GE AND STUDY ABROAD/NSE

Requesting GE Approval for Study Abroad/NSE

Study Abroad and National Student Exchange (NSE) programs are aligned with the purpose of General Education and provide rich, impactful, and meaningful learning opportunities that allow you to explore different cultures, ideas, and perspectives.

While each student participating in Study Abroad/NSE will take a unique educational journey, it is important to keep in mind that participation in the program should not take you off your pathway to timely graduation. As you consider which courses interest you within the program, also consider whether they might fulfill GE and/or major requirements. Follow the steps below to request a review of your Study Abroad/NSE courses for GE credit before you start your program.

Info About Study Abroad

Pre-Approved Study Abroad General Education Courses

Please click on the country of your study abroad choice. A list of pre-approved courses for GE will appear. Once you have decided which courses you would like to take, please fill out the Study Abroad GE Request form (below). Please indicate that the course has already been pre-approved.

Italy CSU Florence Center

RECOMMENDATIONS

You should complete your "Golden Four" lower division GE courses (i.e., A1 Oral Communication, A2 Written Communication/First-year Composition, A3 Critical Thinking, and B4 Quantitative Reasoning/Math or Stats) prior to embarking on your Study Abroad program.

Carefully read the instructions on p. 1 of the Request for Study Abroad/NSE Course Approval for GE form.

Get the GE Approval Form Here

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1. Determine which GE requirements you need to complete.

Consult advising resources to determine which GE areas you still need to complete. These resources include

Your Degree Audit Report (DAR), accessed through the MyCSUEB portal.
The GE website
The University Catalog
Your academic advisor

Do not ask your academic advisor to identify which courses you should take at your Study Abroad institution. Your advisor should only be asked to help you identify which GE requirements you still have to fulfill.

Step 2. Identify which courses you'd like to take.

Go to the Study Abroad/NSE institution's website or information about the program and find the courses that interest you. The Office of GE recommends that you submit 2-3 courses for each area of GE that you hope to complete. Having several courses pre-approved allows for some flexibility when you arrive at your host institution. Sometimes classes are cancelled, schedules change, etc. Be prepared.

Step 3. Compile course descriptions and syllabi.

Download and save (e.g., in Google or Word doc) the course description and syllabus for each course you're considering taking, which allow the Director of General Education to determine whether the course meets specific GE Area criteria and learning outcomes.

Here's an example from the American University of Beirut, which lists all their biology courses with descriptions and links to course syllabi. Their BIOL 106 meets the criteria for GE B2 Life Science.

Step 4. Complete the request form.

Download the Request for Study Abroad/NSE Course Approval for GE form (and instructions) here.

Download in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader, read the instructions carefully, type in the requested information (do NOT sign the form), and save the file as "GE Study Abroad_Your last name, First name_Date" (e.g., GE Study Abroad_Nguyen, Pamela_5.5.2021). List each course that you want reviewed for GE credit. Do not indicate which areas of GE you want--the Director of GE determines which courses meet the requirements for a specific GE area.

Step 5. Email the form and course info to the GE Office.

Email your completed request form and supporting documentation (course descriptions and syllabi) to the GE Office at GEStudyabroad@csueastbay.edu

Course reviews are typically completed within 3 weeks from the request date. If you have any questions or need a status update, please email the GE Office or call (510) 885-2941.