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Academic information

Understanding your academic goals and requirements is an essential part of the study abroad process. If you have not talked to an academic advisor about how studying abroad will impact your degree progress, you should do so as soon as possible.

Steps to Obtain Course Approvals

One of the primary concerns when studying abroad is the academic credit you will receive  and how credits will apply to your degree. Boise State accepts credits and grades for all courses taken at an accredited and approved institution overseas.  In order for the course to count as a specific Boise State course or requirement, it must be approved by the appropriate academic department.

  1. Meet with your academic advisor to discuss the program you have chosen. You should have already researched the course offerings on the program and be prepared to discuss the options with your advisor to help you determine which courses you should take on your study abroad program.
  2. Search the Course Finder to see if the courses you plan to take are listed.  If a course is not listed, you must receive approval for the class from the appropriate academic departments before studying abroad.
  3. You must meet with the department chairs and have them sign the Course Approval Form (CAF).  You do this for each department from which you seek an approval. For example, if you plan to take a Political Science class abroad then the chair of the Political Science department must sign the form to approve the course you intend to take. They can also approve the class via email-you will need to forward that email to studyabroad@boisestate.edu. Please refer to the Course Approval signature page to determine who the contact is for your course.
  4. Failure to obtain course approval prior to studying abroad could impact your ability to earn Boise State credit for your program
  5. Submit the CAF to the Global Learning office after you have received all the necessary signatures. We will sign the form and provide you with a copy, which you should retain for your records.
  6. Global Learning will forward the forms to the Registrar’s office for processing. Upon your return, your transcript should be sent to our office and we will place the pre-approved courses and credits on your record. Please note that you will receive normal grades for your course work abroad, not pass/fail grades. These grades will be calculated into your GPA.

Important: Since you may not be able to take all of the courses you anticipate due to over-enrollment or course cancellation, it is wise for you to get approval for 2-3 alternate classes so you have a backup plan that will still allow you to make degree progress.