For more information:

• To find out more about UW-sponsored study abroad programs, you can visit the International Academic Programs (IAP) web site: http://www.wisc.edu/studyabroad/.
• To find out more about how to receive transfer credit for a non-UW study abroad program, see the Office of Admissions' "Study Abroad Readmission" website, which also includes course equivalences for some of the more popular non-UW study abroad programs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the best time to study abroad? In order to fulfill your degree requirements efficiently, and to ensure you are prepared for a study-abroad adventure, it is recommended that you study abroad once you have reached junior standing. Many programs require that you be a junior in order to be eligible to attend. If you achieve junior standing in your second year but intend to stay in college four years, consider waiting to go abroad at least until your third year. You will be more confident of yourself and your abilities and will be better prepared.

• What is the difference between a non-UW and a UW sponsored program? If you decide to attend a non-UW-Madison program, remember the 30 credit rule, which requires that you earn your last 30 credits in residence. This will have an impact on determining the appropriate time to study abroad. If you are on a UW-Madison program, then you are still considered in residence during your time abroad.

  Also, the College of Letters and Science requires a minimum 15 credits of the major be taken on the UW-Madison campus (these cannot be taken abroad, even through a UW-Madison program). For those in a non-UW-Madison program, remember that the political science major requires that you take 15 credits at the 300-level or above in residence, i.e., these credits cannot be earned with transfer credit.

• What about financial aid? You may be able to use financial aid you receive for your education here at Madison for a study-abroad program -- particularly if you go on a UW-Madison sponsored program. For more information, see the Office of International Studies and Programs's Guide to Financial Resources.

• Is it possible to get a scholarship for my Study Abroad participation? The UW's Office of International Studies and Programs administers several scholarships to help with the cost of studying abroad if you go on a UW-Madison program. National Security Education Program scholarships are available for study outside Western Europe and Canada. Information on both of these opportunities is available in the Study Abroad Resource Room (250 Bascom Hall).

• What should I do to prepare for my Study Abroad program? For UW-Madison programs: You need to visit your advisor as part of the process of preparing to go abroad. The meeting with the advisor ensures that you understand what requirements you have to fulfill for degree and major requirements and how the courses you plan on taking abroad might fulfill these requirements. It is especially helpful to your advisor to have course descriptions from your program. So if you can provide these, be sure to bring them along to your meeting. If this information is not available, decisions may have to wait until you return. Both you and your advisor will go over your outstanding requirements to be sure that you understand them. Your advisor will sign an IAP advising worksheet to indicate that you have discussed your study abroad plans with him/her. This sheet is returned to IAP as part of your preparation for your study abroad program. For more information, contact IAP.

  For non-UW-Madison programs: If you are going to participate in a program through another university or college, you will be transferring credit from that institution to the UW-Madison. Therefore, you will need to pick up a study abroad packet from the Office of Admissions in the Red Gym. As with the UW-Madison programs, you will need to meet with your advisor to fill out the advising worksheet included in the packet. Any information regarding available courses offered through the non-UW study abroad program should be brought to the advising meeting. During the advising meeting, you and your advisor will go over courses that you might take abroad and your advisor will evaluate the coursework for its appropriateness for the major. This step is extremely important since it facilitates the transfer evaluation on your return. This sheet is to be returned to transfer admissions in the Red Gym.

• Will my credits earned in my Study Abroad Program transfer? Students are probably most concerned about this question. However, this question really includes two questions: whether credits earned abroad will transfer, and how they will transfer. Virtually all credits earned in study abroad programs taken through an accredited university will transfer to Madison for degree credit if they are liberal arts courses. If you are not certain about the courses, you should be sure to check with your advisor and with transfer admissions (see above). However, many students do not give any thought to how what they do abroad can enrich their academic lives. They get too focused on the question of credits, without thinking about whether it makes sense to take the courses they're considering taking in the first place. Likewise, students often make the assumption that they can meet certain requirements with courses taken abroad, and this might not be realistic. To make the most of your study abroad experience, iIt's important to think strategically about how Study Abroad fits into the overall academic plan.

  The various General Education, breadth, and major requirements can be thought of as being more or less difficult to earn abroad because of the specificity of the requirement. So for example, it helps to know that it is very difficult for a course from a Study Abroad program to count as an ethnic studies course. On the other hand, the literature requirement can be met relatively easily with courses taken abroad. Courses that are core requirements for a major, e.g., International Studies 301 or Psychology 225, are unlikely to be earned through Study Abroad because the contents of such courses are so narrowly tailored to the requirements of the program on this campus. Thus, it is a very good idea to discuss these issues with an advisor, since they are likely to be familiar with which requirements can and cannot be earned abroad.

  In political science, this also means that it makes a lot of sense to try to select programs and courses that complement your interests and career goals for the major. Are you interested in enhancing your language skills? Then select a program that focuses on offering coursework that requires you to take courses in that country's language. If you are interested in a specific country or region's history, political system, or relations with other countries, then take courses that examine those subjects. Also, consider coursework that will expose you to the best a country has to offer-it's just crazy not to explore Renaissance art if you're in Florence; or London theatre if you're on the London program.

• How do I figure out what course equivalencies I should request?
  
  In political science, there are four courses used for general equivalencies for those who are participating in UW Madison Study Abroad programs:
  • PS 390: Study Abroad Topics: Topics in International Relations
  • PS 490: Study Abroad Topics: Topics in American Politics
  • PS 590: Study Abroad Topics: Topics in Political Philosophy
  • PS 690: Study Abroad Topics: Topics in Comparative Government

  These courses were created because it's very unlikely that courses abroad would be identical in content to those offered here at UW Madison, even if the titles are similar. If nothing else, scholars abroad often have a different perspective on political events, the motivations of political actors and perceptions about the impact of actions. These courses allow students to take courses abroad that won't prevent them from taking courses in related areas here. Finally, these courses count toward the 15 credits at the 300 level or above required in the major, and also count appropriately toward the requirement of a minimum of one course in each subfield in the major.
  
  For those who are on non-UW programs, most of the poli sci courses taken abroad will transfer as poli sci upper-level electives. They will not count toward the 15 credits at the 300 level or above required in the major, since those credits must be earned in residence.>

• How do my grades transfer?

  If you participate in a UW-Madison sponsored program, all courses taken are considered in residence and will appear on your transcript as if you had taken the courses here on campus. Grades will be included.

  Although the grades for non-UW programs will not transfer, you should be aware that if you are planning to attend graduate school or law school, the transcripts for all college course work will be required as part of the admissions process. So these schools will see your grades for the courses taken in these programs

• Should I save my course materials? At the very least, save your course syllabi and any course descriptions and papers that you write for your courses taken abroad. Any questions about course equivalencies can be resolved quickly if you have these materials available. It can be very difficult, if not impossible, to get this information once you return. Without this information it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to determine course equivalencies. So keep these materials in a safe and accessible location.