Academic Advisor Guide

As an Academic Advisor, we want to ensure that you are prepared to give advice and answer questions from students (and their parents) interested in participating in study abroad. It is also important for you to understand the specific requirements and documentation the student needs for each type of study abroad program.

Stetson offers three primary types of study abroad programs:

1. Faculty-Led Study Abroad
2. Semester & Year Exchanges
3. Affiliate Programs

1) Faculty-Led Study Abroad: Stetson Faculty Teaching Classes Abroad

• Faculty-Led programs are arranged by Stetson faculty members and World and offer regular courses in departmental inventories; therefore, students do not need to transfer credit.
• In order to be eligible for any Faculty-Led program, students must have been at Stetson for at least one year, currently enrolled at the university and meet the GPA requirements for their chosen program. In most cases, the required GPA is between 2.5 and 2.75; however, this can vary widely, so specific program requirements should be checked.
• Students should meet with their Academic Advisor to ensure that they have met the prerequisites for the courses, and are enrolled correctly in the program so the credit will count automatically toward their degree.
• Students must also be approved by the professor leading the program in order to enroll.

2) Semester & Year Exchanges: Attend a Foreign University While Enrolled at Stetson

• Students must apply and be accepted as exchange students by WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning.
• Academic pre-approval of courses to be taken abroad is required for exchange programs; students should utilize course descriptions from the host school during this process. World manages this process through our on-line application system.  Based on course information provided by the students, you will need to match up courses offered abroad with courses required for the degree program here at Stetson; it is necessary to determine how a host country course equates to a Stetson course.  Classes may equate to a specific course or be designated as elective, major, minor, core, etc. 
• Pre-Approval forms are kept on file in WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning while the student is abroad.  They are then scanned along with the final study abroad transcript. 

3) Affiliate Programs: Attend a Foreign University While on Leave from Stetson

• These students must attend at least one advising appointment with a WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning Study Abroad Coordinator.
• In most cases, the required GPA is between 2.5 and 2.75, but this can vary, so specific program requirements should be checked. Some affiliated companies may also have other requirements.