Study Abroad – Biology at St Andrews

Washington and Lee University and the University of St Andrews have joined forces in a cooperative venture to provide a quality study abroad experience for students in the sciences and students interested in the health professions.  As part of this program, participating students may enroll for specific science classes which will receive credit and a grade on a W&L transcript; additionally, premed students may elect to take part in a special premedical seminar offered by a member of the St. Andrews Medical Faculty which includes site visits to area hospitals and clinics.  Students registering for the program for fall term and who wish to participate in the special W&L orientation program held in London, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands apply and are enrolled directly through W&L Center International Education.   Students not wishing to participate in the orientation activities or who plan to go winter term may apply directly to St. Andrews as a Visiting Student.  Students on the program will live with other St Andrews students in university housing and have access to all normal university activities and facilities there.

Biology coordinator – Dr. Helen I’Anson (iansonh@wlu.edu)

You must see her prior to your international studies application or web registration for your study abroad semester if you plan on taking Biology courses at St Andrews

Course of Study

All students on the program must complete at least 60 credit hours in the St Andrews system to be considered full-time. Students normally are not allowed to register for more than 70 credit hours.   Sciences courses currently approved for W&L transcript credit include:

Fall or Michelmas Term

·  Organic Chemistry (4 W&L credits)

·  BL 2012 Zoology (6 W&L credits - Bio 240S)

·  BL 2201 Cell Structure and function (6 W&L credits - Bio 211S)

·  BL 2103 Evolutionary Biology (6 W&L credits - Bio 340S))

Students taking one of these classes will receive credit and a grade for the class on a W&L transcript.  This is particularly valuable for biology majors and pre-professional students as required courses, such as organic chemistry, must normally be taken at U.S. universities. 

Students planning to take Organic Chemistry must have approval of the W&L Chemistry Department.  Dr. Marcia France oversees the chemistry course at St. Andrews.  Students planning to take Biology courses must have approval of the W&L Biology department.  Dr. Helen I'Anson serves as the Program Coordinator for the Biology department at W&L.

Students are free to choose other courses from the St Andrews curriculum in so far as prerequisites and departmental policies there allow (there may be courses for which you are not eligible).  In the past, some pre-professional students have elected to take such classes as The Geography of Health or People and Health.  There may be other courses of particular interest to students planning other career paths as well.

Students should look through the St. Andrews' course catalogue to find suitable course offerings; single semester courses are offered in increments of 10, 15, 20 and 30 credits.  If a student is enrolled to take Organic chemistry and a Biology course, then it is advisable to enroll in a 10 or 15 credit course (60-70 credits is a full load).  If you would like to get GE credit for this course, then you should check with the appropriate department head.  If the department head approving the credit equates the study-abroad credit to an existing W&L GE course, then the GE designation goes along with it.  If however the course covers content which W&L doesn't offer and the transfer credit approved is for "elective" credit, then the student must petition C&D for the GE designation, usually with the approval of the appropriate department.

Students at St Andrew for the Martinmas or fall semester there are scheduled to complete final assessments (exams or other assessment instruments) by the last day of classes before the Christmas holiday.