There is always a lot of excitement leading up to going abroad for a summer, semester, or year. However, the process of applying and getting all of the required paperwork completed can seem like a daunting task. This post is to help you with what may be the most important item on the checklist of all: getting the classes you take abroad approved for credit at KU.
The first step in choosing a program is making sure that all the classes that you need to take during your time abroad are offered for you at the host institution. You can go about this two ways:
The first way is to utilize the course equivalency PDFs provided on the program pages. With these PDFs, you will find classes that previous students have taken, along with what credit that they transfer back to KU as. For the most part, you can depend on this credit as being approved the same as it does on the PDF—the only exception would be if the class syllabus changed, or if the class is no longer offered.
If the class is not listed on the course equivalency sheet, don’t worry! That does not mean that the class you’re looking for isn’t offered; it just means that a KU student has never taken it before. If that is the case, there is normally a link on the program page to the course catalog at the host institution. This website works just like classes.ku.edu does for KU students. During the course approval process, you may have to either present the description of the class that is on the institution’s website, or request a syllabus so that the instructor approving the class can see that the classes match up in material.
Once you have the classes down that you want to take as equivalents for KU credit, you must get them approved by KU faculty. Depending on what department the class is in will decide whom you need to get the paperwork signed by. That list can be found here:
KU Faculty list for course approval
After the classes are signed off, all you need to do is hand in the paperwork to the front office in 108 Lippincott, and you’re all set!
If you have any other questions about the course approval process, feel free to stop in the main office (108 Lippincott), or to swing by the Info Center, located at 105 Lippincott, to speak with a Peer Advisor. We are open for walk-in advising Monday through Friday, 9-5.