Course Petition Process
The courses you take abroad will transfer back to Bethel in various ways, depending on the program you choose. Students transferring in credits will want to complete a course petition form, noting the courses to be taken abroad and the course or requirement you would like it to meet at Bethel. Sometimes courses will be direct equivalents to courses in the Bethel catalog, and other times they will simply meet a Gen.Ed. requirement or major elective. Work with your advisor and department chair before you go to determine how your study abroad courses will transfer back. It is recommended that you petition more courses than you will actually take in case there is a conflict with a course not being offered after all.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Which study abroad programs require course petitions?
The purpose of course petitions is to verify off-campus course equivalencies as transfer credits back to Bethel. Therefore, all students pursuing non-Bethel program (ie. all third-party and affiliated programs), students should fill out a course petition for each course they are planning to take while on their program. Bethel faculty-led short term students do not need to petition.
Who at Bethel should I speak to about this if I have questions?
The Study Abroad Office is able to provide the following support: gathering course syllabi, advising students towards certain courses for certain academic requirements, and advising after a course is denied. All other questions can be directed to the Registrar's Office.
Do I need a physical form to petition my courses?
No, the course petition process is now completed entirely online. See below for a direct link.
What information is needed to submit a petition?
The online form will ask for the off-campus course's number, title, number of credits, and course syllabi for each course you would like to petition. Reminder: One petition must be submitted for each course you would like to petition (ie. five petitions for five courses). The Registrar and the Study Abroad Office both strongly recommend petitioning for more courses than intending to take while abroad (8-12 courses).
How long will it take the Registrar to notify me of the decision?
It tends to take anywhere from 1-4 weeks to send a response. Because the process involves communication between faculty, this process may take longer over winter and summer break. Note that you will be notified via email no matter the decision.