Course Equivalency
At Baruch College, credit for study abroad is awarded strictly on the basis of course equivalency. What this means is that any course you take at a foreign university or study abroad program must closely match a course offered at Baruch in terms of content and academic level. All Baruch students who study abroad must have the Study Abroad courses approved in advance whenever possible. All decisions regarding course equivalencies for foreign university courses are made by the chair or designated representative of the relevant Baruch department.
When completing your Application to Study Abroad, you will be asked to find courses at the host institution, obtain syllabi or other documentation to help the departments make the decision, and suggest an equivalent Baruch College course. Detailed instructions on how to choose and enter courses for your Application to Study Abroad are given below.
Academic Credit Policies
All Baruch students who study abroad earn academic credit: No course taken abroad will be recorded on a student’s transcript unless it has been approved for Baruch credit by the appropriate department. As long as you obtain approval for the course(s) you are taking abroad, your credits will transfer to Baruch. However, there are certain requirements you need to meet in order to ensure that you receive credit. We have summarized some of the most important of these below.
Course Prerequisites
The same basic policies apply to courses taken abroad as apply to courses taken at Baruch: you may only take certain courses if you have completed the prerequisite(s). However, students studying abroad are sometimes granted a temporary waiver for a pre- or co-requisite course. This means that you may be approved to take a more advanced course abroad before you complete the pre- or co-requisite(s).
Please note: If you receive a pre- or co-requisite waiver, you are still required to complete the course(s) temporarily waived when you return, unless you are granted an exemption from taking the course(s). An exemption from a pre- or co-requisite requires the written approval of the Chair of the department offering the Baruch equivalency and the Dean’s Office of the appropriate School.
The credits and grade (if applicable) for the course taken abroad will not be posted until you have completed the pre- or co-requisite(s) or obtained an exemption and submitted it to the Director of Study Abroad.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet all requirements to take any course abroad for Baruch credit.
Business Courses Abroad for Prospective Students
As with prerequisites, if you wish to take a course abroad which is equivalent to a 3000+ level business course, you must have been admitted to the Zicklin School of Business, or obtain special permission (which is granted only if you will have completed all Zicklin core prerequisites prior to your study abroad). For example, in order to receive credit for a course at the Copenhagen Business School that is equivalent to Baruch FIN 3710, Baruch students (1) must have been admitted to the Zicklin School of Business (or obtained special permission), and (2) must have completed FIN 3000, which is a pre-requisite for FIN 3710, or obtained a Prerequisite Waiver.
Study Abroad Credit limits
A minimum of 60 percent of the credits in the major field must be completed at Baruch College. A transfer student must meet all degree requirements and take a minimum of 30 credits at Baruch for the BA or BS degree and 31 credits for the BBA degree.
Zicklin Graduate Student Credits
If you are enrolled in a graduate program of the Zicklin School of Business, the credits you earn studying abroad on one of Baruch’s exchange programs count as in-residence credit, not as transfer credit. These credits are not counted towards the maximum students are currently allowed to transfer.
Courses limited to Baruch Campus
Certain courses in the curriculum at Baruch must be taken in-residence, and thus will NOT be approved for study abroad. Those include:
- BUS 1000
- BPL 5100
- Capstone courses for all majors and minors (any exceptions must be approved in advance and in writing by the Chair of the Department in question and the Director of Study Abroad)
- FIN 4610 or FIN 4710 (students may take either FIN 4610 or FIN 4710 abroad, but not both)