Washington University in St. Louis Philosophy Department: Undergraduate Program

Study Abroad

Study Abroad: General Requirements
For an explanation of Arts & Sciences policies and procedures regarding Study Abroad, visit the Overseas Programs website at http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/%7Eoverseas/ Typically credit can be transferred only from Washington University and WU-approved study abroad programs. This is to ensure that the academic quality of the overseas programs meets Washington University's standards. However, if there are sound academic reasons for attending a program that is not one of Washington University's programs, exceptions can be made by means of a Special Petition. Contact the Overseas Studies office for more information.

Philosophy majors are encouraged to continue studying philosophy if they study abroad. Courses taken abroad will count toward the major in one of two ways:
· If students attend one of the overseas Philosophy Department's programs, philosophy credits will transfer according to an established procedure.
· If students take philosophy courses as part of a different Washington University program OR as part of a program that has been approved as an exception, the course may count. You should consult the Study Abroad Advisor for Philosophy (see information at page bottom). If you are going on a program other than those listed here, it is your responsibility to research in advance the course offerings and the specializations of the faculty in the department, and to make arrangements with the overseas department regarding how you will be evaluated for the course.

In all cases, it is vitally important that you bring back with you a copy of the syllabus, as well as lecture notes and all your written work for each philosophy course taken abroad to get transfer credit toward the major.

Study Abroad Credit Transfer
Students who study abroad may receive general course credits toward their degrees from Washington University, usually 15 or 16 units per semester abroad to a maximum of 33 units for a full year. In addition, students may be eligible for credit toward a philosophy major or minor.
Philosophy Major:
Students who spend one semester in a study abroad program may receive up to six units toward the major for philosophy courses taken in an approved philosophy program. Students who spend a full year in a study abroad program may receive up to nine units toward the major. To apply for this credit, students must submit their written work for the courses taken abroad and copies of the reading lists or syllabi.
Normally, philosophy majors will be expected to satisfy their core distribution requirements for the major with courses taken at Washington University. However, when submitting their written work for the courses taken abroad, students may apply for three units of credit (one course) toward their distribution requirements, again subject to approval by the department.
Philosophy Minor:
Students who spend one semester in a study abroad program may receive up to three units toward the minor for philosophy courses taken in an approved philosophy program. Students who spend a full year in a study abroad program may receive up to six units toward the minor. To apply for this credit, students must submit their written work for the courses taken abroad and copies of the reading lists or syllabi.
Normally philosophy minors will be expected to satisfy their core distribution requirements for the minor with courses taken at Washington University. However, when submitting their written work for the courses taken abroad, students may apply for three units of credit (one course) toward their distribution requirements, again subject to approval by the department.
The Application Process: Some of the Key Steps
· Pick one university
· Submit two letters of recommendation from previous professors to the Study Abroad program.
· Work out a study plan for Study Abroad: You will need to work out beforehand the precise courses you will take.
· Write a statement of Purpose.
· The selection process:
° Philosophy approval (checks for appropriateness of "Study Plan," based on philosophy record)
° Overseas university approval (based on space available and transcript)
° Bear in mind that there are no guarantees that everyone will be admitted.
° See the Overseas Study web site for other application requirements.
Departmental Study Abroad Advisor:
Professor Clare Palmer
Office: Wilson Hall 108
Phone: 935-7148
Email: cpalmer@artsci.wustl.edu

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS in PHILOSOPHY

University College, London and Kings College, London (England)
Located in the heart of London, these programs offer an intense urban, cultural, and intellectual experience. UCL also houses a School of Advanced Study, which serves as a center of philosophical activity in London. It keeps a calendar of the amazing number of philosophical events throughout London. Strengths here include: philosophy of mind, political philosophy, and history of philosophy, but there are a great many offerings at the University of London as a whole. The collegiate system at London University means that while some smaller discussion classes will be taken in the college to which you are affiliated, you may be attending lecture classes with students from across the different Colleges of the University. You can attend London University for Fall term only, for Spring and Summer terms (you must attend both), or for the whole academic year. If you attend for Spring and Summer terms, or for the whole year, you must sit at least one 3-hour examination for one of the courses you have taken. Generally, courses are assessed by a long paper and/or a 3 hour examination. If you attend for Fall term only, you will be assessed entirely on papers and not by examination. It’s important to note that you will likely spend fewer hours in the classroom than at Wash U, but you will be expected to work much more independently on your papers. Students at UCL who are studying abroad as Philosophy majors only (ie, who are not studying abroad as joint majors) are strongly recommended to take the Philosophy Tutorial – a weekly meeting with a tutor and three students, where one student reads an essay and all students discuss it. This is a teaching style that is not generally available at Wash U, so we encourage you to take advantage of it, and to check out in advance what area of philosophy you would like to study in this way.
Generally speaking, lecture courses at the University of London are worth 4 Wash U credits per semester, and you will be looking to take 4 courses to amass 16 credits a semester. The UCL tutorial is also worth 4 credits per semester. For further information, go to the relevant colleges:
UCL:
Study abroad: Philosophy http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/
study-abroad-guide/subjects/departments/IB
Study abroad: general http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/
study-abroad-guide/
Kings:
Philosophy department: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kis/schools/hums/philosophy/index.html
Study abroad: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kis/schools/hums/philosophy/index.html

