Selecting a class

When you choose your options you should:

  1. Select the subject area most similar to your current major or minor in the class listings.

  2. Read the course descriptions in that programme thoroughly. It will be clear from the summary information in the class listings whether a course is semester long or year long.

  3. Choose the year most appropriate to the level you will have reached when you arrive at Kingston.

    Course codes that have:
    • a one as the first digit are first year classes
    • a two as the first digit are second year classes
    • a three as the first digit are final year classes

    First level classes are at least equivalent to sophomore level classes in the US as our students have been specialising in their subject area for at least two years prior to university.

    If you are spending your junior year at Kingston, the second year courses will usually be the ones that are the most compatible with your current programme.

    If you are a junior or a senior, bear in mind that third level courses are final year courses taken only by students majoring in the subject. Freshmen and sophomores will not normally be approved to take third level classes.

  4. Remember that full-time Kingston students follow a clearly defined programme with limited options so select a programme as far as possible from within your chosen year.

    There is no guarantee that all courses will be available every year and timetable conflicts can also arise, so list your selection in order of preference. Please make it clear if you have specific alternatives should your first choice not be available.

    All our courses are under continual review and improvement, so some of the details on this website may have been revised (although we make every effort to keep it up to date). However, an alternative similar course will normally be available and you will be informed of this when an offer is made to you.

  5. The credit hours listed alongside the courses in this catalogue are the number of US semester credits that should transfer back if you take the complete course and all assessments.

  6. You must take a minimum of 12 credits in each semester and normally no more than 16.  

    All credit values shown in the class listings are US semester credits. If you are attending a European institution, we can provide a Certificate of Credits Earned showing ECTS credits (four US credits = 7.5 ECTS credits).

  7. The number of credits listed for each course is based on:
    • a proportion of a full load at Kingston
    • the number of hours of class contact
    • other supervised hours

In general, one credit hour represents about 1/30th of a full load or about 15 hours in the classroom or in directed study. It is equivalent to one semester credit in the US system.

Where a laboratory or a tutorial is involved, the credit for this activity is usually included in the credit hours listed for the course requiring the work.

It is your responsibility to agree upon the credit transfer with your home university. At the end of the semster or year, we will issue a 'Certificate of Credits Earned' for each student. This details the classes you have taken, credit values and grades achieved.

 

About the course listings

Each listing shows the course code, title, US credit value, the academic period the class is expected to run and a link to a description of the class. 

Under the Academic Period heading:

  • Fall or Spring indicates that the course is semester long and in which semester it runs
  • Year indicates that the course runs for the whole of the academic year and is normally only available to students staying for the year. Spring semester only students cannot join year classes

The credit value assumes students complete all required assessments, including final exams.

 

Final exams

Students attending for the academic year or spring semester MUST complete all coursework and take final examinations (held in January and May/June).

The exam period for the Fall semester classes runs for three weeks in January.  Fall semester only students may need to return to their home campus at the end of teaching in December. This means it may not be possible for you to be physically present in Kingston in January.  

We therefore recommend taking classes that are assessed without final exams in January.  The Study Abroad Office can advise about the assessment requirements for selected classes. 

If it is impossible to avoid classes with final exams, then you must complete all course work and either:

  • take the final exam at Kingston University in January, receiving full credit or
  • take the final examination at your home institution in January, receiving full credit or
  • complete all course work at Kingston and not take the final examination, receiving reduced credit (at the discretion of your home campus)

Which option you take is the decision of your home university.

 

It is your responsibility to: