Memorial Building 205
345 Boyer Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
OCS Policies
Semester versus Year Abroad
Whitman permits students to study off-campus for one semester during their academic career at Whitman. Students may petition the Off-Campus Studies Committee for special approval to study abroad for a full academic year if all of the following are true are true:
- The student will be enrolled on the same OCS program for the full year.
There are exceptional academic reasons why a full year would be more beneficial than a single semester (such as a language major wishing to immerse themselves in the host culture). - The student has full support from their major adviser for this plan.
- Note that meeting the above three criteria does not guarantee approval. Approval for full year study abroad is at the discretion of the Off-Campus Studies Committee upon review of the student’s petition application.
Since Semester in the West (SITW) is a Whitman-run program, SITW participants are permitted to apply to study abroad for one semester in addition to their SITW semester.
Aside from the college’s maximum limit of 70 total number of transfer credits applied to a Whitman degree and maximum number of credits transferred into each major, there is no limitation on the number of summer study abroad programs a Whitman student could attend.
Transfer Students & OCS
- All Whitman students must have completed a minimum of 58 credits (junior standing) prior to the start of their OCS program. For students who begin their first year of college at Whitman, students must also have completed 4 semesters of credits at Whitman prior to their OCS semester.
- Transfer students must fulfill both the requirement to have completed a minimum of 58 credits earned prior to study abroad AND complete at least one semester at Whitman College prior to applying for Off-Campus Studies. This means that the soonest a student who has already completed two years of college prior to enrolling at Whitman can study away is their third semester at Whitman. Typically this is the first semester of the student’s senior year.
- Because Whitman has capstone requirements in the senior year, many major departments do not permit their majors to study away during the first or second semester of the senior year. Therefore, transfer students will need to plan carefully to fit in a semester of study abroad. In some cases, transfer students may need to complete an extra semester of college to fit in OCS and meet all graduation requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Email offcampusstudies@whitman.edu to request approval for the new courses you wish to transfer as soon as possible. Include the course title, course description, and what type of credit you would like to receive for the course. OCS staff will consult with your major adviser and/or the Registrar on your behalf about how the credit will transfer and let you know.
Whitman College can only transfer liberal arts and sciences courses to a Whitman degree. However, effective 2024-25 the Whitman Registrar permits up to 10 credits from non-liberal arts courses to be transferred toward the 124 credits needed to graduate.
Yes. Whitman requires that students enroll in a minimum of 15 credits during OCS. This is primarily because OCS students need to be full time students while abroad in order to maintain their legal status as an international student in the host country.
Yes. Whitman requires that study abroad students enroll in the local language unless they have already completed two years of that language (through the 206 level) prior to study abroad.
Yes. Whitman students can transfer up to 19 credits per semester or 38 credits for an academic year from study abroad/OCS programs. However, there are a few exceptions for programs whose duration is longer than a semester, such as the Frontiers Abroad geology program.
No. The Whitman Registrar does not permit transfer of credits for any courses taken Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.
Yes. You must earn a C- or better grade (or equivalent) to apply the credit from your OCS courses to your Whitman degree. If you earn less than a C- in any course, you will not obtain transfer credit from Whitman for that course.
Yes. With the approval of your major adviser, students can transfer up to 8-12 credits total (depending on the major) into your Whitman degree. The total includes AP credit, other US transfer credit like Running Start, as well as OCS credits.
All OCS courses and the grades earned (A through F) are posted on your Whitman transcript. However, you will not receive any transfer credit for courses for which you earned a C- or lower.
No. Whitman does not permit “dual enrollment” during OCS. Meaning that students may not take a Whitman course remotely or a course through another institution remotely while enrolled on their OCS program.
Off Campus Studies
Office Information
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Email or Call to Schedule a Virtual Advising Appt. -
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