Society and Environment

The Society and Environment program has provided information for students who plan to study abroad. Review your department’s responses to the Major Advising Questionnaires below, then contact the department directly with any additional questions.

Advising Resources

Study Abroad for Rausser College Majors (PDF)

Study Abroad Information on the Rausser College Website

Society and Environment Advising Contact Information

Berkeley Programs Questionnaire

Does your department currently sponsor a Berkeley Summer Abroad or Berkeley Global Internships program?

No.

Do any courses offered on a Berkeley Summer Abroad or Berkeley Global Internships program currently satisfy requirements within your major?

Students may petition to have up to two relevant courses from abroad count towards their major requirements. Courses must be at least 2.7 semester units, must be taken for a letter grade, and must be approved by both a Society and Environment faculty advisor and head faculty advisor. Any course taken abroad for 2.7 units, for letter grade, may count as a student’s International Studies Breadth. Students should connect with the Society & Environment advisor to complete the petition for one or more study abroad courses to count. 

UCEAP Programs Questionnaire

What is the maximum amount of major credit given for courses taken during UCEAP? Is this maximum calculated by number of courses or by units of credit?

It is calculated by the number of courses. Students may petition to have up to two relevant courses from abroad count towards their upper-division major requirements. Courses must be at least 2.7 semester units, must be taken for a letter grade, and must be approved by the Society and Environment faculty advisor. Students may complete an unlimited number of lower-division and breadth requirements abroad.

Does your department maintain a list of courses previously awarded credit on UCEAP and/or a list of pre-approved courses for UCEAP programs? How do students access this information?

Yes, the list can be found here.

Does your department have a 4-year or 2-year plan available to students that incorporates semester or year-length study abroad? How do students access this information?

Yes. We have created plans to show how a student can study abroad for one semester and stay on track to graduate on time as either a first-year admit or a transfer student. The plans can be found here. Studying abroad for a full year is not out of the question, but it requires more planning. So, students should get in touch with their advisor at soc.env.ugrad@berkeley.edu for full year planning.

 

What is the process in your department to have courses evaluated? What materials must be submitted? What is the timeframe for response?

Students should complete this form, which requires the submission of a syllabus. The turnaround time is 2 - 3 weeks, so students are encouraged to submit petitions before going abroad.  Requests for courses to count as breadth requirements may be emailed directly to soc.env.ugrad@berkeley.edu, and should include a course syllabus.

Are students in your department able to undertake a senior honors thesis the semester following UCEAP participation?

If students qualify for the Rausser College Honors Research Program, they may participate in that as long as they have at least two consecutive semesters to complete that program.

Does your department calculate UCEAP grades into departmental GPA?

No.

Are UCEAP grades counted towards departmental honors?

UCEAP grades are counted towards the GPA requirement for college honors, as they are included in a student’s cumulative GPA.

If you represent a department which teaches foreign language, does your department award major credit for the courses taken during the Intensive Language Program (ILP) portion of the UCEAP program?

N/A.

Does the undergraduate adviser sign the UCEAP academic planning form, or must a faculty adviser sign?

Only the undergraduate staff advisor.

Does your department place Academic holds on declared majors prior to each registration period? If yes, what is your departmental policy on releasing advising holds for students currently abroad on UCEAP (e.g. is advising possible via email, skype, etc.)?

Students will receive a hold before their final semester. This can be removed by meeting with the advisor, or completing the form sent to them via email, in which students submit their proposal for their final semester schedule. 

Do you have any department specific advice for students participating on a UCEAP program in their last term at Berkeley?

Since grades from their abroad program do take time to post to their Berkeley transcript, a student's official graduation date may be delayed if they study abroad the same semester they are planning to graduate. If a student plans to complete a major requirement abroad, aside from their international studies breadth, they should contact their advisor after their UCEAP grades have been posted on their CalCentral for a manual adjustment to their Academic Progress Report.

 

Independent Programs Questionnaire

Have any Independent programs been approved by your department and the Study Abroad Advisory board for credit in the major?

Not as of now. Students may complete this form to request any study abroad course to count for the major. The turnaround time is 2 - 3 weeks, so students are encouraged to submit petitions before going abroad. Requests for courses to count as breadth requirements may be emailed directly to soc.env.ugrad@berkeley.edu, and should include a course syllabus.

Are there any pre-approved courses for your major from other UC summer abroad programs (UCLA, UCD, etc.)?

No, though students may complete this form to request any study abroad course to count for the major. The turnaround time is 2 - 3 weeks, so students are encouraged to submit petitions before going abroad. Requests for courses to count as breadth requirements may be emailed directly to soc.env.ugrad@berkeley.edu, and should include a course syllabus.

What is the process to have a course from an Independent study abroad program evaluated for your major?

Students should complete this form, which requires the submission of a syllabus. The turnaround time is 2 - 3 weeks, so students are encouraged to submit petitions before going abroad. Requests for courses to count as breadth requirements may be emailed directly to soc.env.ugrad@berkeley.edu, and should include a course syllabus.