A&S Departments and Programs   • Graduate Study Offered   American Studies • Anthropology • Applied Science • Art & Art History Biology • Black Studies Chemistry • Classical Studies Computer Science • Economics English Environmental Science & Policy Film Studies Geology Global Studies Government History • International Relations Kinesiology Linguistics Literary & Cultural Studies Mathematics Medieval & Renaissance Studies Military Science Modern Languages Music Neuroscience Philosophy Physics • Psychology • Public Policy • Religious Studies Sociology Theater, Speech & Dance Women's Studies

Search

Find People

Government Department

Transfer Credit for Study Abroad

Government majors with an interest in studying abroad are encouraged to consult the Global Education Office of the Reves Center for International Studies to help select a program.

How do you get transfer credit from the Government Department?

Credits and (in some cases) grades for courses taught in William and Mary Programs by faculty from the College appear on the transcript (and may count for GER credit). But for summer, semester or yearlong courses taken through any other arrangement, including William and Mary's own Tution Exchange and Enrollment Assisant programs; programs sponsored by other US universities; popular programs such as AIFS, CIEE, IES, etc.; or through direct enrollment at foreign universities, follow this process to obtain transfer credits (grades and GER credit do not transfer for these programs):

1. Determine which courses being offered by the program you have chosen are of interest to you.
2. List those courses on the Pre-Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Form (available at Reves or at this link); take this form and a copy of any information about the courses--ideally a photocopy of the catalog description--to the Government Department Main Office in Morton 10). You need not and should not email for an appointment; the materials will be reviewed and approved. Please allow at least a week for the processing; the Department notify if you if further information is required, but otherwise it is the student's responsibility to check back within the week, pick up the form.
3. Government grants transfer credit for courses taught in Political Science/Government/Politics programs/departments abroad and for many (but not all) offered by International Relations/International Studies programs (if you plan to take certain courses in international/diplomatic history, globalization, law, etc., you may be directed to other departments for transfer credit). Also, the Department offers only limited credit for geography or internship related courses taken abroad.
4. If while abroad you choose to, or must, take different courses than those pre-approved, and if you are uncertain that they qualify for Government credit (see 3 above), you may want to email the Associate Chair at before registering. In any case, also save any course materials (syllabi, assignments, graded papers) and bring them, along with a Post-Study Abroad Transfer Credit Approval Form, back to the Department when you return to the College.

Will credit be granted for internships done as part of a program of study at another university or abroad?

The Government Department only grants post-approval for credit done in conjunction with an internship/internship course done at another university, including on all study abroad programs. To receive credit upon their return to campus, students must submit a) copies of all their original research/written work done in conjunction with the internship, b) evaluation of that work by a faculty member teaching at the other university or program, and c) the Reves Post-Approval form. These materials are required in order for post-approval credit to be awarded.

Where the work described in (a/b) meets the standards set out for students under Govt. 498 taken in residence at the College, credit will be granted. But students are strongly advised to determine in advance of the program whether the internship there is structured in such a way as to provide such an opportunity for original research/written work, and whether that work will in turn be evaluated by a faculty member there. If the first condition can not be met, the student should not expect to receive credit for Govt. 498. If the first condition can be met, but there is no on-site faculty evaluation of written work done for the internship, the student must arrange with a faculty member at the College to evaluate the written work so as to meet the requirements for receiving transfer credit for Govt. 498.

Can courses taken abroad receive language proficiency or GER credit?

Courses taken in the summer at programs run by the College (Cambridge, Florence, Munster, Montpelier, Morelia) may receive language proficiency or GER credit. Courses taken at year- or semester-long study abroad programs and then approved for transfer by the appropriate department(s) as outlined above can cover language proficiency or GER credit. Courses taken at other summer study abroad programs may count for levels 101, 102 or 201 of the language proficiency but not for GERs.

What study abroad courses count toward a Government major?

Courses granted transfer credit in Government (as opposed to for general elective credit) count toward the major Government EXCEPT for the 400-level seminar, which must be taken here at the College Also, of course, be sure not to enroll in classes that duplicate those already taken at the College.