Study Abroad Transfer Credits
Study Abroad Transfer Credits
Government majors with an interest in studying abroad are encouraged to consult the Global Education Office (GEO) of the Reves Center for International Studies. The staff at the Reves Center guide students throughout the process -- from program selection through transfer credits.
When and how do I receive pre-approval or post-approval for Government courses?
After carefully reviewing the procedures at the Reves Center’s very helpful website on Study Abroad, you may submit approval for Government courses before (pre-approval) or after (post-approval) your study abroad experience.
Please note the following guidelines for study abroad transfer credit pre- and post-approval.
- The Department of Government approves transfer credit for political science courses. Eligible courses must be on a political science-related topic and substantially engage with the relevant political science academic and policy literatures. The faculty approver for Government is Dennis Smith.
- The Government Department does not grant 400-level capstone seminar credit for study abroad courses.
- Students are unable to receive study abroad transfer credit for a course they have already taken.
- Pre-approval involves a three-step process. First, send an email to the GOVT faculty approver indicating whether you are planning to register for the course or already have registered for the course. The faculty approver will not review a long list of courses, especially courses in which students never end up registering. Second, in that initial email attach the relevant syllabi. Course syllabi must be in English and provide a list of assigned readings in the course. It is unlikely that the Government Department will approve a course without a full syllabus. Third, complete the Global Education Office’s DocuSign Form, which that office will then send to the faculty approver.
- Post-approval involves a two-step process . First, submit relevant syllabi (and upon request completed course assignments) to the Government Department’s faculty approver. Syllabi must be in English and provide a list of assigned readings in the course. It is unlikely that the Government Department will approve a course without a full syllabus. Save your course assignments, but do not provide such assignments unless the faculty approver requests the assignments. Second, complete the Global Education Office’s DocuSign Form, which that office will then send to the faculty approver.
Is credit possible for internship courses abroad or at another U.S. university?
Academic credit for an internship experience should involve a "structured learning experience," and "must be approved in advance by the department, and evaluated by a William & Mary faculty member." Receiving credit requires not only the hands-on experience of the internship but "an analytic or research component, and a final, written report." Reflection papers, where students discuss their internship experience, are insufficient for earning academic credit. Academic work must involve substantial political science-related research.
Students seeking credit for a government/political science internship-based course to be taken abroad or elsewhere in the US (including at programs in Washington DC) must submit materials describing the academic/research work involved in advance. Failure to get advanced approval will result in Government transfer credit being denied.
See the guidance for Government internship (GOVT 498) credit, here.
Pre-approval will be granted for GOVT ELEC (which counts toward the 120 credits for graduation but not to the Government major).
Upon returning to W&M, students may seek to have that credit converted to Government 498, Internship (which counts toward the 120 graduation credits and the major): doing so requires submitting all academic work completed/submitted as part of the internship course, along with a copy of W&M's Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere Form, to the Department, which will evaluate it based on the criteria for GOVT. 498 credit.
No more than 6 total credits in Government 498, Internship and Government 494, Independent Study (including those transferred in) combined may be counted toward a major in Government; credit beyond 6 may count to the 120 needed for graduation.
Is credit possible for independent studies abroad or at another U.S. university?
Yes, but students must follow the guidelines for undertaking a Government independent study course. Those guidelines can be found here.
Students must submit for approval a mini-syllabus outlining the learning objectives, readings, assignments, and meeting times with the professor advising you.
Students may not receive transfer credit for 400-level seminars.
