Overview
Courses Abroad
Choosing Courses Abroad
Choosing courses from the offerings in your study abroad program may be easy if a single course or few options are offered. Semester programs often provide a variety of options for students to choose from.
The most important choice is making sure you will enroll in the required number of credits for the term abroad. Short-term and summer programs often require all students to take a single course or to be enrolled in a maximum number of credits, example, 6 credits for six-weeks in Hong Kong. Semester programs require students to meet the standard enrollment for the host site. UWF requires students to enroll full-time for most programs and to receive financial aid. Programs abroad may require students to enroll in the equivalent number of credits abroad or more. Example, in France, students take 30 ECTS (equal to 15 UWF credits) in a semester program.
When students must select from available courses to choose their own schedule, consider how the courses will fit into your degree requirements. Will they meet General Studies, Major or Elective requirements? UWF requires students to receive Academic Advisor Approval for courses taken abroad.
Classes, Exams & Grades
Enrollment Certification
A Study Abroad Exchange Enrollment Certification (found in my.uwf.edu) must be submitted to UWF by the host school abroad in the first week of the program or semester. Enrollment Certification confirms the student has arrived abroad and is attending their classes. Once UWF receives the Enrollment Certification and registration is confirmed, Financial Aid can be released. The release of financial aid is based on the start date of the program and receipt of the Enrollment Certification. Any delay in UWF receiving the Enrollment Certification will delay the release of Financial Aid.
Class Attendance Abroad
While studying abroad, you are expected to attend and participate in all classes, assignments, labs, recitations, and field trips as scheduled by your program director and/or host institution. Skipping a class is considered very rude in some cultures, and may not be permitted on many study abroad programs. Please speak with your on-site director if you might need to miss class for any reason.
Changing Courses & Dates
After your program starts, please remember to stay in contact with your study abroad advisor. Though uncommon, your program dates might turn out to be slightly different from what you expected. Please inform UWF Study Abroad of such changes immediately.
New Program Dates
Changes in dates can affect a variety of things, including your financial aid and your insurance enrollment. Remember to inform your study abroad advisor of all changes. If you are required to attend orientation before classes start, your program dates will need to be adjusted accordingly; the same is true of exams after classes end.
New Courses
Let your study abroad advisor and academic advisor know about any changes to your approved courses. Courses can be changed or added by submitting an updated Enrollment Certification. At that time, be prepared to provide them with a new course schedule that includes each new course name and number as well as the number of credits the host institution will award for each. Changes reported after your program ends may adversely affect your tracking or financial aid, so report this information as soon as possible, and no later than 2 weeks after the start of your overseas semester. The University of West Florida may not be able to post changes that occur more than two weeks into your semester.
You may need new equivalencies for courses not already approved on your course approval form. You will need to contact the appropriate department at UWF for each equivalency, and your academic advisor should approve the final schedule in writing before it is sent to the UWF Registrar. Forward or copy all relevant e-mails to your study abroad advisor.
Students on Exchange Programs: It is MANDATORY to obtain approved UWF equivalencies for each course you take as an exchange student, including all elective credits. Approval is noted on the Exchange Advising Agreement. Review Getting your Courses Approved for International Exchange for more information.
Dropping Courses
Remember, you are bound by the host institution’s rules for dropping courses, which may be very different from the rules at UWF. Many programs, especially those that occur during the summer, will not allow drops once classes start. UWF is unable to lobby on your behalf for the foreign institution to comply with UWF’s policies.
If your host school does approve you to drop a course, the dropped course should be noted on an updated Enrollment Certification. If you do drop courses, be sure to maintain full-time status for visa and/or financial aid purposes. Check with your on-site coordinator, program director, or study abroad/academic advisor for questions regarding what full-time status entails in your situation.
Exams
The exam periods at most institutions are structured differently from and usually more formal than what you may be accustomed to on campus. The official exam timetable is usually posted within a month prior to exams; you may not know your exam dates until late in the semester. For this reason, you should purchase your plane ticket with the plan to remain in your host city until the day after your exam period finishes. Do not expect or assume that your program will allow you to take your exams early. If you leave your host country before completing your exams, you may fail your courses.
In truly unusual or exceptional circumstances, you may request special permission to have your exams proctored at UWF after your return. This must be approved by your on-site coordinator as well as a UWF faculty member to act as a proctor. Be aware that ONLY the most exceptional circumstances, such as the host institution’s semester overlapping with the following UWF semester, will be considered. Students are held to the UWF Class Attendance Policy while abroad.
Essay question exams: You may find that many of your exams at your host institution are essay-style. Remember that the quality of your essay may be a much more significant part of your final grade than what you are accustomed to here in Pensacola.
UWF Grading Policy
Universities abroad have different grading systems than those in the United States. The University of West Florida translates these letter grades received from the host institution in accordance to AACRAO to to determine the grade you will receive on your UWF transcript.
As you prepare for your exchange experience, it's important to understand that grading systems and academic rigor can vary significantly from country to country. In many places, the standards and expectations may differ, often making courses more challenging. This can result in grades that may appear lower than what you might expect in the United States. However, these differences do not necessarily reflect a lack of achievement; rather, they are a reflection of different educational systems with varying criteria for success. Keep in mind that the converted grade from your exchange experience will affect your overall GPA, so it's important to approach your studies with a focus on both your academic growth and how the experience will impact your academic record. We encourage you to embrace these differences as part of your international academic journey, and to focus on the valuable skills and knowledge you will gain throughout the experience.
Your grade with UWF will show as an "I" or incomplete until your official transcript is received from the host institution.