How may I get E.S. credit for classes taken outside Swarthmore?

Policy Statement (click here)

Credit Request Form (click here) – print this out, fill it in, and submit it with your course materials and transcripts with a large rubber band or large envelope to the Coordinator of Environmental (currently, Prof. McGarity, Hicks Hall, room 201, ext. 8077, amcgarity@swarthmore.edu)

There are two issues: a) getting College credit itself (all students), and b)counting the course(s) toward an Environmental Studies minor.

a) Credit for courses taken out of residence is generally granted by individual academic Departments, so whenever you anticipate wanting credit, you should apply to the closest equivalent Swarthmore department. For instance, an Ecology course taken at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) could count for credit if the Swarthmore Biology Department accepts the credit as equivalent to one of its own courses (whether or not the department offers a cognate course).

For highly interdisciplinary environmental courses taken at institutions other than Swarthmore, or for courses in subjects not covered by any Swarthmore department (e.g., Environmental Law), a 9/23/98 ruling of the Curriculum Committee allows the Environmental Studies committee to approve the course for Swarthmore credit. See the Policy Statement regarding E.S.courses taken out of residence. You must fill out and submit the Registrar's form "Application for Approval of Study in Other Institutions" BEFORE you take the course and the E.S. Credit Request Form AFTER you return to Swarthmore. Submit this form as the first page of a packet containing the required materials to document your course. Submit the entire package, with a large rubber band around it or in a large envelope to the Coordinatior of Environmental Studies.

b) Once a course has been approved as the equivalent of a Swarthmore course, and a letter from the Coordinator of ENVS received by you stating so, that course may be counted towards a concentration in Environmental Studies. Foreign study credit awarded by the Environmental Studies Program may be counted in the "Adjunct/Interdisciplinary" category. Occasionally, foreign study credit awarded by a Swarthmore College department for an environmental course in a specific discipline may be used to satisfy a requirement for courses in Environmental Science/Technology or Environmental Social Science/Humanities, subject to approval of the Environmental Studies Program.

YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO DISCUSS PLANS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR COURSES TAKEN OUT OF RESIDENCE WITH THE ENVS COORDINATOR, THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS, AND THE FOREIGNSTUDIES OFFICE . You may find that courses you assumed would count for credit do not, or do not count for a full Swarthmore credit. By discussing your plans in advance, such surprises will be minimized.

Environmental Study Abroad programs exist with which the College already has experience. Here is a brief listing of those programs from which credit transfers are most easily accomplished :

Domestic programs include those listed under Other Undergraduate E.S. Programs on the main homepage.

See the Foreign Studies Office for more such programs and additional information.

Return to main E.S. page

Send message to Swarthmore College Environmental Studies

last updated 10/6/04

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