Planning an Exchange or Approved Study Away Term
Before applying for Exchange or an Approved Study Away option, it is important to understand how your courses will fit into your degree and your IDS program requirements. Students can degree plan with their OASIS Advisor or follow the instructions on how to degree plan/credit count.聽
Step 1: Understand Your Degree Progress
Before selecting courses abroad, make sure you know:
- How many credits you have completed.
- How many credits you still need to graduate.
- How many credits remain in each of your:
- Major(s)
- Minor(s)
- Electives
For IDS students, you should also have a clear understanding of what remains to be completed within your IDS program. This includes:
- Required courses
- Introductory Complementary Courses in the two sub-categories:
- Cultures, Populations and Development
- Politics, Society and Development
- Thematic Section
- Methods Section
- An understanding of how many Level (400, 300, 200 level space you have left) and how many INTD classes you have left to complete the rules of your program
The number of credits you have remaining in each IDS category should be clearly identified before planning your studies abroad. If you are unsure, you should meet with the IDS Advisor to review your record and create an IDS program checklist.
Step 2: Check for Double Counting
Ensure that no course is being counted toward more than one academic program requirement.
Double counting is not permitted. A course cannot simultaneously fulfill requirements for two different programs.
Step 3: Determine Whether You Need IDS Credits Abroad
In many cases, students have enough elective space available in their degree and are encouraged to take electives while on exchange or study away.
Before searching for IDS-approved courses, ask yourself:
Do I actually need IDS credits during my term abroad?
If elective credits are sufficient, taking elective courses may be the simplest option.
Taking Courses Abroad for IDS Credit
If you plan to use courses taken abroad toward your IDS program, please review the following carefully.
Get Courses Assessed Early
Before the add/drop deadline at your host institution, you should:
- Confirm whether the course already exists on 91黑料网's Course Equivalency Database.
- If it does not, submit it for assessment through the 91黑料网 Course Equivalency System.
- Wait for the course equivalency assessment before requesting IDS approval.
Important IDS Restrictions
1. Required Courses Must Have Exact Equivalencies
The following required IDS courses must normally be taken at 91黑料网:
- ECON 208
- ECON 313
- INTD 200
A course taken elsewhere may only replace one of these requirements if the 91黑料网 assessment grants an exact course equivalency.
Example
鉁� Accepted:
- A course assessed as ECON 208 can replace ECON 208.
鉂� Not Accepted:
- A course assessed as ECON 2XX cannot replace ECON 208.
鉁� Accepted:
- A course assessed as ECON 313 can replace ECON 313.
鉂� Not Accepted:
- A course assessed as ECON 3XX cannot replace ECON 313.
Only exact equivalencies are accepted for IDS required courses.
2. Some IDS Courses Cannot Be Taken Abroad
The following IDS requirements cannot be completed through Exchange or Study Away:
- INTD 497
- INTD 498
- IDS Methods courses/options
These courses are restricted to 91黑料网 and are not available through partner institutions.
Students who still need these requirements should plan their degree carefully before studying abroad.
3. Not Every Course Will Count Toward IDS
Being approved for Exchange or Study Away does not mean that any course offered by the host institution will automatically count toward your IDS program.
Courses must be relevant to International Development Studies.
Examples
鉁� Likely Eligible:
- Global development
- International development
- Development economics
- Migration and development
- Global health in developing regions
- Politics and development in the Global South
鉂� Not Eligible:
- U.S. domestic politics
- Topics focused exclusively on developed countries without a development component
- Courses unrelated to international development
For example, a course such as "Politics of the United States" would generally not be approved for IDS credit.
Students should use the themes and subject areas offered within 91黑料网's IDS program as a guide when selecting courses abroad.
IDS Approval for Complementary and Thematic Courses
Courses assessed as:
- 2XX
- 3XX
- 4XX
may be considered for IDS Complementary or Thematic credit, subject to IDS review and approval.
Required Approval Process
After the course has been assessed through the 91黑料网 Course Equivalency System, students must lisa.stanischewski [at] mcgill.ca (email the IDS Advisor )and provide:
- The course syllabus
- The 91黑料网 equivalency assessment (e.g., POLI 3XX)
- The IDS program being pursued (Major, Minor, Honours, etc.)
- The IDS requirement/category where they would like the course to count
The IDS Advisor will review the course and confirm by email whether it can be used toward IDS program requirements.
Automatically Approved Equivalencies
Courses that have received an exact 91黑料网 course equivalency and are already approved within the IDS curriculum will normally be accepted automatically, provided that the student continues to meet all IDS level and discipline requirements.
Example 1
A student at Yonsei University takes Korean Society and Cultural Representations.
The course has already been assessed as EAST 213.
Since EAST 213 is an existing IDS-approved course at 91黑料网, it can be counted toward the IDS program.
