Study Abroad Faculty Resources
Faculty-Led Programs
The Forum on Education Abroad has some great resources for faculty members planning on designing and leading a trip abroad. The Office of Study Abroad highly encourages any UTC faculty member planning to design and lead a faculty led trip abroad to review the Forum's Leading Short-Term Education Abroad Programs: Know The Standards.
Additionally, we recommend reviewing The Guide to Successful Short-Term Programs Abroad (NAFSA).
More detailed information regarding faculty-led programs at UTC can be found on the Globalize Your Classroom page.
Faculty wishing to lead a trip abroad:
The Center for Global Education encourages all UTC faculty members who might be interested in leading a faculty-led trip abroad to first speak with their department head. Once you have spoken with this individual, we encourage you to reach out to our office to discuss you interest in leading a trip abroad and how we can assist you in planning a trip.
Please refer to the Globalize Your Classroom page for more information on faculty-led trips.
Course Pre-Approval and Academic Advisor Approval Forms
This section is full of useful information pertaining to study abroad course pre-approval forms (CPAF) as well as academic advisor approval forms (AAAF).
- What are the CPAF and AAAF?
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The CPAF and AAAF are required for all UTC students who study abroad who are receiving academic credit for their study abroad AND those wishing to use UTC financial aid (federal, state, and institutional).
The course pre-approval form (CPAF) is a document that department heads must sign off on. The student should provide the CPAF as well as the course syllabus (for the class(es) they'll take abroad) to the department head for review. The department head should review the course syllabus and sign off on the equivalent UTC course for credit. The department head will complete columns 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the CPAF.
Students are advised that they should get the CPAF signed off PRIOR to their departure for study abroad. Any changes made, while abroad, require the appropriate UTC department head to sign off on the new class on the CPAF (students will then submit to the Office of Study Abroad).
The academic advisor approval form (AAAF) is a document that the students must have their academic advisor complete AFTER the CPAF has been fully completed (after all planned study abroad courses have been signed off by the appropriate UTC department head). The AAAF allows the University (mainly the Office of Financial Aid) to know how the proposed courses taken abroad will count towards a students UTC degree requirements.
- Information for Department Heads
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Department heads can only sign off on courses that fall within their academic department.
Please be aware that an overseas course may not have the same credit equivalent as the US course. For instance, 10 ECTS credits taken abroad are typically equivalent to 5 US credits (not 3 credits). We ask that the department head make every effort to fully award the equivalent amount of credits whenever possible. A department head can elect to award TWO UTC equivalent classes to one study abroad course if this helps to ensure equivalent credit. This is especially important for students who are receiving financial aid.
An example of the above could be this:
Example Study Abroad Course Taken Abroad: SA3000 (worth 10 ECTS) -> UTC credit: EXCH 0991 (3 cr) + EXCH 0990 (2 cr) -> this would result in the student getting 5 credits at UTC that would be equal to the 10 ECTS credits taken abroad (note, EXCH is a placeholder class and cannot be used to award credit, but we used it here as an example of what departments can do with their own courses).
It is entirely up to the department head to determine what the appropriate UTC equivalent course(s) would be for a student's study abroad classes. Should a department head have ANY questions about completing the CPAF, they should reach out to the Office of Study Abroad.
- Information for Academic Advisors
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The AAAF is extremely important! How a student's study abroad courses impact degree requirements will have a direct impact on what financial aid a student can use for their study abroad program. Students can only use federal and state aid if a minimum of 12 UTC equivalent credits are counting towards the students UTC degree requirements (major, minor, GE, or other MyMocsDegree* requirements).
*Note, on the form there is an option to select that the course will count towards other MyMocsDegree requirements for the student, outside major/minor/GE. This box may be selected when the course will count for things like Honors College requirements, etc.
- Why these forms are important!
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Together, these two forms help the Office of Study Abroad ensure that students are meeting UTC requirements for study abroad. Course work is an integral part of studying abroad on most UTC programs.
These forms directly impact a student's financial aid and help to ensure they stay on track for graduation and completing relevant degree requirements.
It is also extremely important that students fully engage in the process of course selection/approval and understand the importance of how their classes come back to impact their UTC degree (not to mention the impact courses can have on financial aid).
The CPAF and AAAF are two steps in the process of studying abroad, but without them being correctly completed (and submitted on time), a student may be in danger of taking courses they a) do not need and/or b) taking courses that jeopardize their financial aid eligibility.
Should department heads or academic advisors have ANY questions about completion of these forms, please reach out to the Office of Study Abroad.
We truly appreciate all of the assistance you provide to UTC students in helping to make their study abroad dreams a reality.
UTC International Travel Policy:
UTC requires all faculty and staff traveling abroad on University of Tennessee at Chattanooga funded programs (including research, travel to conferences and seminars, athletic events, and other university-related business) to register with Safety & Risk Management prior to their departure. Please check with Safety & Risk Management regarding required International SOS travel requirements.
Faculty and staff are strongly advised to register their travel plans/destination with the Department of State (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). In the event that issues affecting the safety of US citizens unexpectedly arise, the US Embassy needs up-to-date contact information for visitors in order to disseminate safety information, evacuation orders or other updated travel warnings.
Please remember that UTC funds may not be used to sponsor travel to any destination where this is an active US Department of State Travel Warning without appropriate approval from the Provost or the Chancellor.