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Suggested Programs for History

History lessons among the Roman Fora


If you take an interest in world history, study abroad should be a slam dunk decision. Whether you gain new perspective on world history, you find a new area of specialization, or you need to be somewhere to make history come alive, studying history abroad should be an easy decision for most. The flexibility in the major with upper-division electives simplifies receiving credit more than for most other majors, too.

Programs Featuring History Opportunities

Italy: Art, Food and Society

Specially designed UC courses in the social sciences and humanities taught in English. Small classes use site visits in Rome and beyond to bring the subjects to life.

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France: Food, History, and Culture in Paris

Add a European perspective to your major in one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Learning alongside UC students from across California, you can take courses taught in English in a variety of topics in the social sciences and humanities. Explore French politics, food, media, or art; learn about the many histories of Paris; discover France's pursuit of happiness; and get an immersive introduction to French language.

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Mexico: Contemporary Mexico

Spend five weeks examining contemporary Mexico through its history, culture, politics, and language. In-class activities, field trips, and excursions, as well as Spanish language instruction, complement instruction.

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Italy + Spain: Sustainable Food Systems

Take a closer look at the social and political complexities of the Mediterranean through its food and nutrition. In studying the contrasts and similarities of each location, you’ll unlock the answers to evolving questions: How can we think about the Mediterranean as a region of unified culture, and where does this notion come apart?

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United Kingdom: London's Calling

Explore British culture, politics, history, and society from a variety of perspectives. The curriculum pays special attention to London as a social and cultural powerhouse in the world, and it draws on the special resources of greater London to examine these dynamics. Through course trips and cultural activities, London becomes your classroom.

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Immersion & Exchange Programs Suggested for History

Singapore: National Univ. of Singapore (NUS)

Take classes in most UC majors taught by faculty from around the world, and engage with this top level university community through research, clubs, sports, and cultural activities.

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United Kingdom: Univ. of St. Andrews and Univ. of Glasgow

Scotland offers a wealth of cultural options, scenic beauty and just a hint of mystery as home to the legendary Loch Ness (and perhaps the even more beguiling kilt and bagpipe). St. Andrew's and Glasgow both offer top 100 history programs in the world. Consider Glasgow for a big-city experience complete with haggis in gastropubs, friendly locals and one of the liveliest indie music scenes outside of London. For a truly student-centric experience, coastal St. Andrews strikes a fine balance as a small town with a big name, drawing scholars from all over the world.

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Learn more about deadlines, details, and the application for St. Andrew's

Canada: Univ. of British Columbia

UCEAP at UBC offers your choice of regular university courses at the Vancouver campus with opportunities for study in a wide range of most academic disciplines, including history; UBC has the highest ranked history program in Canada.

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Spain: Carlos III Univ. of Madrid

Program focused on Spain and Europe for international students offered by innovative university. Opportunities to take some classes with Spanish students and participate in activities organized by EAP office on campus.

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Korea: Yonsei Univ.

Enroll in courses taught in English or Korean in most UC majors with the opportunity to become part of the Yonsei community through internships, student clubs and activities and campus housing.

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Internship Opportunities for MAJOR Majors

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Research Opportunities for MAJOR Majors

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Global & International Opportunities

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Summer Physics Abroad

One potential route to study abroad for STEM students is to tackle a full year of introductory physics over the summer. Typically, this is the summer between students’ first and second year at UC Merced. Consider these options:

Australia: Sydney Summer Physics

Earn a full year of calculus-based physics credit in just eight weeks. Fulfill math requirements for the life sciences or get a jump on pre-med coursework and experience life in Sydney, Australia.

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Cyprus: Nicosia Summer Physics

Study intensive physics for the life sciences in beautiful Cyprus. Note that this program is better suited to biological sciences students than other STEM students.

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Ireland: Cork Summer Physics

In just eight weeks at the University College Cork, you can earn a full year of calculus-based physics credit, get a jump on math coursework, or prepare for a pre-med track. Lab experiments and group workshops expand your science knowledge with students from around the world.

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Spain: Madrid Summer Physics

Add some sizzle to your summer—study in Madrid and return with a full year of physics credit. This intense 8-week program is ideal for life sciences majors who want to get a quick boost in academics.

