Foreign Study

Studying abroad is an ideal way to enhance a history major or minor. Students can complete major requirements as long as they have made a good start on the major before they travel. It is recommended that majors complete the Study and Writing of History course before going abroad.

The Study Abroad Process

Please submit the Study Abroad Course Evaluation Form prior to leaving the U.S. This form will be used to have a study abroad course evaluated to see where it belongs in the major or minor.
  • History Majors must take six of their courses for the major (at least 18 credits) at Boston College during the regular academic year. That means they may take up to four foreign studies courses (12 credits) toward major requirements.
  • History Minors must take three of their courses at Boston College during the regular academic year. They may take up to two foreign studies courses (6 credits) toward minor requirements abroad.
 

Most foreign-study courses are accepted for elective (2000-level), not upper-division (4000-level) credit.

  • If you believe that a course you are taking abroad is as challenging as one of our upper-division electives (i.e., it has substantial reading and writing assignments), you should compile evidence to support this. Save everything from the class, especially the course syllabus and the paper(s) you write. 
  • When you return, submit these with your degree audit course substitution form (linked below). No more than two foreign study courses can be counted as upper-division electives.            
Fill out the Degree Audit Course Substitution and Waiver Form to get your courses applied to major or minor requirements on your degree audit.
  • OGE will process your foreign studies transcript after they receive it from your host institution and will forward it to Student Services for posting on your BC transcript.
  • If you do not see the foreign course listed on your degree audit, contact OGE.
  • If, after you have filled in the degree audit course substitution form, you see the course listed on your degree audit, but it is not counting toward the major or minor, please fill the form out again.

Students who are contemplating a senior Honors Thesis and who will be abroad during the normal application process in the spring of their Junior year are strongly urged to plan ahead.

Here are the steps you need to take:

Before you go abroad

Get in touch with the Director of the History Honors Program, Prof. Glass, so he can walk you through the steps for applying to the honors program.

  • You will need to identify a topic and a faculty member willing to supervise your work. Prof. Glass can help you with this.
  • Make sure your advisor knows you will be abroad while writing your proposal, and make arrangements for how you will communicate.
  • And make sure you will have access to enough sources to begin your preliminary research.

While you are abroad

Begin researching your topic so that you can write your proposal.

  • The deadline for submission of applications is early April of your Junior year.
  • When in doubt, get in touch with the Director of the History Honors Program who can answer all your questions.
Course Substitution Form

Explore Study Abroad Destinations

History students study abroad all over the world. For information on the available programs, visit Boston College's Office of Global Education, located in Hovey House.

Office of Global Education

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