What is “study abroad” for the purposes of University Studies?
A course must meet the following criteria:
Be at least a 3-credit hour course.
Be one of the following:
- professor-led and chair- and dean-approved;
- a CCSA course;
- a KIIS course;
- a IBS course; or
- an IIS-approved course, also with the approval of the department chair of the discipline of the course content, whether in an MSU or non-MSU program, including exchange programs and courses taken at universities abroad.
Have at least 30 hours of substantive, structured academic contact hours abroad. A course must meet SACS minimum of 40 total actual contact hours.
Require students to produce or complete a substantive project, paper, or other evaluative tool that demonstrates discipline-related knowledge learned in the course abroad.
The pre-departure basic orientation typical of study abroad programs would not count toward the total number of contact hours for the course.