Duke University International Comparative Studies

ICS encourages majors to spend time abroad to facilitate different kinds of meaningful learning and growth.

Such experiences can occur in academic study abroad programs that fulfill broad Duke or specifically ICS requirements. This education can also occur in service-oriented programs like DukeEngage. Such experiences are usually very rewarding, personally transforming, and memorable.

Duke has global advisors who can help with choosing programs, balancing abroad experiences with academic plans, advance preparation through coursework and research, and processing such experiences upon return.

Students considering or planning a major in ICS are required to complete the gateway course, ICS 195, before a study abroad semester. Declared ICS majors must have an approved curricular plan on file with the program before leaving for study abroad. The ICS gateway, capstone and thesis courses must be taken at Duke and may not be substituted with study-abroad courses.

ICS considers any study-abroad course determined to meet Region or Comparative criteria to be at intermediate levels (between 200 and 399 in the university numbering system that commences in August 2012). Up to four approved study abroad courses may be used to meet an ICS major’s requirements in the Region, Comparative and Foreign Language categories.

ICS does not count independent study courses toward the major.

There are a growing number of study-abroad options for Duke students, including:

"Duke in" programs: Offered through Duke, the Registrar’s office treats courses in such programs the same as courses taken on campus. Many of these courses meet ICS criteria for Region, Comparative, or Foreign Language categories.

Duke-approved study-abroad programs: Sponsored by other institutions, students receive transfer credits. Many of these courses also meet ICS criteria for the Region, Comparative, or Foreign Language categories. Note that grades for these courses do not factor into your GPA or transfer to your Duke transcript.

All Duke students planning to study abroad must first apply through the Duke Global Education office and follow their step-by-step guide.

For ICS majors, there is a two-step process to receive credit toward the major:

STEP I. DUKE CREDIT: First, you must ensure that a course qualifies for Duke credit. Many courses in established programs have been taken by students and previously approved by the appropriate departments. Check the Course Approval Database on the Duke Global Education web site for an updated list. If the courses appear in this database, credit is awarded by Duke upon completion of the course with a grade of C‐ or better. Contact in the GEO‐U for assistance with courses that do not appear and require approval. Once a course has been approved by Duke, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the relevant department (e.g. History, Sociology, Theater, Portuguese) for an equivalent course and course number. Courses not approved before going abroad may not receive credit! If a study-abroad course taken or planned seems to meet the FL Mode of Inquiry code criteria, follow the instructions on‐line.

STEP II. ICS CREDIT: Confirm that a Duke-approved course satisfies ICS criteria for the Comparative, Region or Foreign Language categories by submitting the new Duke course number, departmental approval (if relevant), and syllabus to the ICS for review. The DUS will respond with a decision, copying a student’s ICS advisor. Course approvals will be noted in a student’s ICS curricular plan.

If information on courses is not available before leaving the country or a course change is made while abroad, fax or e-mail to assure that credit is earned for courses taken abroad.

FINALLY: Each student must request that an official program transcript is sent to the GEO‐U at the end of the study-abroad experience and confirm that all of the courses that appear on this transcript are in the Course Approval Database or that Course Approval Forms have been submitted and approved. Given the number of courses, institutions, and students involved, it is each student’s responsibility to follow up on issues related to their academic transcripts from study-abroad programs