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Chemistry Education Abroad Guide

Flora under the sea in the Galapagos Islands by Scott Taylor
CU Boulder Education Abroad offers over 400 programs in over 60 countries! You can go abroad for a semester, year, and/or 2-12 weeks in the summer. Going abroad is encouraged by the Chemistry department. Use the following information as a general guideline to plan your time abroad, and connect with your academic advisor as well. Work with Education Abroad advisors to get more details on how to get started, discuss your program options, and next steps. 

Spending a semester abroad takes some good advance planning with your Academic Advisor. Since it is unlikely to find courses abroad that fulfill requirements needed for a chemistry major, students are encouraged to consider saving some A&S Gen Ed courses or general elective courses to pursue abroad. Because of the sequential nature of the degree program in chemistry, going abroad during the summer to complete A&S Gen Ed courses or general electives reduces the risk of "getting off track" and incurring additional semesters at CU Boulder. It is strongly encouraged to talk with your Academic Advisor to see what best fits in your schedule so you can make the most of your time here at CU Boulder.

Quick Facts

  • Connect with your academic advisor to figure out the best time for you to go abroad, especially if you are considering a semester abroad
  • Save some A&S Gen Ed or general elective courses to take while abroad as it's difficult to complete CHEM requirements abroad
  • The Chemistry department typically does not publish a list of pre-approved courses - work closely with your academic advisor to get courses evaluated.

Planning and When to Go

  • First-year and Sophomore: Connect with your academic advisor early to start planning! Students in the CHEM major can benefit from going on study abroad as early as the second semester of the sophomore year. Summer is the best time to study abroad for CHEM majors.  If you are planning to study abroad after sophomore year, save some A&S Gen Ed courses for study abroad. If you are considering applying to med school or another health program, discuss the timing of study abroad with your pre-health advisor. 
    Junior: Generally in this major, the best option for education abroad is the summer where general/enrichment courses can be completed. Keep in mind that a non-summer term abroad can have significant impact on completing the major requirements as it's difficult to complete CHEM requirements abroad. Work with your advisor to determine how study abroad will influence your graduation timeline.
    Senior: Work closely with your advisor to ensure that you can get all of your requirements completed.

What Kind of Credit Can You Earn Abroad?

Usually Doable Tricky Probably Not
General Electives  A&S Gen Ed CHEM A&S Gen Ed CHEM A&S Gen Ed CHEM
Overall credit hours  Arts and Humanities, Natural Science (Non-Lab), Social Sciences N/A Global Diversity General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry Natural Science (Lab), Written Communication Pre-reqs for medical school or any other health-related graduate/ professional program

Suggested Programs

Use these links to find programs that may be a good match for you and your course needs.
   

Additional Resources

 
Last Updated June 2024