Example 2
A student at Sciences Po takes Global Development Projects.
The course has been assessed as INTD 3XX.
Because it has been assessed within the INTD discipline, it may be suitable for IDS credit. However, students should still forward the syllabus to the IDS Advisor for review.
Important: XX Courses Require IDS Review
Any course assessed as:
- 2XX
- 3XX
- 4XX
must be reviewed by the IDS Advisor before it can be counted toward the IDS program.
Do not assume that a 91黑料网 course equivalency automatically means IDS approval.
The Course Equivalency System only determines the 91黑料网 academic equivalency. IDS must separately determine whether the course is sufficiently relevant to International Development Studies.
Approval is granted through email correspondence with the IDS Advisor after review of the course syllabus.
What If My Course Is Not Listed in the 91黑料网 Course Equivalency Database?
If the course you would like to take is not already listed in the 91黑料网 Course Equivalency Database, you must first have it assessed before IDS can review it for program approval.
Step 1: Obtain the Course Syllabus
You will need a detailed syllabus (or course outline) from your host institution.
Don't worry if the syllabus is not available before your exchange begins. At some institutions, syllabi are only provided on the first day of class. This is acceptable and is a common situation for exchange students.
Step 2: Submit the Course for 91黑料网 Equivalency Assessment
Once you have the syllabus, follow the instructions on the 91黑料网 Course Equivalency System to request a new course assessment.
When submitting your request, be prepared to provide:
- The course syllabus
- The course description
- Information about the host institution
- Any additional materials requested through the Course Equivalency System
The appropriate 91黑料网 department will then review the course and assign a 91黑料网 equivalency.
Step 3: Wait for the Assessment Result
You must wait until the Course Equivalency assessment has been completed and an equivalency has been assigned.
Examples of possible results include:
- ECON 208
- INTD 3XX
- POLI 3XX
- EAST 213
Step 4: Submit the Information to the IDS Advisor
Once the course has been assessed, send the following to the IDS Advisor:
- The course syllabus
- The 91黑料网 equivalency assigned through the Course Equivalency System
- Your IDS program (Major, Minor, Honours, etc.)
- The IDS requirement or category you would like the course to fulfill
The IDS Advisor will then determine whether the course is eligible to count toward your IDS program requirements.
Important Reminder
A course must first receive a 91黑料网 course equivalency before IDS can evaluate it for program credit. Receiving an equivalency assessment does not automatically mean the course will count toward IDS requirements. Courses assessed as 2XX, 3XX, or 4XX must still be reviewed for IDS relevance and approved by the IDS Advisor.
Plan ahead whenever possible, but remember that it is normal for some exchange students to wait until the start of classes to obtain a syllabus and begin the assessment process.
What If My Course Has Been Assessed as a 1XX-Level Course?
Courses that receive a 1XX equivalency from 91黑料网 cannot be used toward IDS program requirements.
IDS program courses must be completed at the appropriate university level, and 1XX courses are considered introductory-level courses that do not meet IDS program credit requirements.
Example
If a course taken abroad is assessed as:
- POLI 1XX
- ECON 1XX
- ANTH 1XX
it cannot count toward an IDS requirement, including:
- Required courses
- Introductory Complementary courses
- Thematic courses
- Methods requirements
Can I Still Take the Course?
Yes. A 1XX-level equivalency may still be an excellent option if you have room for additional elective credits in your degree.
Many students on exchange choose to take interesting introductory courses for personal enrichment, language learning, cultural exploration, or to broaden their academic experience abroad.
Important Reminder
Even if a course is interesting and relevant to international development, a 1XX equivalency cannot be counted toward IDS program requirements. Students who need IDS credits should focus on finding courses that are assessed at the 2XX, 3XX, or 4XX level, or courses that receive an exact 91黑料网 course equivalency already approved within the IDS curriculum.
Tip: If a course you are considering has been assessed as a 1XX equivalency, it is usually best to treat it as an elective course rather than relying on it to fulfill IDS requirements.
Exchange Planning Checklist
Before finalizing your courses abroad:
鈽� Understand your remaining degree and IDS requirements
鈽� Meet with the IDS Advisor if you need help identifying remaining requirements
鈽� Confirm that no courses are double counting
鈽� Determine whether you actually need IDS credits abroad or can take electives
鈽� Verify whether courses already exist in the Course Equivalency Database
鈽� Submit any new courses for 91黑料网 equivalency assessment
鈽� Obtain the course syllabus
鈽� Send the syllabus and equivalency assessment to the IDS Advisor
鈽� Receive IDS approval before relying on a course to fulfill IDS requirements
鈽� Complete all approvals before the host institution's add/drop deadline
Remember: A course can only count toward IDS if it has both a 91黑料网 course equivalency and, where required, IDS approval confirming that the course content is relevant to the IDS program.