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Summer Study at Other American
Institutions
Credits earned during the summer
at another college or university by current Penn
students may be used toward a Penn degree according to
limits defined in the regulations of each undergraduate
School. Students should follow procedures for
transferring credit as prescribed by their home School
and must get approval through their home School
advising office before taking courses away from Penn.
Note that credit for study abroad can be earned only on
an approved Penn Abroad program and is not considered
transfer credit.
Submatriculation
Qualified students who wish to
begin a graduate program while still in their
undergraduate years are permitted to apply for
admission as submatriculants to a variety of the
University’s graduate programs. Submatriculation
programs exist in many departments in the School of
Arts and Sciences, in the Wharton School, in the School
of Engineering and Applied Science, in the School of
Nursing, and in several of Penn’s graduate
schools, such as the Graduate School of Education and
the Law School. With the permission of the responsible
undergraduate and graduate faculties, submatriculants
may take some graduate courses for both graduate and
undergraduate credit while registered as undergraduate
students.
Application to submatriculate is
normally made in the middle of the student’s
junior year. Prior to applying to submatriculate, the
student’s program of study must be approved by
his or her undergraduate academic advisor, the Graduate
Group chair in the area of interest, and the
appropriate Dean of the student’s undergraduate
School.
Changing Academic Programs
Changing Programs within the
University
At some point during their
undergraduate years at Penn, some students find that
their goals and interests have changed. Often this
means a change in curriculum or pace of learning. The
University stands ready to provide advice, and urges
students who are contemplating changes in direction to
draw upon the resources available in such offices as
Career Services, Counseling and Psychological Services,
the Office of International Programs, the Office of the
Chaplain, and Student Health Services, as well as the
advising offices in the undergraduate Schools.
Transfers within the University
Students wishing to transfer from
one School within the University to another must
consult the undergraduate Dean’s office of the
School in which they are enrolled, as well as the
Dean’s office of the School in which they wish to
enroll. The process of transfer may take several weeks
to complete, so students should apply early in the
semester preceding the one in which they wish to
transfer.
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Freshmen may not initiate a transfer
until the end of their second semester (or until they have
completed eight course units at Penn, whichever comes
later), which means the effective date of transfer will be
their third semester. Since requirements for internal
transfer vary among Schools, students are strongly advised
to inform themselves about the transfer requirements of the
School in which they wish to enroll.
Academic Timelines and Leave of
Absence
The traditional approach to
college education (four consecutive years of study
directly following high school and interrupted only by
summer vacations) is by no means best for every
student. There is a clear distinction between education
and schooling: the former need not take place in a
classroom and sometimes includes learning experiences
as valuable to the student as any available at the
University. Recognizing this, academic advisors in the
various Schools are prepared to speak with students
about leave of absence options.
Study Abroad
The expansion of career horizons,
enriching intellectual engagement, fluency in a foreign
language and a new personal maturity can be among the
rewards of studying abroad. The University strongly
encourages students to explore opportunities for such
an experience, and makes every effort to facilitate
participation in academically sound programs. To this
end, the University recognizes over 70 undergraduate
overseas study options in 34 countries in Africa, Asia,
Australia, New Zealand, Eastern and Western Europe,
Latin America and the Middle East.
All Penn undergraduates who wish
to study abroad for credit during the academic year
must register for a recognized Penn Abroad program.
Information about semester and academic year abroad
foreign study, and how to apply for them, is available
from the Office of International Programs (OIP). The
Penn Abroad staff works with faculty in all four
undergraduate Schools to assure the maintenance of high
academic standards so students earn credit equivalent
to University credit. Penn Abroad participants are
charged regular Penn tuition and a study abroad fee.
Students who are eligible for Penn financial aid may
use it to finance the cost of studying abroad.
Depending on the field of study and location, many
programs are available for sophomores as well as
juniors and seniors. Most fields of study are
represented and applications are usually submitted
during the semester prior to departure. Early planning
is important, particularly for the most competitive
universities abroad. To be eligible for admission,
students should have a B average (3.0), appropriate
background in the subject(s) to be studied in the
foreign country, and normally at least two to three
years of college-level study of the language of
instruction, depending on the program.
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