Academics

• All students must have a gpa of 3.0 or higher prior to studying abroad in A Coruña 

• Students cannot have any academic deficiencies before studying abroad in A Coruña 

• All students need to have completed Spanish 301 prior to studying abroad in A Coruña 

• Certain classes in A Coruña might require pre-requisites. For example, you probably can't take an upper-level math course without demonstrating prior knowledge in the area. You will register for classes once you are in A Coruña , but be aware of any listed pre-requisites when registering. 

• All students are required to have a passport that is valid until 12 months after the planned date of return from A Coruña 

• All students are required to work with the office of study abroad to obtain a visa (our office will guide you, but it is ultimately your responsibility to obtain the visa) Students should therefore refrain from international travel during the 100 days prior to departure for A Coruña . 

• All fall students are required to complete the pre-university language intensive course in Santander during the month of August

• All students are required to remain in A Coruña until the end of the examination period, which is typically January for the fall semester, and June for the spring semester HC students are not allowed to submit special requests to sit exams early in order to return home for Christmas

Fall Single Semester Students

Credit 1: Spanish for Foreigners classes exclusively designed for Holy Cross students taught in Spanish 

Credits 2, 3 & 4: Two content courses in the Facultades taught in Spanish

Academic year Students

Semester One:

Credit 1: Spanish for Foreigners class exclusively designed for Holy Cross students taught in Spanish

Credits 2, 3 & 4: Three content courses in the Facultades taught in Spanish

Semester 2:

Credit 1: Spanish for Foreigners class exclusively designed for Holy Cross students taught in Spanish

Credits 2, 3, & 4: Three content courses in the Facultades taught in Spanish

You can register for any classes offered at Universidad da Coruña, but be aware that upper-level classes might require pre-requisites. To search classes at Universidade da Coruña, click here, then click on the subject you want to explore. Then, you'll see a list of 'asignaturas' or classes. Be aware that not every class is offered every semester, and timetables are not typically published until just before the start of the semester. It's a good idea to browse classes to get an idea of the types of courses you can take at Universidade da Coruña, but you should have several options in mind and approach the semester or year with as much flexibility as possible!

Class registration is not competitive at Universidade da Coruña like it is here at Holy Cross. Spanish students don't typically register for classes until just before the start of any given semester. Since you're going to Spain you will do as the Spanish do when it comes to registration! Don't worry- you'll have a chance to add/drop/change your selections during the first few weeks of the semester. 

To search classes (asignaturas) at Universidade da Coruña, click here, and the click the subject are you're interested in. 

One of the most common questions the Office of Study Abroad receives is whether or not a certain class abroad will count towards a student's major, minor, concentration, etc. The answer is...maybe! 

If you think a class might work for your major...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your major department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for your minor...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your minor department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for a Common Area requirement...

You need to talk to the Registrar's Office. You can send an email to Jared Chapman (jchapman@holycross.edu) to gain clarity on Common Area requirements abroad. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting Jared. He appreciates as much context as possible.

The Holy Cross credit approval system works like this: 

1. After you arrive in your study abroad destination (or right before, depending on the program), you will receive an email from Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s Office with instructions for submitting Course Approval Forms (CAFs). Students must submit one CAF per class.

2. Once the Registrar's Office receives your CAFs, they will work with Study Abroad Faculty Advisors in the relevant department(s) to evaluate each course for approval. 

3. Shortly after you submit your CAFs, you'll receive an email from the Registrar's Office detailing which classes have/have not been approved. 

Note: If you talk to your advisors before leaving and stay in touch during the course selection process, you should not receive any 'surprise' course rejections. 

Courses not accepted for Holy Cross credit:

1. Online or hybrid (partially online) courses

2. Pre-professional, business, law, and marketing courses

3. Other non-liberal arts courses

4. Courses of similar content to those you have already taken

5. Any major courses required by your major department to be taken at Holy Cross

6. Courses taken without a letter grade (e.g. auditing, pass/no pass, etc.)

A class that carries at least 6 credits is equal to one HC course; 

ONE class that carries 4.5 credits is acceptable with explicit Registrar approval.

A class that carries 3 credits is NOT acceptable and WILL NOT count for Holy Cross credit. 

Grade conversions are as follows:

9.5-10 = A

8.5-9.4 = A-

7.5-8.4 = B+

7.0-7.4 = B

6.5-6.9 = B-

6.0-6.4 = C+

5.5-5.9 = C

5.0-5.4 = C-

4.1-4.9 = D

4.0 & Below = F

After you complete your study abroad term (whether a semester or year), the grades you earn are reported to Holy Cross. All classes taken abroad are listed by their course names on your Holy Cross transcript along with the letter grades you earned, just as they would after any semester on 'the hill'. The difference is that grades earned abroad do not factor into your cumulative GPA. 

Here’s an example: a student who leaves Holy Cross with a 4.0 GPA but earns all 'B's abroad will still have a cumulative 4.0 GPA upon return. This system is designed with students in mind. The College recognizes that opting to spend a semester or year studying in a new academic environment can pose novel challenges. The goal of this generous policy is to encourage students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their GPA.

NO. You cannot and will not take any classes pass/fail abroad. This is one of those "study abroad myths" that for some unknown reason seems to be passed down from study abroad generation to study abroad generation!

Your HC transcript, after your study abroad semester or year, will reflect the grades that you earn abroad. What will NOT be affected is your gpa.

The grades you earn abroad will not factor into your cumulative gpa. This means if you leave for study abroad with a 4.0, and you get all 'B's when you are away, your cumulative gpa when you return to Holy Cross will still be a 4.0. The system is designed with you in mind! Opting to spend a semester or year studying in a completely different academic system is brave. We want to celebrate the work you do abroad by reflecting the letter grades you earn on your transcript. We also understand that it's normal to struggle in a new academic system, therefore we don't factor your grades into your overall gpa. The goal with this policy is to encourage more students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their gpa! 

You can look forward to much more academic independence when you study abroad. In the Spanish system, there is frequently only one (sometimes two) assignments that account for your entire course grade. This puts a lot more pressure on that one assignment, but it means you are free from the myriad of smaller assignments you are accustomed to at Holy Cross. There are resources available if you feel you are struggling or would like extra help. You will need to take the initiative should you need assistance and let the on-site staff know! Here's what Alumni Ambassador Haley Welsh, class of '23, has to say about academics:

The biggest challenge I faced in Spain was adjusting to the academics. I was very used to academics at Holy Cross - the small classes, the relationship with professors - so it definitely took some adjusting to larger classes that were almost completely lectures with very little student discussion. Fortunately, with the Holy Cross Spanish class, I was able to take advantage of at least some time in a small class setting where I had a personal relationship with the professor. 

If you receive academic accommodations at Holy Cross, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at Universidad de León now. It is very important that you take personal ownership over your own experience. It's a good idea to think about the support you might need in advance so we can start planning ahead.  In Spain, academic accommodations are not as common as they are in the United States, and may look a little different to what you are accustomed to at Holy Cross.