Study Abroad
Are you an Arts and Sciences student considering studying abroad? We are so glad to hear it! Read the resources below for more information on studying abroad in the College of Arts and Sciences, including study abroad scholarships, and information specific to studying abroad in upcoming semesters.
Arts and Sciences Study Abroad Advising Resources
The following resources are for students who are NOT studying abroad through a faculty directed program, as they are geared towards helping students navigate the transfer credit process. For more information on faculty directed programs, please visit the Programs Abroad website.
All others, please first start by reviewing our Study Abroad Tips and Tricks for Arts and Sciences Students.
Planning to Take Courses Abroad to Apply Towards your General Education/Vol Core Requirements?
Please note that all courses that you hope to have apply towards Vol Core Requirements must have a petition written and reviewed by the Vol Core Committee, in ADDITION to being listed on your Request for Transfer Credit Form (RTCF.) The approval process can take many weeks and must be completed before your RTCF can be completed.
When listing Vol Core Requirements on your RTCF, you will be asked to submit a petition that includes your rationale for why you believe that course should be considered for the Vol Core Requirement. Please use the following sections to help you in writing your petitions.
Arts and Humanities (AH)
This is a great requirement to try to fulfill abroad and when looking for courses (and writing your rationale) refer to the following set of guidelines when writing your rationale
By studying the arts and humanities, and by participating as an informed and appreciative observer of artistic and cultural achievements in fields within the visual, spatial, musical, theatrical, or written arts, we gain new perspectives on the human experience and on humankind’s creative impulse.
Studying the arts and humanities also develops our critical thinking and analytical skills as we consider historical and present-day answers to the enduring question “What common experiences, if any, make up the human experience?” The Arts and Humanities component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students to the modes of inquiry that are employed in the fields that constitute the arts and humanities, to help students understand how aesthetic and moral judgments are arrived at and defended, and to acquaint students with the artistic and cultural achievements of both the past and the present.
Students may meet this requirement by completing two courses, from two different departments, chosen from the Literature and Philosophical and Religious Thought list OR complete one course from the Literature and Philosophical and Religious Thought list and a second course from a different department from the approved Volunteer Core Arts and Humanities (AH) or Applied Arts and Humanities (AAH) list.
Social Sciences (SS)
This is a great requirement to try to fulfill abroad and when looking for courses (and writing your rationale) refer to the following: (Please note that pre-med students are encouraged to complete PSYC 110 and SOCI 120 at UTK for MCAT preparation.)
The disciplines that make up the social sciences help us analyze the interactions that take place between individuals, between groups or societies, and between an individual and a group. Studying these interactions helps us understand the political and social dynamics that govern contemporary societies. Equipped with this understanding, we can participate more effectively, and as informed and engaged citizens, in social, political, and economic decision making.
The Social Sciences (SS) component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students both to the principal concerns of disciplines in the social sciences and to the methods by which social scientists collect and evaluate knowledge and test hypotheses.
Students may meet this requirement by completing two courses, from two different departments, chosen from the Volunteer Core Social Sciences (SS) list.
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
For some majors without specific QR class requirements, this is a great requirement to try to fulfill abroad and when looking for courses (and writing your rationale) refer to the following:
All students pursuing a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate the ability to use quantitative, statistical, and logical methods to build arguments and support opinions and actions. Students may meet this college requirement either by completing two courses from the Volunteer Core Quantitative and Logical Reasoning list of mathematics, statistics, and data science courses, or by completing one course from the list of mathematics, statistics, and data sciences courses and one additional course designated as a Volunteer Core Quantitative and Logical Reasoning (QR) course. The QR course can be count towards the students major, other requirements, or be an elective.
Engaged Inquiries (EI)
This requirement is incredibly challenging to have approved outside of the university, as it is based on the method of instruction. If you would like to have a course considered, the syllabus must clearly demonstrate it meets the following objectives and learning outcomes:
Truly well-educated citizens should be ready to lead and solve problems, building on their chosen fields of study and personal interests and strengths. Students will benefit from experiences that broaden, extend, apply, and integrate prior learning and promote effective collaboration and self-awareness
In all Engaged Inquiries courses, students will produce an investigative, creative, or practical work relevant to the course topic.
