MINI-TERMS and Gen Ed Section IV

The purpose of a “Mini-term Abroad” is to provide an alternative way to the traditional Term Abroad for students to complete Section IV of the Gen Ed Program. All “Mini-terms Abroad” should be designed so that students can receive Section IV credit in accordance with the guidelines below.

We recognize that there are valuable mini-term experiences, which may not necessarily be appropriate for Section IV credit. These will be described in the future as “Mini-term Field (or Research) Experiences” for the purposes of distinguishing from those above.

General Education Mini-term Abroad Guidelines

1. Mini-terms should have a foreign travel component of at least three weeks duration
2. The mini-term experience itself carries one course credit
3. The mini-term course will normally not be given either Civilization or Literature credit for Gen Ed (nor Gen Ed science or mathematics credit)
4. In order to receive Section IV credit, there will normally be two courses  attached to the mini-term experience that are relevant in terms of Section IV. These often take the form of a pre-course and a post-course, but there may be exceptions. The Gen Ed Board will rule on the appropriateness of these courses.
5. Under certain circumstances, one of these courses can be replaced by a series of relevant pre- and/or post-seminars. However, if the College offers courses that are relevant to this international experience, then it is expected that students will take these courses. The series of seminars should substitute only when such courses are not available. Students do not receive course credit for a pre- or post-seminar. Any student who is taking a mini-term, but not for the purposes of completing Section IV, is required to complete any associated pre- or post-seminar work in order to receive the course credit for the mini-term course.
6. The first two times a mini-term is offered exceptions may be allowed to the above at the discretion of the Gen Ed Board.

Students who wish to obtain Section IV credit for a mini-term must indicate how they intend to fulfill the above requirements on their application prior to going on the mini-term. In order to receive Section IV credit, the Registrar will need to receive a letter from the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education acknowledging that the student has completed the necessary work.  Click here for the Mini-term form (Word document) for prospective mini-term students.

It is expected that faculty, in planning a mini-term, will take into account the course scheduling of relevant Union courses for the mini-term to enable students to fulfill Section IV without difficulties. Faculty should prepare a list of the appropriate courses as part of their course proposal, and for the benefit of the students.

All existing mini-terms will be expected to abide by these guidelines by the academic year 2002-2003 (with the exception of those programs originating in Division IV, which have until 2003-2004).  

Click here for information about the costs of mini-terms.

Posted April 3, 2002.  Last modified 04/03/02 .
Information supplied by Kimmo Rosenthal, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
Posted by J. Douglass Klein, Associate Dean for Information Technology