Courses

Academic Credit

Students enrolled on SMU Abroad programs are considered full-time students during the duration of their abroad study. Grades earned abroad will be posted to the SMU transcript and will be calculated into the student’s cumulative and SMU GPA. Academic credit earned abroad counts as credit earned in residence.

All courses on faculty-led or hybrid programs have SMU specific course numbers and directly post to the SMU transcript. Courses on affiliated semester programs must be petitioned during the SMU Abroad application process. These courses may appear on the SMU transcript as courses with SMU specific course numbers or as Free Elective Study Abroad (FESA) credit. Petitioned courses are reviewed by a designated SMU faculty member credentialed in the discipline in which each course is offered. This faculty review determines how petitioned courses appear on the SMU transcript.

Students may request UC/CC credit for courses taught by non-SMU faculty on SMU affiliated programs; more information can be found on the Policies & Procedures page under the Academics section.

Students considering study abroad are urged to meet early and often with both their academic advisor and their SMU Abroad advisor. This advising input is essential in integrating study abroad coursework into a student’s four-year plan of study.

 

Grade Options

Courses taken on SMU Abroad semester programs may not be taken on a no-credit or pass/fail basis. The only exception to this policy is for courses designated by SMU’s academic departments with no credit or pass/fail as their only grading basis option.

Courses taken on SMU Abroad January, May & Summer programs may not be taken for a grade of NC (No Credit), but students may petition for one of these courses to be graded on a pass/fail basis. Students must petition approval for the pass/fail option from the program director and the faculty member teaching the course. The deadline to complete the Undergraduate Pass/Fail Option Declaration form to petition for a course taken on an SMU Abroad May or Summer program is the payment deadline for the program; for Jan Term classes, the deadline is no later than the second day of classes for Jan Term. Forms are available in the Registrar's Student Records Form's Library.