PLANNING FOR STUDY ABROAD (JSA or JYA) AS BIOLOGY MAJOR

Biology majors are encouraged to take advantage of the many study abroad programs offered around the world. Experiencing a new culture and ecosystem augments your Bates education by enhancing your global perspective.

Biology majors planning to study away from Bates often have a number of questions.

1. How do I go about planning to study abroad?

• Attend one of the major Study Abroad meetings by the Center for Global Education. They will walk you through the steps the College requires for you to study away from Bates.
• You must declare as a Biology major before you can apply to go abroad; this should occur before the end of the first semester sophomore year. Declarations are made through Garnet Gateway, and you will need to meet with the Biology Department chair, Dr. Brett Huggett.
• You should meet with your academic adviser and let them know that you plan to study away from Bates. This will allow you to make a tentative plan for what courses you will want and need to take over the next two years.
• The Biology Department will host a Study Abroad Advising session at the start of the Winter Semester for all students interested in studying off-campus.  In this meeting, we will go over policies for off-campus study and transferring credit towards the Biology major.  During this meeting, a Biology faculty member will review your academic plan with you, answer any questions you might have, and process your off-campus Approval Form.

In preparation for this meeting, please do the following:

1. 1. Bring a pdf copy of your degree audit (click on printer icon in top right corner, then save as pdf).  A printed version is ideal.
   2. Using the Approval Form , sketch out a rough plan for fitting in your requirements at Bates (in particular your upper-level Bio electives). You will find the Biology Department Projected Course Offerings useful in filling out this form. Bring a completed copy of this form to our meeting.
   3. Please review the process for off-campus registration.
   4. For questions regarding the transfer of credit towards GEC or other concentrations than Biology, please contact the coordinators or chairs of those departments.

2. Where can I study?

Biology majors have regularly studied abroad in Denmark, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and the United Kingdom. Students have also attended programs here in North America, such as those offered by the following: Williams-Mystic semester in Mystic, CT; the SEA Semester programs in Woods Hole, MA; Jackson Laboratories in Bar Harbor, ME; and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The Center for Global Education has information on all these programs and others.

3. How many courses taken elsewhere can I count towards my Biology major?

You may use two Biology courses taken elsewhere toward your Biology major requirements. You will be advised to take courses that are the equivalent of 200-level or 300-level Biology courses.

4. How can I tell if courses will be accepted by the Biology department for major credit?

Course numbering systems differ at different institutions. As a rule of thumb, you will want to make sure any courses you take away from Bates have a year of Chemistry and at least one semester of introductory Biology as prerequisites. Furthermore, you will want to look for courses that have some sort of laboratory or field work component. These types of courses are generally equivalent to an upper-level course here at Bates.

The course should meet for a minimum of 36 hours; exceptions may be granted for courses taken as part of an approved study abroad program based on the norms for the host institution, but courses will not be approved if they meet less than 25 hours.  Asynchronous, on-line activity does not account towards these hours.

5. How do I get credit for Biology courses toward my major when I return?

After you return, and after the degree credit for your courses has been approved by the Center for Global Education, see your academic adviser to have any courses formally approved for major credit. General info and forms can be found on the Center for Global Education Applying Credit and Courses at Bates.

To prepare for this meeting, you need to:

1. 1. Complete the Bates Evaluation following study abroad.
   2. Email your adviser the following information:
      • a copy of the Major Approval Form, filled out with pertinent information.
      • a copy of your Credit Award Letter from the Center for Global Education (CGE).
      • a copy of the transcript from the institution or College where you completed the study abroad program.
      • syllabus from the course(s) you would like to be considered for transfer as an upper level Biology elective. In addition, please include any course descriptions and relevant assessments (i.e. copies of exams, etc). Please notify your adviser if the grading system differs from the grading system at Bates College. Provide an online source supporting this information.

The Biology department will determine if the courses you have taken are similar to what you might experience in a 200-level or 300-level course here at Bates, and that information will be given to the Biology department chair for approval.