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United Kingdom: Glasgow Science & Engineering

As the home to the James Watt School of Engineering and the School of Life Sciences, the University of Glasgow offers the perfect environment for this intensive physics summer program.

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United Kingdom: Summer in Sussex

Minutes from the sparkling seafront, Sussex is quintessentially English, with spectacular castles, greenery, and attractions fit for royals. Pre-med and life sciences majors can earn up to a year of physics credit in two months!

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Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Opportunities

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Human Bio Opportunities

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Engineering-Specific Opportunities

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Advanced MAJOR Opportunities

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Completing Other SSHA Requirements Abroad

SSHA students, in general, can take advantage of the requirement to complete four (4) non-major upper-division general education courses—or equivalent—from SSHA areas as varied as English literature to economics. Most SSHA students complete one or more of these required courses while studying abroad. These courses must be reviewed through the   SSHA course approval form.

SSHA students must also complete a total of 60.0 semester units in order to graduate. SSHA students complete many of these units within their major but often need more and can complete these requirements abroad.

Course Approval and Course Approval Forms

With a few exceptions of previously approved courses (ask your academic advisor), courses will need to be approved to meet individual degree requirements. In these cases, students will use the Course Approval Form for the school that would typically offer such a course at UC Merced:

 

The school will often require a syllabus or equivalent in order to do a review. Keep in mind that syllabi may be protected intellectual property of certain professors or universities and may not be publicly posted online. If it is a UC Center program, you may be able to acquire syllabi through your study abroad advisor. If the program is with a local host university and the course is not posted online, you may be able to inquire with the instructor or host university in some cases.

Academic Planning

No matter your academic intentions while studying abroad, you should consult your academic advisor and your MyDegreePath report to plan out your study abroad academic goals. Once you narrow your search to 1-3 study abroad programs consult your program page or ask your study abroad advisor about resources for researching courses in your program.

 

Start planning for study abroad with your academic advisor as soon as you can. One of the keys to maximizing academic success abroad is early planning and scheduling course loads before, during, and after study abroad. This includes strategies such as targeting a study abroad term to exploit areas of flexibility in your academic plan.

Be sure to make use of UCEAP course credit resources below, too.

 

UC Merced Campus Credit through UCEAP

How to Explore Database of Courses Previously Taken

 

Campus Credit Abroad

Planning the courses you’ll take on study abroad is as important as figuring out when and where to go. All courses taken on the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) are guaranteed UC credit, but understanding how each class may fit into your academic plan is a critical part of the planning process.

UCEAP Database of Courses Previously Taken

How to Find Courses for UCEAP

One of the challenges with academic planning and completing the Academic Planning Form is finding courses. While there is never any certainty with course offerings and study abroad always requires a little calculated academic risk, there are some techniques to minimize the risk and exploit unique educational opportunities through study abroad.

Courses & Credit Tab

For nearly every UCEAP program page, there will be a tab labeled “Courses & Credit.” Within this tab you will find information and links in the “Course Opportunities” area. The course resources are listed in order of relevance. Depending on the program, you might find any of the following resources:

  1. Course syllabi
  2. Links to academic majors or programs with courses
  3. A bulleted list of courses

MyEAP Course Catalog

All UCEAP coursework taken in the last five (5) years is listed in the UCEAP Course Catalog. There are a few things you should consider when using the MyEAP Course Catalog:

  1. The list of courses is not comprehensive.
  2. Course units are listed in quarter units (to convert to semester units, divide by 1.5).
  3. Syllabi are not included.
  4. You may need to search less intuitive subject areas to find coursework (e.g. health sciences for public health, "engineering" for bioengineering, business for management and business economics).

Check Previously Approved Courses

There are a few resources available showing coursework previously approved for study abroad online. The resources are limited but they do represent some of the more recent course approvals:

A Note on Course Syllabi

Your academic advisor or school may insist that you need syllabi in order to determine whether a course abroad will substitute a particular degree requirement. While this is generally true, this does not prevent you from planning out your academic schedule abroad and determining what type of degree requirements a course may fulfill.

Sometimes your study abroad advisor or UCEAP can acquire a syllabus on your behalf; however, this is not always the case. Please understand that syllabi are often considered intellectual property and may not be shared until the course begins. Previously approved courses (see above) are often your first go-to resource to select courses.