Studying Elsewhere

There are several options for Faculty of Arts students wishing to study elsewhere as part of their educational experience: taking courses at another post-secondary institution for credit (see below); taking a study abroad course offered by the Faculty of Arts; and participating in an exchange program.

If while you are registered at the University of Regina you want to take one or more courses at another post-secondary institution for use toward your BA program at the University of Regina, it is best to apply beforehand for a 'letter of permission'. This letter, if granted, will formally indicate that you have the Faculty's approval for taking the courses elsewhere and will specify exactly how those courses will transfer into your program at the University of Regina. (You can arrange on your own to take courses elsewhere, but in that case there are no guarantees about how the courses will transfer into your University of Regina program.)

To obtain a letter of permission, send the Arts Student Services Office a letter specifying which courses you want to take and at what institution(s). Except for the University of Saskatchewan or Athabasca University, please enclose a Calendar for the institution, or, at the very least, photocopies of the Calendar pages containing the relevant course descriptions. If you send a Calendar, please indicate whether or not you want it returned.

Here are some things to keep in mind about courses taken elsewhere for credit at the University of Regina:

• If you already have transfer credit, make sure you have room on your program for additional credit. On the 4-year BA, at least half your program and at least half the required hours in your major must consist of University of Regina courses. Other programs also have restrictions.
• Apply at your chosen institution as a 'visiting student'. In this category, you are not usually asked to provide transcripts. Normally, all the receiving institution requires is a letter of permission from your home university (i.e., the U of R). If the Faculty agrees to your choice of courses, we will send the letter of permission, with a copy to you indicating what credit you will get.
• Be aware that the grades you receive in these courses are not normally used in your program, and that they will therefore not affect your program or major averages.
• If this will be the last course for your degree program, please bear in mind that you will likely be unable to graduate at Spring Convocation if your course finishes later than April 1st. You will likely be unable to graduate at Fall Convocation if your course finishes later than August 1st. Official transcripts must be received for Spring Convocation by April 30th and for Fall Convocation by August 31st. Please allow adequate time for your request to be dealt with, bearing in mind that we have to review your program to ensure that your selected courses will fit it, and must also evaluate the courses you propose to take for their acceptability and equivalency.