As an ISEP student, you can build your own program by choosing your courses from a variety of fields. Use the notes for course searching to help you find which courses are available.

HOUSING

ISEP incoming students are typically placed in the Judaculla Hall residence hall on-campus. Choosing any housing option that costs a higher amount than Judaculla Hall will result in the student needing to pay WCU the price difference. The residence halls are double-rooms located within a suite that contains a common area with couch and TV stand. The rooms are single gender with the floors of the building being co-ed. The suites house four people and they will share a bathroom. All housing is available on campus and within a 10-minute walk to the center of campus and academic buildings. 

MEALS

Students will receive the unlimited meal plan which they can use at the campus dining halls. The meal plan comes with a limited amount of dining dollars that can be used at other campus eateries.

Dining options and hours are limited during university breaks.

Program Website

Course Description

WCU is best known for its programs in business, history, international/global studies, philosophy, religious studies, and the social sciences. Consider taking courses in unique fields of study, such as emergency management, telecommunications technology, Appalachian studies, Cherokee studies, and forensic anthropology. All courses available to ISEP students are taught in English and are either on the undergraduate or graduate level. You must indicate in your application which level of courses you would like to take because you may not take both.

Campus Note

ISEP students are only allowed to take courses at the main WCU campus in Cullowhee, NC. Please keep this in mind as you are looking through available courses that work well for you. 

Credits Earned

Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 12-15 US credits. Students typically enroll in 4-5 courses per term. A term runs for about 16 weeks. To determine how these credits convert at your home institution, please contact your home university coordinator.  

If you use financial assistance, please speak with your home coordinator to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial assistance.  

Sample Classes Available:

Business 

International/Global Studies 

Social Sciences 

Philosophy and Religious Studies 

History 

Financial Accounting 

Introduction to International Studies 

Human Society 

Self, Society and Good Life 

African History 

Business Organization 

History of 20th Century International Relations 

Analysis of Social Data 

Ancient Greek and Roman Thought 

Latin American History 

Innovation Leadership 

History of Peace and Conflict in Africa 

Sociological Theory 

Legal, Scientific and Critical Reasoning 

U.S. Legal History 

Principles of Marketing 

Political Violence 

Appalachian Literature 

Early Modern Philosophy from Copernicus to Kant 

Native American Lives 

Business Statistics 

United States Foreign Policy 

Native American Literature 

Feminist Thought 

History of American Sports 

 

For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.  

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Olivia Cordero 703-504-9980 | Ocordero@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

Academics

Undergraduate
(in English)

Fields of Study

  • Area Studies:

    African Studies African-American Studies Latin American Studies

  • Biology

  • Business: Recommended!

    Accounting Business Management Economics Entrepreneurship Finance Marketing

  • Communication

  • Computer and Information Sciences

  • Education: Recommended!

    Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Health Teacher Education Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Special Education

  • Engineering: Recommended!

    Computer Engineering Environmental Engineering

  • English Language and Literature

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures

  • Health Sciences:

    Dietetics Health and Wellness Nutrition Sciences

  • History

  • Hospitality and Tourism:

    Hospitality Management Tourism Management

  • Human Services

    Social Work

  • International/Global Studies: Recommended!

    International Relations and Affairs Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution

  • Law/Criminal Justice:

    Business Law Criminology Forensic Science and Technology

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Mathematics

  • Natural Resources/Conservation

    Environmental Science

  • Philosophy and Religious Studies

    Philosophy

  • Physical Sciences:

    Chemistry Forensic Chemistry Geology/Earth Science

  • Psychology Recommended!

  • Social Sciences: Recommended!

    Anthropology Geography Political Science and Government Sociology

  • Sports Studies

    Sport and Fitness Management

  • Visual and Performing Arts:

    Cinematography and Film Production Drama and Theatre Arts Film Studies Graphic Design Interior Design Music Performance Playwriting and Screenwriting Studio Arts Technical Theatre Design and Technology

Academic Requirements

  • TOEFL iBT Score: 75
  • Institutional TOEFL Score: 520
  • IELTS Score: 6
  • IELTS Writing Score: 5
  • IELTS Reading Score: 5
  • IELTS Listening Score: 5
  • IELTS Speaking Score: 5
  • Duolingo Total: 95
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR Writing Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Reading Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Listening Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Speaking Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

Course Prerequisite

For all areas of study, some courses may have prerequisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in a course. To view prerequisites, follow the instructions in Other Academic Conditions to pull up your desired course in Dynamic Schedule. Once the list is generated, select the course title and the detailed class information will come up. Prerequisites and general requirements can be found underneath the registration availability for that course period. Arriv

Portfolio Requirements

Some fields of study, such as music, studio arts, dance, and other visual & performing arts, may require a portfolio in addition to your ISEP application. If you intend to take courses in any of these fields, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

Undergraduate and Graduate Language Requirements:

As an alternate option to the language proficiency scores, a student can provide a letter from their home university on their behalf showing that they meet the WCU English proficiency requirements. 

