The General Education Global Perspectives requirement is *AUTOMATICALLY FULFILLED* by taking ANY 3-credit course abroad.

You will need to secure a general course equivalency in order for GVSU to transfer your course and assign Global Perspectives credit. See our Course Approval Process page for more information about how to do this.

Please note: The course you take DOES NOT need to match the courses listed as Global Perspectives credit at GVSU.

When you complete your program and the credit is entered into Banner for the courses you took abroad, Records will assign the Global Perspectives credit to one of the courses that you completed.

Students can fulfill any of the following Foundations General Education courses abroad:

• Arts
• Historical Analysis
• Life Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Philosophy and Literature
• Physical Sciences
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Students may not earn credit for both a Foundations requirement and an Issues requirement for the same course.

NOTE:

• U.S. Diversity cannot be fulfilled abroad. Certain faculty-led courses fulfill U.S. Diversity IN PLACE of Global Perspectives.
• A single course cannot earn both Global Perspectives and U.S. Diversity.
• Students may not earn credit for both a Foundations requirement and an Issues requirement for the same course.

Process for Requesting Approval:

1. Review list of courses available at host institution to identify courses you could take in the Foundations categories you would like to fulfill.
2. Review the pre-approved course list for your program to determine if the course you want to take has been pre-approved by GVSU and/or if it is already approved as a Foundations course.
3. Request departmental approval from the appropriate GVSU department if the course has not been pre-approved. Please note: The GVSU academic department cannot grant general education approval. The course needs a departmental approval so that the General Education department can grant approval.

Please follow the process for General Education Foundations on the Course Approval Process page or reference your pre-departure materials.

FOR STUDENTS WHO STUDIED ABROAD BEFORE WINTER 2026

1. Review list of courses available at host institution to identify courses you could take in the Foundations categories you would like to fulfill.
2. Review the pre-approved course list for your program to determine if the course you want to take has been pre-approved by GVSU and/or if it is already approved as a Foundations course.
3. Complete the Foundations Approval Form to request approval from the General Education Office

You do not have to be junior status to take your Issues courses abroad! In this section you can learn more about how to satisfy your Issues requirement through your study abroad program:

It may be possible to satisfy two Issues courses abroad depending on your program.

Exchange/Provider

• You can take TWO 3-credit courses abroad from ANY discipline and satisfy TWO Issues requirements.
• You can take ONE 3-credit course abroad from any discipline to satisfy ONE Issues requirement. You will need to take the other Issues course at GVSU from a DIFFERENT discipline.

Faculty-Led

• If the program offers TWO 3-credit courses from DIFFERENT disciplines, you can satisfy TWO Issues requirements.
• If the program offers TWO 3-credit courses from the SAME discipline, you can only satisfy ONE Issues requirement abroad. You will need to take the other Issues course at GVSU from a DIFFERENT discipline.
• If the program offers ONE 3-credit course, you can satisfy ONE Issues requirement abroad. You will need to take the other Issues course at GVSU from a DIFFERENT discipline.

Internships Abroad

• You can take ONE 6-credit courses abroad from ANY discipline and satisfy TWO Issues requirements.
• You can take ONE 3-credit course abroad from any discipline to satisfy ONE Issues requirement. You will need to take the other Issues course at GVSU from a DIFFERENT discipline.

Important Notes:

• Courses taken abroad cannot count for both Issues and Foundations credit.
• Independent study, independent research, and independent readings (XXX 399 and XXX 499) courses cannot be used to satisfy Issues credits.
• If an Issues course taken on-campus is cross-listed in two disciplines, your second Issues course must be taken from a third discipline.

Select one of the six Issues topics listed below. Reflect on the entirety of your experience abroad which includes your course work and your experiences outside of the classroom (i.e., sight-seeing, mass transportation, lodging, encounters with other people in the country, buying food, etc.). You may select topics underneath the broader issue, just be sure to list both the issue and the specific topic you are addressing.

Only 1 reflection paper is needed to fulfill entire General Education Issues requirement (1 paper for both courses, 1-2 pages single-spaced).

1. Information, Innovation, and Technology - Including issues related to media, privacy, access, transparency, intellectual property, ethics, economics, creativity, education, politics, etc.
2. Health - Including issues related to equity, disparities, health systems, finance, access, ethics, quality of care, safety, happiness, human development, genetics, etc.
3. Human rights - including issues related to political systems, power, war, peace, violence, terrorism, wealth, poverty, privacy, religion, gender, women, children, disabilities, labor aging, incarceration, torture, etc.
4. Identity - Including issues related to gender, sexuality, religion, culture, race, class, family, community, difference, education, technology, etc.
5. Globalization - Including issues related to capitalism, economic justice, health, migration and immigration, communication, borders, education, etc.
6. Sustainability - Including issues related to the environment, population, natural resources, economic development, social justice, energy, etc.

Reflection Questions:

1. Describe the similarities in perspective on the problem, causes, and potential solutions to the Issue between the U.S. and the country you visited

2. Describe the differences in perspectives on the problem, causes, and potential solutions to the Issue between the U.S. and the country you visited.

3. Describe how the study abroad experience developed your skills in Collaboration, Integration, and Problem-Solving

Note: You must submit your Issues Form (Which includes your reflection paper) to the General Education office within 60 days of your return from studying abroad. Contact the General Education office if it is past the 60 days and you plan on still submitting the form [email protected]

BELOW: Select the Issues Form based on the type of program you participated in.

Follow these steps to request SWS credit:

Before You Go:

1. Review SWS requirements at GVSU at: www.gvsu.edu/sws
2. Find courses at your host institution abroad that meet the SWS criteria.

When You Return:

1. Upon return to GVSU, prepare the documents from your course. This will include your course syllabus and all of your completed writing assignments.
2. E-mail these documents to the Director of SWS: Lindsay Ellis [email protected]
3. SWS Director will review supporting documents. Student will be notified of final approval.

*** PLEASE NOTE:

Students must work with the SWS director upon return from their study abroad program to request SWS credit.

SWS approval will not be determined until after completion of the course. Approval will not be made prior to departure.