University of Edinburgh Courses

You will take a total of 15 credit hours, typically divided over three to six classes. In addition, you may also take 1 of 2 additional course options with Arcadia, detailed below.

  • Please review your courses with your academic or study abroad advisor to ensure they will transfer back to your home school and that you are following your home school’s policies.
  • Please be flexible – we can’t guarantee specific courses. If your participation in the program depends on a particular course, be sure to make a note on your online preferences form.

Optional Arcadia Courses

On this program, in addition to your course load at the University of Edinburgh, you may enroll in one of the following courses with Arcadia. You may choose to underload at the University of Edinburgh if you are taking Arcadia elective classes. Please indicate your interest on your Academic Preferences Form.

Travel-Writing Cornerstone Course

COURSE ID TITLE CREDITS TERM SYLLABUS Video
SCOT ENTW 218 Cross-Cultural Travel Writing Scotland 3 Spring/Fall PDF Watch

Independent Study

COURSE ID TITLE CREDITS TERM SYLLABUS
SCOT STIS 370 Independent Research - Scotland 3 Spring/Fall PDF

 

Special Considerations

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has devised a number of study abroad special interest programs for you to take classes within a specialized area.

Course Restrictions

  • Firm course restrictions for admittance into Third Year/Honours Courses (course numbers beginning with 10000).
  • First and second-year courses begin with the numbers 08000- and 09000.

You can only take Year Three classes (Honours Level classes) in a subject if you fulfill the below:

  • Have completed at least two full years of a 4-year degree
  • 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA
  • At least three classes in that subject, at the college level
  • Earned grades of B or above in the pre-requisite courses
  • Subject-specific; for example, fulfilling third-year class requirements in English will not allow you to take third-year classes in Psychology
  • The above are required by Edinburgh and are not flexible

For all of the pre-requisites:

  • Edinburgh only considers University/College level courses
  • AP credits are not applicable

If you did not fulfill requirements for admission to Year 3 Honours courses at application, but you do fulfill them upon arrival:

  • Bring an official transcript with you that shows the classes you’ve completed between application and arrival
  • Edinburgh will reconsider your eligibility for those classes

Exceptions

Entry to the following carries certain additional restrictions.

English Literature Honours courses:

  • Previously completed at least 4 literature courses at grade B or above. 
  • Courses in different but related subject areas do not count towards these requirements (e.g. civilization/interdisciplinary/Freshman Year Seminars/composition/creative writing classes/workshops). 
  • Limited to enrolling in one course at this level and should plan to include other options at the non-Honours level on their academic preferences form.

Political Science courses:

  • Required to have previously completed at least 4 political science courses at grade B or above for Honours level courses.
  • Limited to enrolling in one course prior to arrival. 

Economics Honours courses:

  • Previously completed at least 4 semester-long Economics courses at grade B or above:
    • Must include courses in both Intermediate Macroeconomics (with calculus);  Intermediate Microeconomics (with calculus); and Probability and Statistics.
    • If macroeconomics and microeconomics courses are not calculus-based, then, in addition, Calculus (or Mathematics for Economics) is required.
  • Some courses will also require that you have completed a course in Introductory Econometrics, earning a grade of B or higher. Contact your Program Manager for more information.

Language courses above introductory level:

  • Subject to a language test on arrival and at the discretion of the course organizer.

Restricted Levels/Departments

  • Space in Honors Level/Year 3 Psychology classes is very limited
  • Fourth Year courses are not open to undergraduate study abroad students.
  • Studio Art, Architecture and Design courses offered through the Edinburgh College of Art are not available to study abroad students.
  • Informatics/Computer Science: study abroad students are only allowed to register for 20 Edinburgh credits in this department. 

Choosing Your Courses

University of Edinburgh is divided into two colleges:

  • College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
  • College of Science and Engineering

You will take the majority of your credits (at least 40 Edinburgh credits) in one of these colleges.

In the University of Edinburgh study abroad Course Catalog:

  • Select your period of study.
  • Courses are listed by school and subject.
  • Select a course to view the delivery period, normal year taken, requirements, credits, and a brief description. Please review your course choices with your academic or study abroad advisor, and submit the online course form to The College of Global Studies at Arcadia University. List about 6-8 classes on your course form.
  • Please note: 20 UK credits = 5 U.S. credits and 10 UK credits = 2.5 U.S. credits
Delivery Period Normal Year Taken
Semester One = Fall Semester 1st Year = a Sophomore level course
Semester Two = Spring Semester 2nd Year = a Junior level course
Full Year = Academic Year 3rd Year = Honors Level = a Senior/Graduate level course

Enrollment Process

Submit your Academic Preferences Form through your Arcadia Passport.

List all course choices and alternates in order of preference. Your first choices may not be available due to timetabling, prerequisite, or availability issues. List about 10 classes on your course form.

This form is used only to determine your eligibility for admission and for the pre-registration process at Edinburgh. 


Grade Scale

The following information is vetted and provided by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) on the Electronic Database for Global Education (EDGE).

Percentage Description U.S. Equivalent
70 – 100% First Class A
60 – 69% Second Class Upper B+
50 – 59% Second Class Lower B
40 – 49% Third Class/Pass
0 – 39% Fail  F
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COPYRIGHT AACRAO EDGE.