In addition, El courses must demonstrate that they produce learning outcomes from at least two of the following areas:
A. Applied Learning
In applied learning courses, students will engage in a process of proposing, implementing, and assessing the success of strategies, plans, or approaches to addressing questions in applied contexts. Courses in this domain are expected to achieve the following outcome for students
- Students will apply skills and knowledge from the classroom in hands-on situations, real-world settings, or in independent/ directed research or creative projects.
B. Collaborative Learning
During the semester, students will engage in a process of sharing ideas, making useful contributions, communicating effectively, understanding their roles, planning, and implementing the plan to completion. Courses in this domain are expected to achieve the following outcome for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to engage effectively in a group to complete an investigative, creative, or practical work.
C. Reflective Learning
Students will engage in reflective activities such as journal entries, reflective response papers, or creative exercises on a regular basis in this course. Students should grapple not only with the major ideas and content of the course, but with the question of what these ideas mean to them within a larger context. Courses in this domain are expected to produce the following outcome for students:
- Students will reflect on their own thinking, learning, understanding, and competencies, to draw connections between the subject matter of the course and the students’ own experiences within a larger social or global context.
D. Integrative or Multi-disciplinary Learning
Courses that address this domain may include team-taught interdisciplinary courses; exploration into adjacent fields; courses on pre-defined interdisciplinary subjects. Courses in this domain are expected to achieve the following outcome for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to draw on theories, knowledge, tools, and/ or methods from at least two fields of study to investigate relevant issues.
Writing Communication (WC)
Please note that the Writing Communication (WC) requirement can be challenging to get approval for when taken abroad as it’s not about the content of the course, but the assessment and learning outcomes. When looking for WC courses (and writing your rationale) refer to the following:
WC courses need to have writing for the class that totals at least 5,000 words and gives you multiple opportunities to write and be given informal feedback to include in revisions, etc. The course syllabus must demonstrate the following:
- Provides students with multiple opportunities to practice and improve their writing;
- Helps students learn course materials more thoroughly by writing about them in informal and formal ways;
- Gives students opportunities for feedback and revision of their writing; and
- Helps students understand the criteria for writing successfully within a given discipline or field.
More information for reference can be found here: https://writingcenter.utk.edu/writing-in-the-disciplines/
Oral Communication (OC)
Please note that the Oral Communication (OC) requirement can be challenging to get approval for when taken abroad.
When looking for courses (and writing your rationale) refer to the following OC learning outcomes and structure:
- Students will be able to speak in an informative and/or convincing manner to other individuals and to groups, both small and large.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to speak clearly and effectively.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to locate and use relevant, credible evidence to support ideas.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to present oral information effectively to different audiences, shaping message, organization, language choices, and delivery techniques to correspond with purpose and rhetorical context.
OC courses will also be structured so that:
A significant portion of the grade is determined by speaking assignments.
There are appropriate and sufficient speaking assignments for students to practice and demonstrate proficiency
Students will receive appropriate developmental and evaluative feedback
Global Citizenship – International (GCI)
Please note that students whose major is in the College of Arts and Sciences will not need to take a separate Global Citizenship- International (GCI) course for this requirement,as this requirement will be fulfilled by your foreign language courses.
The following are College of Arts and Sciences requirements and may be good to take abroad, but will not require a petition:
Foreign Language
The Foreign Language component of the Perspectives requirement supports the broad goals of liberal education by promoting intellectual tolerance and flexibility, informing students’ understanding of cultural diversity, and introducing students to the literary achievements of authors writing in other languages.
Students should be advised that they will likely need to take a placement test in the country they study abroad, and all planned language courses will be dependent upon placing into that level of course. (Though rare, it does happen that a student does not place high enough to take the next course in the sequence, so they should have other planned courses as back up.)
Non-US History
If you haven’t yet started your Non Us History sequence at UT yet, there may be a good opportunity to start a sequence abroad, and we will work with you to determine which course at UT is the best to “finish” the sequence. If you have already started it, please consult with Kristin Tocci ktocci@utk.edu about course options you are considering.
