Please review the following frequently asked questions regarding the school and the academic credit that we offer. Should you have any additional questions, feel free to contact our office.

Frequently Asked Questions-Student Ambassador High School Credit
(For information about Sports Ambassador Programs or Student Leader Programs, please contact our office directly.)

Who is the Washington School of World Studies?
The Washington School of World Studies (WSWS) is a fully accredited travel study school recognized by the
Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS). NAAS is one of the six regional accrediting institutions. 

The other recognized associations are: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

NAAS has a reciprocity agreement with these five institutions. If your local school district is also recognized by one of these accrediting institutions, acceptance of our credit should be assured as part of that reciprocity agreement.

View accreditation letter

Who are the other five accrediting institutions?
The other recognized associations are: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

What courses are provided to high school Student Ambassadors?
Students in grades 9-12 will be enrolled in the course “Ambassadorial Studies”  which include pre-travel, and post travel components equal to or exceeding 120 hours of instructional contact hours. Students will also receive 10 instructional contact hours in service-learning for successful completion of a service project.

What type of credit is awarded?
Students in grades 9-12 who participate as a People to People Student Ambassador and meet all learning objectives are awarded one elective semester credit in social studies, geography or an equivalent course designated by your school district. For more information on the course please view the “Letter to Academic Advisors” and the course description.

What is the credit equivalency offered by the WSWS?
The determination of credit allotments are based upon the total number of instructional contact hours provided in the program. This formula includes the pre-travel, travel and post travel components. The WSWS has determined that the program includes 120 hours of instruction. In most local school districts these 120 instruction contact hours are transferred into 1.0 unit. We recommend one semester elective credit (0.5 units) for ease of transfer and in case of program adjustments.

Who ensures Student Ambassadors meet the course requirements?
State certified teachers who travel with students as “delegation leaders” provide prescribed instruction. They also monitor the travel and post-travel components of the program. Students are required to complete program assessments and all required assignments. Delegation leaders ensure that students have met all requirements and assign a Pass (P) or No-Pass (NP) grade at the end of the program.

Will Student Ambassadors receive an official transcript?
Following the travel portion of the program, delegation leaders submit student credit completion forms to the program office. Transcripts are mailed to students from the Washington School of World Studies approximately eight weeks after those forms are received. Students must bring this transcript to your office so it may be included in their school district transcript. Students can also supply you with a copy of their program itinerary if that is needed to verify all educational components of the program.

We recommend that the transcript is held by the school district and the student for inclusion in their college application process. Travel study programs are highly regarded by colleges and universities and may make a positive difference in the student’s future applications.

Why should my district accept these courses and service learning credits?
We understand that school districts set their own guidelines when accepting credit hours from other schools. Many schools include instructional contact hours reflected on our transcripts as an additional elective credit on the student’s high school transcript. We recommend that students meet with you prior to the program so they are assured that your school will be able to accept the WSWS credits.

Students are able to provide a copy of the course description prior to their travel experience. It is very disappointing to students to have transfer of credit denied after program completion, so it is our recommendation that students and their families have this discussion prior to traveling on the program. 

What is a typical district policy on the acceptance of your academic credit?
Due to the reciprocity agreements with the regional accreditation organizations we expect no challenges with the acceptance of our credit.  If you have concerns, please contact our offices or the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS). Staff at NAAS is available to answer your questions regarding the agreements between the accrediting institutions.

What is a typical district policy on transfer of credit?
A typical district policy looks very similar to this:
Schools will accept high school credit for courses that include no less than 120 hours of instruction, or its equivalent, per year. Students must have an official transcript of courses taken to receive credit.  All high school courses taken must appear on an official transcript to be considered for credit.

The registrar must establish course content, the days per week the class met, and the number of minutes per day to convert a travel study school course to a school district credit. Guidance services will answer questions related to accepting credits. A school district may not take away any credit which has been given by an accredited institution.