Obtaining credit for Slavic Courses at Universities in Central and Eastern Europe

Many students wish to take courses at Universities abroad. In particular, students in Slavic Department courses may wish to further their training in Slavic languages or literatures at a University in the target country. As a general rule, the Slavic Department recommends that students perfect their language skills in a native environment.

It is certainly possible to obtain credit at the University of Toronto for these courses taken elsewhere, but students should take the following steps to simplify this process. Students should also remember that their is no guarantee that the credit will be given. However, past experience indicates that credit will usually be given.

1. Students should ALWAYS consult their professor first. Get the professor's advice and recommendation regarding your programme and schedule as well as the university where you intend to study. Do not choose a university unless it is recommended by your professor.

2. The University of Toronto has no mechanism for ascertaining in advance that credit will be given for any particular course at a university in Europe. Thus, the student is always taking something of a risk. The student can only request an assessment of a particular course for transfer credit AFTER the course has been completed and a transcript issued. The Faculty of Arts and Science rules about studying abroad and transferring credit are available on the Arts and Science web site at this address: http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/tc/postadmission/
Have a look particularly under "Where can I study?"

3. Advise the undergraduate coordinator of the Slavic Department of your intention to study abroad. You are also advised to write to the transfer credit office to ask for advice and to leave a paper trail of your intention to take courses outside of North America.
Transfer Credit Section
Room 1006, Sidney Smith Hall
100 St. George St.
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3

4. On your return, file the paperwork for transfer credit. The transfer credit office will ask the Slavic Department to evaluate the course. Since you had your professor's recommendation and since you informed the undergraduate coordinator of your intentions, the Department will give a positive recommendation.

5. The Slavic Department does not award the credit, it only makes a recommendation. Only the Faculty of Arts and Science can actually make the award of a credit. The award of the credit may depend on other factors, such as how many transfer credits you already have.