University of Sussex (England)
The University of Sussex is located near the thriving seaside resort of Brighton (sometimes called London by the Sea). It’s close to interesting countryside, in easy reach of London (around an hour by express train) and has a lively cultural and alternative scene. The Philosophy program at the University of Sussex offers the advantages of a residential campus and an innovative, interdisciplinary academic focus. The faculty specializes in Continental as well as in Anglo-American philosophy. You may study at Sussex just for the Fall term, for Spring and Summer (combined) or for the whole year. Most Wash U students will take 2nd-year courses in Philosophy, though they might take more advanced courses if they have an especially strong background in one particular area. In many ways, Sussex's program of study is similar to that at Wash U, with a combination of lectures, seminars, and frequent papers.
Sussex: study abroad guide: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/publications/studyabroad.shtml

Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland)
Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s leading university, located in the center of Dublin. The Philosophy department has a distinguished Faculty, with particular strengths in History of Philosophy. Each course has class time of 2 hours a week, some courses are lectures only, others lectures and seminars. You may study here either for the Spring and Summer, or for the whole year. Assessment is by a mixture of essay and examination. Note that Philosophy is in the Social and Human Sciences, not in Arts. For courses available in any one year, a PDF is available online (the site below is 2006-7)
http://www.tcd.ie/ISA/cd/Faculty%20of%20Social%20and
%20Human %20Sciences%200607.pdf
The Philosophy website at Trinity College is: http://www.tcd.ie/Philosophy/index.html

The University of Auckland, New Zealand
The University of Auckland, New Zealand is the leading research university in New Zealand. It’s a big university of 30000 students, right near to the center of the city of Auckland. A formal Study Abroad program in Philosophy was set up with the University of Auckland in Fall 2006, and we welcome applications to this program. The semester dates in New Zealand are somewhat different from those at Wash U, so you will need to think carefully about when to go. The Fall semester runs from July to November (applications must be in by Feb 01) and the Spring semester runs from February to June (applications must be in by May 1 the preceding year). Students who opt to study abroad at the University of Auckland should register for 4 courses (60 Auckland credit points, 16 Wash U credits).

The Philosophy Department at Auckland has a web page here: http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/departments/index.cfm?S=D_PHIL
Philosophy courses available at the University of Auckland are here:
https://ndeva.auckland.ac.nz/ndeva/course_catalog/Uofak/subtoc.asp
and information on studying abroad at the University of Auckland is here: http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/for/prospective/welcomes/
internationalstudents/international.cfm

Utrecht University (The Netherlands)
Located in the heart of the Continent, this program offers the opportunity to live in a different cultural and linguistic setting, while taking courses in English with Dutch students. Utrecht Universiteit also has a strong women's studies program and a program within the Philosophy Department in "Cognitive Artificial Intelligence", involving collaboration with Computer Science. Since most of the courses offered are offered in English specifically for our students, they are limited to small seminars at the 400-level ("vervolgdoctoraal"). Most of the courses available are in ethics, aesthetics, and contemporary analytical philosophy, although independent study tutorials can be arranged. However, please note that because the course work is at a rather high level, this program is available only to students who will have taken at least 4 (and preferably more) advanced courses in Philosophy at Wash U prior to departure. Seminars typically meet once a week for 3 hours. Assessment is almost always by a single paper at the end.
As of Fall 2002, Utrecht works on a calendar year of 4 terms or "bloks", two each semester. Most students take two philosophy courses and one non-philosophy course per 'blok' (which transfers as 18 Wash U credits for the semester). There are also possibilities for (unpaid) internships as research assistants at the "Center for Bioethics and Health Law".