Guidelines for Business Students

Smith School students have three potential sources for pursuing study abroad programs:

1. The Smith School's Center for Global Business offers formalized exchange programs with a limited number of high-caliber international Universities. Students have an opportunity to take BMGT courses at these exchange programs, which have comparable business programs.
2. The Study Abroad Office in Holzapfel Hall is the study abroad information source for the entire campus. Students can learn about a variety of international programs in the Study Abroad Office. Please note that while the campus Study Abroad Office can tell you whether credits from a particular international school are typically ACCEPTED at UMCP, they cannot tell you if the credits will be APPLICABLE to your BMGT degree. This is mainly an issue for BMGT courses. Only your BMGT advisor can inform you of the applicability of credits.
3. Students can also pursue study abroad programs through other U.S. universities. The general rule of thumb is that if you are going to an international school through an AACSB accredited university in the United States, it is likely you will be able to get credit for BMGT courses in addition to credit for any upper or lower elective courses.

If you are interested in studying abroad you should:

1. Explore the programs through the Center for Global Business to see if any of their programs fit your interests and needs
   
2. Visit the Study Abroad Office in Holzapfel Hall to research other options
   
3. After narrowing down your choices, make an appointment to meet with your assigned BMGT advisor to discuss potential transferability of coursework
4. Once your program has been approved by BMGT, make an appointment with your Study Abroad Advisor to complete your Study Abroad paperwork
   

Please note that Study Abroad cannot be discussed during a walk-in advising session because of the extensive nature of the material being discussed. Please note the following important guidelines:

• All courses taken by BMGT majors off-campus must be approved in advance by BMGT Undergraduate Studies advisors. Acceptance and applicability of course requirements in fulfillment of BMGT requirements will be determined within the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
• The Smith School will accept credits in fulfillment of University CORE requirements and/or lower and upper-level electives from ANY foreign university that is recognized by the Study Abroad Office. If a CORE area equivalency cannot be determined by a Smith School advisor, the students will be directed to the appropriate department for this evaluation.
• The Smith School will accept credits in fulfillment of upper level BMGT requirements - either core Business requirements or major requirements - only if earned from AACSB-accredited schools which offer international study coursework, or from a limited group of international schools that offer commensurate U.S.-style programs. Please check with your BMGT advisor for details. Course content must be deemed equivalent for courses to be accepted toward BMGT requirements.
• The Smith School does not accept credits in fulfillment of any BMGT requirement from any U.S. university that is not accredited by AACSB. This includes University of Maryland, University College.
• We will review on a case-by-case basis coursework taken at foreign universities with comparable Business programs. Ideally these programs will be our exchange partners through the Center for Global Business (CGB) and will have prior articulation of course equivalencies before accepting credits in fulfillment of BMGT core and major requirements. We have an ongoing process of course evaluation for the exchange programs affiliated with the Center for Global Business. Many of the courses that you might want to take at exchange programs may have already been evaluated. Check with your Undergraduate Studies advisor for details. In the event that a BMGT course you want to take at a CGB exchange has not yet been evaluated, the Undergraduate Studies Office will sign off on these courses only after the appropriate BMGT faculty member has completed a formal evaluation. You will need to provide a course syllabus to your BMGT advisor as far in advance as possible to ensure timely evaluation of the class.
• Please realize that whether you are going abroad through the CGB, the Study Abroad Office, or another U.S. university, ultimately all of your paperwork must be signed by your BMGT advisor AND the Study Abroad Office. This process takes time, so please do not wait until the last minute.
• Note: Students are strongly discouraged from taking the introductory course in their major (i.e. 350 for Marketing majors, 340 for Finance majors) at a foreign institution because it may not adequately prepare you for future courses at UM. Students cannot take the equivalent of BMGT495, BMGT407, or BMGT457 abroad.
• Students cannot take classes Pass/Fail while abroad.
• Students need to leave adequate time for the completion of all paperwork. Study Abroad forms are not completed on an "on demand" basis, as there is usually a formal evaluation that must be completed for the proposed classes.
• It is imperative that students leaving for a study abroad program plan for their next semester's registration before leaving the United States. Students going abroad should take with them an updated copy of their curriculum sheet, their BMGT advisor's email address, their undergraduate catalog and schedule of classes. While abroad students can check their pre-registration date for the next semester via Testudo in the Records and Registration area, and can register via Testudo or MARS.
• Students should know which classes they want to take and arrange for any special requests, such as internship permission, etc., prior to leaving. Note: If you wish to take more than 16 credits in the semester you return, you will need to wait until the first day of classes to register for your final class unless your advisor has approved this in advance. Advisors are only able to approve credit overloads in two situations: 1. if you are a graduating senior attempting a credit overload in your final semester or 2. if you are taking two 4-credit courses, causing your total load to equal 17 credits.