After reviewing Global Studies departmental guidance, students may “petition” for courses to count for major credit that are taken through transfer coursework, study abroad coursework, or through UCSB courses not currently listed on the major sheet. 

Students in the Global Studies major often also use the petition process to connect evidence of foreign language proficiency to their preparation for the major foreign language requirement area (for example, placement test results, or equivalent transfer language coursework.)

To submit a course petition:

  1. Verify that the course or language evidence you want to submit can count towards the area of the major requirements using our petition criteria sheet. Additionally, run your Major and GE Progress Check to confirm that your submission is a good fit for the area to which you’d like it to apply. If needed, verify with an advisor. 
  2. Save all syllabi and course materials (final papers, projects, etc) from the course, especially UCEAP courses. For foreign language requirement placement tests or evaluations, plan to gather and upload evidence of evaluation (an email from the department with your score, a signed waiver, etc.)
  3. Using the Google Form linked below, submit your request by the rolling quarterly deadline (end of week 7 each quarter; we process requests during week 8 in time for College approval by the end of the quarter.) Upload a course syllabus or fluency evaluation evidence where prompted so that we can confirm that your submission is a fit for that particular major requirement area.

Notes on the petition process:

  • The department advising team submits your petition to the College for final approval and updating in your Major and GE Progress Check. Once we submit it for College approval, it can take several days to several weeks for the final approval and update to your Major and GE Progress Check, so please plan ahead, but do not be alarmed if it seems to be taking some time to update from when you submitted your request on the Google Form.
  • As long as you have carefully read through our petition criteria sheet and submitted appropriate course choices for appropriate major requirement areas (only submitting upper division courses for upper division major requirement areas, only submitting letter graded courses for major requirement areas), you can be assured that they will be accepted in that area (and you can schedule plan accordingly, even if final approval for your petition(s) is still pending.)
  • For UCEAP courses, please note that these often take up to 3-4 months to appear with final grades in the “all credit accepted” section of your progress check. We can only process petitions once a course listing appears in your progress check, so if you submit a request for a UCEAP course not yet in your Major and GE Progress Check, we’ll typically approve it during our next petitions processing session (week 8 of the following quarter). 
  • We will contact you by email during week 8/9 if we notice an issue with your petition submission(s); otherwise, you will receive an automatic email notification only once the College has provided its final approval and your progress check has been updated.
  • Email us at global-advising@ucsb.edu if you need a petition processed outside of the time frame described above (typically, graduating seniors in a particular quarter.)