University of Edinburgh

Unique study opportunities

• Highly interdisciplinary courses at the new Edinburgh Future Institute (see below)
• Art majors can take courses in painting, photography, intermedia, or sculpture at the Edinburgh College of Art (fall or spring)
• Independent research with University of Edinburgh faculty

Bonus: You can add an internship to accompany your coursework at the University of Edinburgh.

Language

Language of instruction: English

Foreign language study available. Notable options: Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. See the University of Edinburgh course catalog for additional offerings.

Courses and Credit

Requirements While Abroad

To successfully complete the program:

• Take a full-time course of study: Three to six courses of 24 quarter/16 semester UC units per term.
• A total of 48 quarter/32 semester UC units is required per year.
• You may take up to one-third of your total unit load pass/no pass.

Current Program Courses

At the University of Edinburgh you have the opportunity to select courses from a range of disciplines. See the Academic Offerings guide in the Catalog and Resources section for more information on the fields of study available. Courses may transfer as lower or upper division to UC.

Courses offered at the Edinburgh Future Institute are offered on a pass/no pass basis and are not included in the one-third pass/no pass requirement.

Catalogs and resources

• Academic Offerings: See an overview of academic offerings at all Scottish partner institutions.
• University of Edinburgh Course Catalog: Find a full selection of courses offered at the university. Open each course to see a description that states whether it's open to visiting students.
• Alternative Course Options: See lists of more easily accessible courses that may fall under high-demand subject areas at the University of Edinburgh like politics, history, and literature.
• UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above links to review recent course offerings. 
• Internship providers and Job descriptions: Find an organization that offers your area of interest.
• Campus Credit Abroad: Learn the types of credit (major, minor, general education, elective) students from your campus received at this location.

Academic culture

Studying abroad in Scotland helps you develop an independent learning style, with strong writing skills and active participation in your own learning.

• Many lower-level courses at Scottish universities are equivalent to upper-division UC level. Third- and fourth-year courses are specialized and demand significant background knowledge.
• There is more emphasis on writing and independent reading than at UC, and your participation can influence the final grade.
• Differences in teaching style may include less detailed instructions, fewer in-class sessions (except science classes), and fewer in-term assessments.
• Many courses are taught with lectures and seminars. Lecture class sizes can be quite large and seminar groups are smaller.
• Faculty (called lecturers) don't often hold office hours, but welcome individual questions and are eager to help visiting students. Several instructors may teach a single course, each lecturing on their specialist area.
• Past exam papers are available and local students use them to prepare for exams. Your final grade will heavily and sometimes fully depend on the final exam.
• Exam dates are not flexible, and UC policy does not allow UCEAP participants to retake exams (called re-sits).

Grades

You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework. Grades for the fall semester are typically available late March, and grades for the spring semester are typically available late July or early August.

Tip: If you intend to put yourself on your campus degree list for graduation while on UCEAP, consult your campus advisors before departure about possible delays in the degree verification process.