Placeholder Course

What am I supposed to register for during the semester I'm studying abroad?

The Center for Global Engagement 101 "Placeholder Course"

If you are participating in a semester, academic year, or select exchange summer program, during the term you are abroad, the Center for Global Engagement will register you for the "class" Center for Global Engagement 101. All semester students will be automatically enrolled in 12 credits, or 15 credits if you are a Minnesota State Grant recipient.

Students who are participating in a Minnesota State Mankato faculty-led program will register themselves* in the appropriate Minnesota State Mankato course. The faculty leader will provide the course information for you. Faculty-led program courses may take place during fall term, spring, spring break, or summer terms depending on how the course is structured. Please see the faculty leader for details.

(*Participants on the Summer Study Abroad in Scotland program will register themselves for the 4 credit course through Minnesota State Mankato, and the Center for Global Engagement office will register them also for a 3 credit IPO placeholder course for the University of Stirling course.)

Why is the placeholder course necessary?

We want to ensure that your full-time student status at Minnesota State Mankato is maintained while you are studying abroad. Likewise, if you are receiving financial aid through Minnesota State Mankato for the term you are studying abroad, we also want to ensure that Minnesota State Mankatois still able to process your financial aid! Neither of these things wouldbe possible if we did not enroll you in the Center for Global Engagement 101 "placeholder course." We call it a placeholder course because Center for Global Engagement 101 “holds your place” as a full-time student in the university's enrollment and registration system, even though you are not technically taking courseson-site in Mankato.

If you receive the Minnesota Grant and need to take at least 15 credits, or if you simply take more than 12 credits during the term you are abroad and want to make sure your Center for Global Engagement 101 placeholder course accurately reflects those credits, please read about the "Verification of Enrollment" under the “During (While Abroad)” section on our page.