Academic Policies
In order to be accepted to a Global Studies program, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
1. Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing and must have at least a 2.50 overall GPA when applying for the program.
2. Students may not apply for nor participate in a Global Studies program while on academic or disciplinary probation.
Global Studies Programs
St. Kate's is proud to offer unique graduate-level global courses across our graduate programs.
Undergraduates can choose from a wide variety of global studies programs, including J-term, summer, and semester-long experiences. Please see the links below to explore our programs, and be sure to make an appointment with a Global Studies advisor!
Elevate your summer experience by earning credit towards your St. Kate's degree on a Global Studies program. Summer internships are a great opportunity to engage in a career-building experience and receive credit toward your degree. Opportunities are available abroad as well as virtually.
- , choose filter for "Term Name" and then "Summer.
- Application Process
Enrich your graduate program and deepen your appreciation for the interconnectedness of our world by participating in a Global Studies course. Students from all graduate programs develop their knowledge and skills through innovative and specialized courses that delve into critical global issues. St. Kate's faculty-led graduate courses are offered during January (J-term) and summer terms.
Master's of Public Health International Practicum (Summer
HLTH 7100 (200-Hour), HLTH 7101 (50-hour), and HLTH 7103 (150-hour) Practicum
Previous locations include:
- Tanzania
- Ireland
- Kenya
- Ghana
- Romania
- The Philippines
- Zambia
- Local Twin Cities and Virtual International Partnerships
, choose filter "Program Name" and then "MPH"
Take advantage of J-Term to earn credit toward your degree by enrolling in a Global Studies course! St. Kate's offers courses led by our own faculty (see below for information on our Global Search for Justice courses), as well as programs through partner organizations.
Link to Via Link to application process St. Kate's Led non-GSJ programs (link to Via brochure) + See below for GSJ opportunities
- , choose filter for "Term Name" and then "J-term"
- Application Process
January 2025
Immerse yourself in a transformative educational experience that transcends borders and fosters a deeper understanding of global issues. Global Studies GSJ courses offer a unique opportunity to explore social justice topics in diverse cultural contexts. Led by St. Kate's faculty, these courses engage students in critical discussions, experiential learning, and community engagement both locally and abroad.
January 2025
Embark on an enriching academic journey while exploring new cultures and expanding your global perspective!
St. Kate's semester or year-long programs offer a wide range of opportunities to earn credit toward your St. Kate's degree while immersing yourself in global settings. Opportunities are available both in the U.S. and abroad as well as virtually. Students can also elect to include an academic internship during their semester off-campus.
Cancellation Policies
If a student must cancel from a Global Studies program at any time after being approved by Global Studies and accepted by the program, or withdraws once the program has begun, it is the student’s responsibility to:
- Notify both the program and the Office of Global Studies in writing immediately
- Register for St. Kate's courses as soon as possible.
Notice of cancellation must be submitted in writing and submitted to the Office of Global Studies or to globalstudies@stkate.edu.
It is each student’s responsibility to carefully review and understand the cancellation and refund policies for her program. Students are responsible for all financial aid payments made on their behalf by St. Kate’s to the program.
Withdrawing from most programs close to or after a program has begun often results in forfeited deposits or pre-paid expenses and, at times, no refund of fees.
Students are subject to the cancellation policy of their program.
Depending on the date of cancellation, and especially if cancellation occurs near the departure date or after the program begins, the entire program fee may be forfeited.
Cancellations due to medical emergencies or U.S. government shut down (such as passport offices) do not guarantee a full refund, and in some cases, may involve no refund.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Because cancellations prior to departure, even for most medical reasons, do not guarantee a refund, students are strongly encouraged to consider trip cancellation insurance. Information will be made available to you in your on-line application materials.
Health and Safety
Students must verify that they have sufficient insurance coverage while on their program by completing the Insurance Coverage Form in their on-line application.
Many students find that the medical coverage they have at home may cover them while on their program, or with some variance or a higher deductible. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure their insurance coverage is valid and sufficient while on their program.
Be aware that many programs include health insurance as part of the program fee, so students may be covered by multiple health insurance policies.
Students participating programs abroad are welcome to enroll in the St. Kate’s CISI health insurance policy prior to departure but it is not required.
CISI insurance is a primary health insurance policy and can be purchased for the time a student will be studying abroad. The policy will include*:
- Comprehensive accident/sickness coverage
- Medical evacuation
- repatriation of remains
- 24-7-365 worldwide assistance
- A comprehensive security evacuation plan.
