Current Student FAQ

 

I'm a first or second-year student. What should I be doing now to plan for study abroad?

First you should attend the Study Abroad Informational Meeting for new students held during Opening Week and the Study Abroad Fair, which is usually held in September. Then you should attend a Study Abroad First Step Meeting no later than the first semester of your sophomore year. These are small group meetings intended to help students get started with planning for study abroad. Please note that if you plan to major in the sciences, music or theater, it is often advisable to begin to take courses in your intended major during your first year, if you wish to go abroad. Check with your academic adviser about whether you need to begin taking courses in your intended major.

What is the difference between "Affiliated" and "Approved" Whitman study abroad programs?

Affiliated programs are the programs that the College works with most closely. If you attend an Affiliated program, you need not take a Leave of Absence from Whitman when you go abroad and you may apply your Whitman financial aid or merit scholarship funding to the fees of the study abroad program. Because we work with the Affiliated programs very closely, the Whitman Study Abroad Office is generally able to offer you a greater depth of information about these programs. If you attend an Approved program, you are technically not enrolled at Whitman the semester(s) you are abroad and are therefore ineligible for any Whitman scholarship funding or Whitman student group health insurance.

Can I earn full credit while abroad?

Most students who study abroad through Whitman earn a full semester of credit, usually 15-16 credits. In order to earn transfer credit from study abroad courses, you must have pre-approval from Whitman and earn a C- or better in the courses.

I have not studied a foreign language. Do I have to study abroad in an English-speaking country?

Whitman College offers a number of study abroad options in countries where English is not the main language spoken in which students may begin foreign language study and take elective courses in English. Currently such affiliated programs are located in Austria, Botswana, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, and Sri Lanka. These programs are excellent for students who wish to immerse themselves in a foreign culture but have not yet developed proficiency in a foreign language.

How many semesters of a foreign language do I need before going abroad?

Most of Whitman's affiliated programs in Germany, France, Spain and Latin America require that students have completed four or five semesters of college-level courses in
the relevant foreign language or the equivalent. This usually means that you need to have completed at least the 206-level language course at Whitman or one semester of a third-year language course before going abroad. It is generally advisable to take as much of the target language as possible before going abroad.

When is the best time to study abroad?

Because many programs require that students have completed at least two years of their college education to participate, and because Whitman has senior examination or thesis requirements in the majors, Whitman expects that students will study overseas during one or both semesters of their third year of college.

Can I get major credit for courses taken abroad?

Whether or not you may apply study abroad credit toward your major requirements is up to your major adviser or your major department. Most major departments at Whitman are willing to approve transfer credit toward the major quite readily if the course in question is suitable. Whitman students must take at least two-thirds of the courses in their major on the Whitman campus. Most departments at Whitman allow a maximum total of 8-12 transfer credits (including both foreign and domestic transfer credit) to be applied toward the major.

Do I have to study on a program that is related to my major?

It is not always necessary to study abroad on a program that is related to your major, although it is often highly recommended. Many students find it interesting to take courses overseas in their major field, as it gives them insight into how that field is approached in other countries.

Can I earn distribution credit abroad?

If you take courses in the appropriate fields overseas, you may apply them to the relevant distribution requirements at Whitman. The Study Abroad Office can offer you guidance as to which courses are likely to apply to certain distribution areas. The final decision regarding distribution credit rests with the Whitman Registrar.

Will my grades from study abroad count?

Grades from study abroad do have an impact on your academic record. If you attend an affiliated program, your study abroad course grades will be posted on your Whitman transcript. However, they will not be averaged into your Whitman cumulative grade point average. In contrast, approved (non-affiliated) program course grades are not posted on the Whitman transcript. However, graduate schools and employers often want to see all college transcripts with grades, so these grades can have an impact on future opportunities.

Is study abroad expensive?

Most students find that the basic expenses of studying abroad for a semester or academic year through Whitman College are about the same as attending Whitman or sometimes less. This is because Whitman students pay the study abroad program's actual fees not Whitman tuition, except in a few cases where the fees are based on our tuition. (Naturally, the cost of living abroad will depend in part on your spending habits and how much you plan to travel while abroad.) If cost is a concern for you, please inform the study abroad staff at Whitman during your advising appointments so that we can help you identify programs that are relatively economical. Also, please be aware that there are a few affiliated programs that have fees that are considerably higher than Whitman's fees.

I'm a transfer student. Can I study abroad?

Transfer students are often able to study abroad through Whitman but it does take careful planning. Keep in mind that you must study at Whitman at least one semester before you can apply to study abroad. Also, remember that the maximum total number of credits that you may transfer from any institution (including study abroad, domestic colleges and universities, AP and Running Start credit) and apply toward your Whitman degree is 70 credits.

I found a study abroad program that I wish to attend that is not on the Whitman College approved list. What should I do?

If you wish to study on a program that is not already on Whitman's "approved list" you should consult with the Study Abroad Office staff at least two months before the Whitman study abroad deadline. Students who wish to attend non-approved programs must demonstrate in their Whitman Study Abroad Leave Application why the particular program meets their academic needs in a way that programs that are already approved for credit do not. It is also the student's responsibility to supply detailed information about the program to the International Studies Planning Committee, so that a decision can be made about the merits of the program for transfer credit to Whitman.