Studying Abroad

The AU Core Committee would like to build a larger selection of abroad courses, which is where you come in. You can earn credit for one course taken on an AU Abroad program to satisfy a Core requirement (Habit of Mind, W2, Q2, or DIV), simply by submitting materials from the course and sharing your learning experience with us. This will help our Core Committee determine whether the course should be added to the list of approved Core Abroad Courses above, so you’ll be helping future students while earning Core credit for yourself in the process! 

Eligibility: 
To be eligible for the pre-approval process, you must: 

• Take/have taken the course on an AU Abroad program in the following semesters: Spring 2022, Summer 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Summer 2023, or Fall 2023
• Have met with your academic advisor and concluded that completing one Habit of Mind, W2, Q2, or DIV course abroad fits with your academic planning 
• Have met with an AU Abroad advisor to confirm you meet the requirements for the program, have confirmed that the course you’re considering is not on the list of approved Core Abroad Courses above or on the list of ineligible courses, and that the course may be on offer in the semester you are studying abroad

How does the process work? 
First, get pre-approval from the AU Core by filling out this form. Note: you may submit multiple courses for pre-approval, but you will have to choose one course to fulfill an AU Core requirement.  

What is pre-approval? When your abroad course is “pre-approved,” it means we have determined that the course generally aligns with the type of Core credit you are requesting. A course about the history of Italian food, for example, would likely not be pre-approved for Natural-Scientific Inquiry credit, but might be pre-approved for Cultural Inquiry or Socio-Historical Inquiry credit. Note that you will not receive Core credit for the course until you complete the full process. 

Once your course is pre-approved, you will receive an email with a personalized Google Drive folder, where you’ll deposit course materials at the end of the semester. That means that while taking the course, you should keep copies of the syllabus, your completed work (including essays, presentations, homework, discussion posts, etc.), and any materials like assignment instructions, handouts, lecture slides, or exams, when possible.  

You will also be expected to write a brief 1,000 word reflection on the ways the course did or did not accomplish the relevant AU Core learning outcomes (To learn more about the AU Core learning outcomes, see the relevant pages listed under “Curriculum” on this site’s navigation.) We encourage you to be honest in your assessment of the course, as you will still earn Core credit even if you conclude that it did not accomplish the AU Core learning outcomes. 

If you submit the required materials and pass the course with a C or better, you will be able to satisfy a Core requirement with that course! Our team will contact your advisor to approve the credit. Then, the materials you shared will be used by the AU Core Committee to review the course and determine whether it should be added to the list of approved courses for future students. 

Questions? Email us at [email protected].