* See the CISI brochure for more detailed information and policy exclusions and maximums.
The St. Catherine Health and Wellness Center is a certified travel clinic and you can contact them at 651.690.6714 for more information regarding immunizations, fees, and other health preparations.
Make sure the medication you use is available and legal to use in the destination where you are going by checking the embassy website. If not, find out what steps you may need to take in order to gain approval for its use.
Take medicine you will need for entire program with you:
When transporting medication make sure it is in its original, labeled containers along with documentation of the prescriptions. Learn what documentation you will need in order to bring your medication through customs by checking the embassy website of your destination country.
Restock medicine once you are in program destination:
When you are looking to refill your medicine sure your medications are available at the pharmacy in the same dosage you take at home. If they are not, find out what the implications may be and if there are appropriate substitutes.
Students will receive pertinent information regarding safety from their program provider prior to departure and upon arrival on-site.
Additional preparations and research can be done prior to departure by consulting the US Department of State Travel website. Specific destination information can be found here, including the most up-to-date travel alerts and warnings.
All students are highly encourage to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Benefits to enrolling in this program include:
- Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
- Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
- Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
Family members and loved ones can also enroll in the program to receive these updates as well.
Students are encouraged to register their study abroad program destination, as well as any side trips they may take while overseas.
Students are advised to determine whether any immunizations are required of their host destination early in the process of preparing to study abroad. Information on illnesses and immunizations such as malaria, yellow fever and cholera may be obtained by visiting the Center for Disease Control’s web site at
Planning your global studies experience
The Office of Global Studies is here to support students in planning for virtual, international or U.S. programs. Check out some of the information below about how you can apply to global studies programs.
Students studying on a global studies program for either a semester or a year are registered at St. Kate’s as full-time students and are required to earn at least 12 semester credits each semester.
All students approved by Global Studies will have the course titles, credits, and grades from abroad posted to their St. Kate’s transcript. Grades submitted to St. Kate’s in a system other than letter grades will be converted based on a grading scale approved by St. Kate’s.
Students may opt to take one course per semester with S/U grading. The S/U option is not allowed for major, minor, or Core 1000 or 3990. Unless stated by the major department, the S/U option may be elected for required supporting courses. See the SCU catalog for other requirements.
To take a course S/U, students must make arrangements with St. Kate’s, not with the study abroad program. Students will continue to take the course for a letter grade on the program or university abroad. At the end of the semester abroad, St. Kate’s will record the appropriate S or U grade. Letter grades of C- or above are recorded as S.
To take a study abroad course S/U, you must make a request online at the Registrar’s website. S/U requests must be made by the end of the 11th week after classes abroad begin. Check with Global Studies for specific dates and S/U request deadlines and to verify if a course can be taken for S/U grading.
Students are responsible for making all necessary arrangements for their program to forward a transcript to the Office of Global Studies.
Be aware that transcripts can be delayed from some programs abroad. Sometimes such delays are unavoidable and beyond the responsibility of St. Kate’s. St. Kate’s cannot post credit until an official transcript is received.
Credit earned on Global Studies programs may be applied towards liberal arts, major, or minor requirements with the approval of the division chair.
Division chair signatures ensure the course(s) will fulfill specified graduation requirements. Without approval, there is no guarantee of academic progress within a specific department.
Credit that does not have a specific approval to meet a requirement will normally transfer as general elective credit towards graduation.
Course equivalencies are best obtained prior to departure. After completion of a study abroad term, course equivalencies are not guaranteed.
Students are required to declare their major(s) and minor(s) prior to departure to ensure course approvals will apply to degree program. If the major or minor requirements change while abroad, the student will have already received approval for the course under the previous catalog. If the student is considering an ACTC major or minor, meet with the ACTC advisor in the Academic Advising office, and at the ACTC school to build study abroad courses into their degree plan.
If a student believes that a grade has been recorded in error from the program, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the program directly and request a revised transcript be sent to St. Kate’s. No changes will be made by St. Kate’s without official documentation from the program.
The St. Kate’s Senior Residency requirement states that 24 of the last 32 semester credits must be completed at SCU or an ACTC college. Students who study on a program approved by Global Studies fulfill this requirement while studying abroad, since students remain degree-seeking St. Kate’s students while on their program.