Study Abroad

PROCEDURES TO REQUEST COURSE EQUIVALENCY FOR STUDY ABROAD COURSES BY COMMUNICATION MAJORS

Tulane students who plan to attend a study abroad program and who would like to receive credit for courses that can count toward the Communication major should follow the procedures outlined in this document.

Students should be aware that they can take only four of the ten required courses of the Communication Major outside the department (consult the Communication Major requirements). This limit includes credit transfers from other institutions and from study abroad courses. For example, if you have already transferred credit of three Communication courses from another institution, you can only take one Communication course for credit while abroad.

Course equivalency can be approved only to electives. Communication majors cannot take the core courses (foundational introduction courses, COMM 3140, COMM 3150, COMM 3160, COMM 3240, COMM 3250, COMM 3260, and COMM 3350) outside Tulane University’s Department of Communication.

Once a study abroad program has been identified, Communication majors should follow these procedures:

1. Confirm the schedule of classes of the institution where the study abroad program will take place to verify which Communication courses will be offered during the study abroad period.
2. Select up to four Communication courses among those offered by the study abroad program.
3. Verify if the selected course or courses are included in the Department of Communication’s list of pre-approved study abroad courses.
4. If the selected course or courses are included in the list of pre-approved courses, you will automatically receive the respective Communication course equivalency. In this case, you don’t need to contact the Department of Communication or the Department Chair. If you have questions about equivalency for courses in the list of pre-approved courses, please contact Joanie Vicknair at crystal@tulane.edu.
5. If the selected course or courses are not included in the list of pre-approved courses, students should submit up to four full syllabi and the “Course Equivalency Request” form, to Professor Mauro Porto mporto@tulane.edu, Chair of the Department of Communication. Please submit only full syllabi, which should include all course assignments, a full list of readings, and a full schedule. Course descriptions will not be accepted. Please contact the host institution or the course instructor to request a full course syllabus. If the course is not taught in English, students can submit the syllabus in the original language. The form and the syllabi should be submitted in Word or in PDF formats. Pictures will not be accepted (there are free phone apps that can convert pictures to the PDF format). Requests containing course descriptions and/or more than four syllabi will not be processed.
6. When submitting your Tulane Study Abroad application, the major advisor approval form should be completed by Professor Mauro Porto mporto@tulane.edu, Chair of the Department of Communication.

Please be aware that you should select courses that will help you fulfill the Communication major requirements. For example, you don’t need more than two 2000-level electives. Thus, if you already have taken two 2000-level electives, you should try to find courses that could be considered equivalent to a 3000-level or a 4000-level elective.

Courses taken abroad can be approved as equivalent to a 2000-level, a 3000-level or a 4000-level Communication elective. Most 2000-level courses are introductory or survey courses, often based on lectures, tests, and a textbook. On the other hand, 3000-level and 4000-level courses generally have more substantial and challenging readings and are often based on seminar discussions and research papers. Students should be aware that most courses taken abroad are approved as equivalent to a 2000-level or a 3000-level elective. They rarely satisfy requirements for a 4000-level elective.

Good luck with your application process!