Frequently Asked Questions
How many courses should I be taking at my host university?
Third year students (Class of 2027) are required to enroll in the equivalent of 15 U.S. credit hours while abroad. Fourth year students are required to enroll in at least 12 U.S. credit hours. Credit systems vary by program. Please see the credit conversion chart and ask for clarification if needed.
How long will it take for a decision to be made about my courses?
Students should submit courses for review as early as possible to give faculty and staff time to consider the requests. Processing time varies but may be several weeks.
A past course approval is showing as expired - does that mean I cannot take the course?
All course approvals in this system are valid for a certain period, and if an approval has expired, that just means the course needs to be reviewed again. If you are going abroad in spring and a course approval is expiring in February or March of that term, that approval is valid for your term. If you are going abroad in fall and a course approval is expiring in September of that term, that approval is valid for your term.
How many courses can I submit for review?
We recommend having numerous potential courses (at least 5-10 per student, but more is okay) pre-approved early to allow adequate time to make changes. The host university may not be able to guarantee enrollment in a specific course, so it is recommended to request pre-approval for multiple options.
What should I do if I change my schedule?
Update your individual “previously approved courses” page with any new courses or dropped courses.
What if I do not have all of the information about my courses, like the syllabus?
Ask the host university coordinator for this information and whether you may contact individual faculty for a copy of the syllabus.
Can I take a course pass/fail at my host institution?
No. All courses must be taken for a grade in the host institution's lettered or numbered scale. Business courses approved as COMM credit will transfer the converted grade back into the UVA GPA. For courses approved for non-business credit, grades are not transferred back but students must earn the equivalent of a C or better to receive credit.
Will I have a course approved for my concentration?
Concentration credit is not guaranteed, but many students receive credit for a concentration requirement. When seeking concentration credit, it is important to look for a course that covers the same material and credit hours as the McIntire equivalent. Faculty review courses for their area based on the McIntire concentration courses, but can also approve a relevant course that does not have a clear equivalent (approved as Topics in Management, Topics in Marketing, etc.).
A course is approved for a concentration requirement, but I am not doing that concentration - can I still take the course?
Yes, if a course approval is only listed for concentration credit, you can still take the course and earn credit for COMM 3551 Business Elective if you are not seeking credit in that concentration.
What if my course was not approved for the requirement I was expecting?
Courses receive thorough review by faculty and staff for content, instructional methods, credits, and faculty credentials. A course may not be approved for concentration credit if it does not match the McIntire course equivalent, but it may still be approved for business elective credit (as COMM 3551) to satisfy Integrated Core (IC) requirements (for Class of 2027). A course may not be approved for IC requirements if it overlaps with fall IC content.
How do I get approval for a course abroad to count toward a track?
Any course that is pre-approved for a concentration that double-counts for a track (e.g. COMM 4522 counts both for the IT concentration and Analytics & AI track) will automatically be counted for the track as well; there is no need to request separate approval for the track. NOTE: For third year students abroad (Class of 2027), any course that you are counting ONLY for a track and not for your concentration must be taken in addition to the 9 required business credits (e.g. taking the equivalent of Global Management for the Global Commerce & Society track but you are not concentrating in Management).
What types of coursework abroad can be counted toward the Global Commerce & Society track?
Courses in one of the following areas may qualify for credit toward the Global Commerce & Society Track: an internationally-focused course in a business discipline (e.g. International Marketing), a regionally-focused course relevant to business (e.g. Strategic Management in China, Emerging Economies in Latin America), or a course focused on a relevant global business challenge (e.g. Impact of Brexit on Global Financial Markets). You would need to submit a new course request specifically asking for the course to count toward Global Commerce (except if it is a course also counting toward your concentration, e.g. COMM 4690 Global Management for the Management concentration).
I am doing a second major and I see that a course in that department was previously approved. Does that mean it will automatically count toward my major (or minor)?
A course previously approved as a non-business elective in a non-Commerce department (e.g. ECON 3000T, ANTH 3000T, HIST 3000T) will not automatically count toward your major/minor if you select it in this system. To get approval for that course to count toward a second major/minor, you must obtain the signature of that department’s undergraduate program director on a McIntire transfer of credit form and turn it in to Global Programs at McIntire Student Success. You should also add a course approval request on this site, asking for it to count toward Second Major or Minor; the request will be marked as approved when the completed transfer of credit form is received by Global Programs.