semester hours. For the typical, semester-hour-system school, this means credit would transfer as follows:

3-5 semester hours (1 course abroad) transfers as 1 course credit

6-8 semester hours (2 courses abroad) transfers as 2 course credits

9-11 semester hours (2-3 courses abroad) transfers as 2 course credits

12-14 semester hours (3-4 courses abroad) transfers as 3 course credits

15+ semester hours (4-5 courses abroad) transfers as 4 course credits

In the case of the latter, five transfer courses would appear on your Duke record, and each could, upon approval, fulfill general studies Area of Knowledge and/or major requirements, but only four would count toward the 34 semester credits graduation requirement.

For most programs you may transfer a maximum of four (4) course credits per semester. NOTE: During a single fall trimester at most British, Irish, or Japanese universities, you may transfer a maximum of three (3) course credits. British, Irish, and Japanese spring and summer trimesters must be taken together and earn no more than five (5) credits combined. Under no circumstances will you be allowed to transfer more than four (4) Duke credits for a semester, eight (8) for an academic year. If you are unsure about the number of credits you may transfer or about what constitutes a normal "full load" for your program, please ask the Associate Dean for Study Abroad or a study abroad advisor in OSA before you leave Duke.

Areas of Knowledge, Modes of Inquiry, and major/minor credits. No more than the maximum credit allowed for your program (check with an OSA advisor when in doubt) may be applied toward the 34 course credits graduation requirement. However, all approved courses that you take abroad and successfully complete will appear on your Duke transcript and can be used to satisfy area of knowledge requirements. At your department's discretion, transfer courses taken abroad may be used to satisfy major and minor requirements. See your major department's website for more information. Upon special request, transfer credits taken abroad may be considered for modes of inquiry coding, including the FL code, after completion of the study abroad experience. Information and a request form can be found at http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/transfercredit.html. Note that specific materials are required and must accompany the request and that such coding is not guaranteed upon request.

When Duke University receives an official sealed transcript from your study abroad program, the Registrar will compare it with the Database of Approved Courses. The Registrar will award credit only for those courses that appear BOTH on the transcript and in the database. When the transcript and the database give different information regarding the course credit value (cc) for a particular course, you will receive the lesser amount of credit indicated. For example, if the course is approved at Duke as one (1) course credit (usually equivalent to three, four, or five semester-hours), but the transcript indicates that the course was two semester-hours, then the Registrar will transfer only one-half (0.5) course credit for the course. Likewise, if the transcript indicates that a course could count for two (2) course credits, but the course is approved at Duke for one (1) course credit, the Registrar will transfer only one (1) course credit for the course.

Minimum grade requirements. A course will not transfer unless a minimum grade of C- or the equivalent is earned.

Pass/Fail. All transfer credit courses must be taken for graded credit. No credit is granted for Pass/Fail courses, even if they are only offered on that basis.

Duplicate courses. Credit may not be granted for the same course twice. For example, a student who has taken POLSCI 151 at Duke may not receive transfer credit for taking an equivalent course on a program abroad. The reverse is also true. Course numbers that are designated “topics” numbers may be repeated, provided the content and title are different.

Grade transfer. Non-Duke programs abroad, upon your request, will supply Duke University with a transcript complete with grades. Approved courses will appear on the Duke transcript in the same fashion as they are listed on the transcript of non-Duke programs and on foreign transcripts, but without grades. Instead, credit towards graduation will be designated with the letters “TR” and the grades earned in the courses will not count in the Duke GPA.

All courses taken at the University of Glasgow with the Public Policy Studies Program in Glasgow will receive transfer credit except the Duke PUBPOL course. Also, some courses in the Duke in Berlin spring semester and Duke in France/EDUCO fall and spring semesters receive transfer credit. The designated Duke courses in each program will show a Duke letter grade and will compute in the Duke GPA.

rades will appear on the Duke transcript and count toward the Duke GPA for all other “Duke-In” programs. Only grades earned in Duke courses, including those earned in Duke study abroad programs are considered in determining a student's eligibility for academic recognition and honors such as Dean's List.

Study Abroad Fee

Students who register to study on programs administered by institutions other than Duke University (this includes the Oxford and South Africa Direct programs) will pay the tuition and fees of the administering university. There will be a fee of $2,350 per semester (2007-2008), payable to Duke University, to maintain a student’s enrollment at Duke. There are no exceptions to and/or waivers of the Study Abroad Fee.

ARTSVIS/ARTHIST, Independent Study, Field Studies, and Academic Internship Approvals

For Art and Art History courses, for Independent Study Courses, Field Studies and Academic Internships you must in all cases obtain tentative approval through the Office of Study Abroad before going and final approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Trinity - Pratt) of the relevant department after you return. To receive final approval, you must bring back evidence of your written work in the course, namely a syllabus, papers, exams, portfolio. To facilitate receiving more than 888 (below 100-level) credit at Duke, it is recommended that you write a term paper for the course, even if the instructor does not require it. Final approval forms are available in the Office of Study Abroad.

Seminar Credit

For Small Group Learning Experience (SGLE) to transfer, the Office of the Registrar will need an official letter or fax (on letterhead) from the instructor or program director stating two things:

• The format was a seminar or tutorial. Seminar generally means that student presentations were an integral part of the class.

• The class size - a number, which must fit Duke's rules for SGLE credit (generally 12 – 15 students, exceptionally to 18).

All seminar letters for credit abroad should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via the Office of Study Abroad. Additional information about seminar criteria can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Petition Process for Non-Approved Programs

Students who wish to receive academic credit from Duke for programs not approved for study abroad by Duke University will need to file a formal petition for approval with the Faculty Study Abroad Committee. Petition packets are available from advisors in the Office of Study Abroad, only after consultation with the student. Petition deadlines are posted on the OSA web site.

Once the petition of the non-approved program has been approved, you must, upon completion of the program, bring back all course materials, syllabi, exams, and papers, request an official transcript of your work, obtain a program evaluation letter from the Office of Study Abroad, and submit it, together with all course materials, to the DUS’s who will review your work. Only upon receipt of the final course evaluations from the professors, as well as a completed program evaluation from the student and a valid transcript, will courses earned via petition be entered on the Duke transcript. Program Evaluations completed electronically should be sent by email attachment to abroad@aas.duke.edu.

For more information about the petition process, please click here.

Last revised: 25 March 2008