Internal Application

Once confirmed and accepted through the ISEP portal, students should receive emails from their host ISEP coordinator regarding internal applications and forms. It is important to complete all internal forms in timely manner, as this affects course registration.

Accommodations Needs

Western Carolina University has certain services available to students with reasonable accommodation requests. In general, mobility, visual, mental health, housing, and learning accommodations can be arranged. Students should speak with their ISEP Student Services Officer in advance to request if specific accommodations can be arranged. 

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

Graduate
(in English)

Fields of Study

  • Biology

  • Engineering

  • History

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Physical Sciences

    Chemistry

  • Psychology

  • Social Sciences

  • Sports Studies

    Sport and Fitness Management

  • Visual and Performing Arts

    Art Studies

Academic Requirements

  • TOEFL iBT Score: 79
  • IELTS Score: 6.5
  • IELTS Writing Score: 5
  • IELTS Reading Score: 5
  • IELTS Listening Score: 5
  • IELTS Speaking Score: 5
  • Duolingo Total: 105
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR Writing Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Reading Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Listening Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Speaking Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

Course Prerequisite

For all areas of study, some courses may have prerequisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in a course. To view prerequisites, follow the instructions in Other Academic Conditions to pull up your desired course in Dynamic Schedule. Once the list is generated, select the course title and the detailed class information will come up. Prerequisites and general requirements can be found underneath the registration availability for that course period. Arriv

Portfolio Requirements

Some fields of study, such as music, studio arts, dance, and other visual & performing arts, may require a portfolio in addition to your ISEP application. If you intend to take courses in any of these fields, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

Undergraduate and Graduate Language Requirements:

As an alternate option to the language proficiency scores, a student can provide a letter from their home university on their behalf showing that they meet the WCU English proficiency requirements. 

Internal Application

Once confirmed and accepted through the ISEP portal, students should receive emails from their host ISEP coordinator regarding internal applications and forms. It is important to complete all internal forms in timely manner, as this affects course registration.

Accommodations Needs

Western Carolina University has certain services available to students with reasonable accommodation requests. In general, mobility, visual, mental health, housing, and learning accommodations can be arranged. Students should speak with their ISEP Student Services Officer in advance to request if specific accommodations can be arranged. 

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

Other Academic Conditions

Academics

How to search for courses:

You can use the undergraduate catalog to view current and previous course catalogs.

The Dynamic Schedule allows you to look up courses for the most reason semester and see additional course information, such as prerequisites and class times.

Make sure the following are search sections are set correctly before the start of each new search on Dynamic Schedule:

Select the desired term for class search.

Subject: Select at least one subject at a time

Instructional Method: Face-to-Face or Hybrid: Primarily Face-to-face

Campus: Cullowhee campus ONLY

Course Level: Graduate OR Undergraduate depending on your academic level

The course list that is generated will show you the associated term, academic level, location, class type, and number of credits. Take course times into consideration when building out your course-list after placement at WCU.

Academic limitations:

All online courses are closed to ISEP students.

Graduate Courses at WCU:

Some graduate courses are available to qualified exchange students; however, Biltmore campus programs and online programs are closed to ISEP students.

If you are interested in taking graduate-level courses (any course 500-level or above), please have your ISEP coordinator connect you with the host coordinator to confirm availability/eligibility. 

 

Academic Calendar

Typical Fall Semester: August through December

- Arrival/Orientation: mid-August

- Final Exams: first week of December

Typical Spring Semester: January through May

- Arrival/Orientation: early January

- Final exams: last week of April-early May

Departure Notes

Students are responsible for staying until the end of the semester and may not leave before the final date of their semester exams. Neither ISEP nor WCU can guarantee an early departure; leaving early may result in a failing exam grade and/or forfeit of credit.  

 

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible.

VISA: All non-U.S. citizens will be required to obtain a visa. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Semester & Prices (based on your filters)

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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