Careful and thoughtful study of the past, and of the diversity of human societies and cultures found around the world, helps us understand the historical origins of contemporary society. By investigating change and continuity in human societies, and by asking how historical contexts shape people, events, and ideas, students can also further develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. The Non-U.S. History component of the Perspectives requirement serves to introduce students to the modes of inquiry that are employed in the study of human history, to help students understand how hypotheses about the historical past are formulated and tested, and to improve students’ understanding of how historical events have shaped present-day society.
Students may meet this requirement by completing one of the following pairs of courses:
Study Abroad Scholarships
The College of Arts and Sciences has two scholarships available for students who are studying abroad in any Summer term (including May Mini term.) Students must commit to and attend a study abroad program in summer in order to receive the funds. Funds are not deferrable if a student is awarded a scholarship but does not go abroad. More information will be updated here soon.
Students are also encouraged to apply for other scholarships at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, found below.
Additional Study Abroad Resources
The University of Tennessee – Knoxville Programs Abroad office will be hosting their annual VolsAbroad fair on September 26 from 12-3 in the Student Union ballroom. Arts and Sciences Advising will have a table in SU 262C (across from the ballroom) to help you think about your study abroad possibilities! Hope to see you there.
Planning to Study Abroad in the Next Year?
A very important step in your planning to go abroad is to complete a Request for Transfer Credit Form (RTCF) to have your planned coursework evaluated. All RTCF’s should be submitted as soon as possible once you have committed to a program.
This form goes through MANY steps and can take up to 8-10 weeks to be completed. If you wait until the posted application deadlines for programs to apply and THEN submit an RTCF for the first time, you are taking a risk that you may not have the form completed before you go abroad, and your financial aid could be impacted and/or delayed.
Faculty who review these forms are very busy in the last few weeks of the semester (last few weeks of November and all through December) and many leave for the winter break and may not be available to review these forms. If you submit your Request for Transfer Credit Form too late in the semester, you run the risk of not having the form completed in time for any financial aid to be processed before your program start date.
Information Sessions and Drop In Advising
To help students navigate the process of completing the RTCF, Kristin Tocci, Associate Director of Advising in Arts and Sciences, will hold info sessions and drop-in advising on Friday afternoons throughout the semester. Students are encouraged to attend the earliest session possible, particularly if they are still narrowing down a program.
All sessions on Zoom will use this link
| Date | Info Session Time | Drop-In Advising Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 15 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, December 6 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, December 20, 2024 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Monday, January 13, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, January 31, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, February 14, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, February 28, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, March 14, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, March 28, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
| Friday, April 11, 2025 | 1:30 – 2:15 | 2:15 – 4:30 | Zoom |
If you absolutely cannot make it to a session, you can view a recording of a previous session here.
Please note the following Programs Abroad application deadlines:
| Program Dates | Programs Abroad Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Winter Mini 2025 | October 15, 2024 |
| Spring 2025 | October 15, 2024 |
| May Mini 2025 | February 15, 2025 |
| Full Summer and Summer 1 2025 | March 15, 2025 |
| Summer 2 2025 | March 30, 2025 |
| Fall 2025 and Academic Year 2025-2026 | April 30, 2025 |
Please see the Programs Abroad Request for Transfer Credit instructions, found here
If you need to complete an additional Request for Transfer Credit Form (RTCF) at any point, you can do so here.
PLEASE DO NOT WAIT TO APPLY THAT LATE! It is imperative that you apply to your program and submit a Request for Transfer Credit Form (RTCF) AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. These forms determine how the courses you take abroad will apply to your degree (if at all) AND if you qualify to receive any financial aid you are eligible for.
All questions about the RTCF can be directed to Kristin Tocci, the Associate Director in Arts and Sciences advising who processes all of the forms.
Planning to Study Abroad in Summer 2025 or Later?
It is never too early to start planning your time abroad! Please refer to the Study abroad Tips and Info for Arts and Sciences Students section found under Arts and Sciences Study Abroad Advising Resources
Additional Information sessions and drop-in advising for Summer and Fall 2025 programs will occur in early Spring 2025, so please stay tuned for those sessions. However, it is advised that you make an appointment with your academic advisor as early as possible to begin discussing your plans.