When You Return

• The PAO staff has had a few comings and goings. Kathleen McLaren-Hawking has accepted a position in the International Education Office at the University of Virginia, her alma mater, and will be leaving our office on January 3rd, 2012. Kathleen has sent hundreds of students to France, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Botswana, Barbados, Canada, Italy, India, and Germany over her 7 years with us in PAO. We will miss her! After working for 27 years in PAO (since 1984!!), seasoned advisor Molly Ann McCarren retired in June. During her retirement, she plans to do lots of traveling and volunteering in the San Diego Community. PAO and UCSD wish her a happy and relaxing retirement!
• The fourth successful summer of Global Seminars has ended, and we have lined up a new set of programs for next summer in some very exciting places! For more information, visit http://globalseminar.ucsd.edu.
• In Fall, we hired our new student assistants, who you will meet upon your return. They are: Gabriella Benson (EAP Japan and GS France), Elaine Chen (OAP Spain), Frank Lin (EAP South Korea), Katie Lindsey (EAP Germany), Cor Pallanck (EAP Argentina), Beckie Van Alstine (EAP China) and Kayla Whitney (EAP France). Cindy Duong (EAP Japan) is the new AI student assistant. Earth Hasassri (GS Italy & Jordan) returns for another year as a GS student assistant and Naomi Tsuji (GS France) is a new GS student assistant.

Global Leadership Certificate: Launched in Fall 2011, the Global Leadership Certificate Program offers undergraduates a chance to reflect upon your study abroad experiences and the intercultural dynamics of internationally focused campus experiences. 

Petitioning Academic Credit from Abroad

• If you plan to apply any EAP/OAP coursework toward Major, Minor or General Education requirements, you must petition your department(s) and/or college for approval.
• GS students only need to petition courses when they want the GS course to apply toward a requirement outside of the college or department it was taken in.
• Petition forms are available at your college provost office and in academic departments. You must wait for the grades to show up on your UCSD transcript before you may complete the petition process.
• Follow up with the advisors in your college and/or department(s). Submit complete documentation of your work done abroad when you petition, i.e. syllabi, exams, papers, class notes and any other work completed.

EAP Credit

• Course titles, units and grades will appear on your UC San Diego transcript under the heading of EAP. EAP coursework will be considered in UCSD GPA calculations.
• For most of you, your EAP work will be posted to your official transcript during the upcoming quarter. Once it is posted, you may access it via TritonLink at http://tritonlink.ucsd.edu.
• Note: It is possible that your EAP grades will not be posted until after grades for the upcoming quarter are posted. If this poses a problem for anyone applying to graduate school, we can usually help expedite the posting of EAP work, or request a note from the Registrar until grades are available.
• If an EAP course number duplicates a UCSD course number, even though the titles are clearly different, the new DARS (Degree Audit) system may not accept both courses. If this occurs, you should tell your college advisor.

Sample EAP Academic History:

OAP Credit

• If you have not already done so, please request an official transcript of your work done abroad from the sponsor of your program. For evaluation and posting of units on your UCSD transcript, OAP Transcripts MUST be sent to UCSD Admissions Processing, UCSD Admissions Office 0021- A; 9500 Gilman Dr.; La Jolla, CA 92093-0021. If you need posting of your work done abroad expedited, please let us know. We may be able to help.
• Course titles and transfer credits awarded will appear on your UCSD transcript under the heading of OAP (for students who have an OAP Academic Planning Form completed and on file prior to their participation in the program).
• Units, but not grades, transfer; transfer credits are not considered in UCSD GPA calculations since they are not UC courses.
• As OAP grades do not appear on UCSD transcripts, you are advised to submit transcripts from study abroad program sponsors, as well as from UCSD, when applying to graduate schools, or when applying to transfer to another undergraduate institution. Most institutions will require transcripts of all college level work. Therefore, you may want to request extra copies of official transcripts from your program sponsor to have on hand.

Sample OAP Academic Credits posted to UCSD transcript:

Please note, not all coursework is posted in this format as international transcripting systems vary.

Global Seminars Credit

For UC San Diego students, all courses taken on a Global Seminar program are accredited UC San Diego courses. The courses may also fulfill major, minor, graduation, and general education requirements. Non-UC San Diego students should check with their academic advisor to determine how the units will apply towards major, minor, or graduation requirements. Course descriptions are available on the Global Seminars website.

With the Programs Abroad Office

• Send us your best pictures (with you in them) from your time abroad--we may use them on our website or publications! 
• Check your UCSD email for upcoming Returnee Events 
• Share your knowledge with prospective study abroad students at Information Sessions; email your advisor if interested. 
• Assist with Pre-Departure Orientations and/or interviews; email your advisor if interested.  
• Plan your future study/work abroad experiences with the help of the Programs Abroad staff  

With the International Center 

• Join the International Club, a student-run organization that promotes social, educational, and intercultural friendship and awareness. Most activities FREE! Like IClub on Facebook!
• Participate in the Language Exchange Program 
• UC San Diego English in Action Tutor Program-Help an international student, scholar, or spouse improve conversational English skills and become more familiar with the American culture. We provide training and also have a resource library. 
• Meet others with international interests at the International Cafes, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm every Friday. $5 for lunch, drink and dessert!

With Peace Corps 

• A Peace Corps recruiter is housed at Career Services with links to the Programs Abroad Office
• Call (858) 534-3750, email: d1gomez@ucsd.edu
• Applications are available online or at Career Services

With International House

• Participate in I-House activities
• Keep up your foreign language skills through the weekly UC San Diego Language Conversation Tables
• Join Culture Nights, SLAMs (Talent Shows) and Cultural Cafes for good international fun and food
• Sign up for the I-House listserv for all the info on I-House events 
• Join I-House Cares to volunteer with I-Housers who want to change the world!

Other Activities

• Write articles on your experience abroad for The Guardian and College or department newsletters 
• Call the Volunteer Connection (858-534-1414) for cross-cultural and across-the-border activities 
• Do something meaningful during spring break or summer with Alternative Breaks 
• Use the Career Services Center to research international job opportunities
• Participate in activities sponsored by the Cross Cultural Center
• Check out the San Diego Participant Observer for culturually diverse events in San Diego 
• Check your College’s website for intercultural and cross-cultural information, including clubs, committees, events and workshops

Articles

• The Benefits of Study Abroad by Dwyer and Peters
• Coming Home by Citron and Mendelson
• Coming Home After Volunteering Overseas by Collins, DeZerega and Heckscher
• Reverse Culture Shock by The Center for Global Education

Books

• The Art of Coming Home by Craig Storti
• Maximizing Study Abroad – Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use

Movies

• L’Auberge Espagnole is a movie about a French student studying abroad for a year in Spain. The film shows us a range of his experiences —  preparing to study abroad, the joys and challenges of adjusting to a new culture, and his conflicted feelings about returning home.

Videos

• Journeying Home by CET Academic Programs

Websites

• Visit the "What's up with Culture" website
• Check out Transitions Abroad Magazine