FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General Information
The educational depth of each People to People program allows the Washington School of World Studies (WSWS), an accredited travel study school, to enroll students in grades 9-12 in tuition-paid, high school core and elective courses that complement those renowned and internationally respected travel study programs.
For more information on our travel study programs, please visit www.peopletopeople.com.
Students in grades 5-8 who complete travel study requirements will receive a Certificate of Completion. This may be presented to classroom teachers for possible extra credit or as documentation of work to meet state and local school district Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) requirements in reading, writing, social studies, or service learning. Schools will often place these certificates in a student’s work portfolio to demonstrate subject-specific work samples and experiences beyond the regular classroom requirements.
It is important to note that individual school districts set their own guidelines when accepting credit hours from other schools. We recommend that you meet with your academic advisor to discuss your desired course(s). The course description(s) should help address any questions.
General FAQ
Top
Travel Study Program FAQ
Top
General FAQ
Who is the Washington School of World Studies?
The Washington School of World Studies (WSWS) is fully accredited as a travel study school and recognized by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). NWAC 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.
NWAC 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 Our Travel Study Accreditation Credential
Top
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a third party review process for a school’s programs and policies to see if they meet certain criteria, generally set by an outside agency. When a school is found to meet the minimum criteria, it is granted accreditation. This process is usually very comprehensive and includes validating the school’s claims, in-depth, for accuracy and to protect the consumer.
Top
Why is accreditation important?
Accreditation is meant to protect students, schools, and employers and ensure academic quality. It ensures that a school is teaching its students at a nationally acceptable level and provides programs that are found to have value and substance. Accreditation also guarantees the school employs certified instructors that are qualified to teach the appropriate subject matter.
Top
Who can grant accreditation?
Anyone can claim that they grant accreditation to schools and many do. However, not all accreditation is equal. Accreditation from the wrong source can be just as bad as no accreditation at all. In order to ensure that your online school’s credentials are coming from the right place, make sure that its accrediting agency is approved by a state Department of Education or by the U.S. Department of Education.
Top
What if my school isn’t accredited?
If you choose a school that isn’t accredited, you may find that many schools won’t accept your online high school credits. It may be difficult to convince your school to accept your transfer credits, particularly in nontraditional subject areas.
Top
Do People to People participants need to apply to earn high school credit?
No, delegates traveling on People to People programs do not need to apply. Students in grades 9-12 are automatically set up to earn credit from the Washington School of World Studies (WSWS) when they are successfully enrolled in a travel study program.
Top
In the past, students in grades 5-8 were eligible to earn high school credit. Why has this changed?
The Washington School of World Studies recently gained full accreditation through the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). The accreditation process through NWAC included an extensive review of all school policies and materials. Following the formal accreditation review process, it was a directive from NWAC that the WSWS only provide high school credit to high school students in grades 9-12.
Top
Where are transcripts sent?
Initial High school transcripts will be mailed to the student’s home address within eight weeks of their successful completion of their travel study program.
Top
What should a student do with the transcript?
Students should take their transcript to their academic advisor when they register for high school or during their school year. The student’s school counselor will assist the student in fitting the credit(s) into his or her overall graduation plan.
Top
Will other high schools accept the credit?
Individual school districts set their own guidelines when accepting credit hours from other schools. In our experience, the high school credit earned by Washington School of World Studies students is accepted as replacement credit for a required high school course, or as elective credit.
We recommend students meet with their academic advisors shortly after enrolling in a travel study program, to discuss their school’s policies on acceptance of transfer credit from accredited travel study schools.
Top
If a school will not accept the credit, what should a student do?
A student should meet with their academic advisor to discuss their school’s policy for accepting transfer credits from another accredited institution. Most high schools in the United States are accredited through one of the six regional accrediting institutions.
Being accredited implies that the school subscribes to a process of voluntary self-regulation that is a constructive experience designed to improve the quality of the member school. These accrediting institutions ensure that the courses provided by the school adhere to high standards and are designed to ease the transfer of credits between accredited institutions.
NWAC (Northwest Accreditation Commission employs a reciprocity agreement with the five other accrediting institutions across the nation which mandates that the credits be accepted. If the school the student attends is accredited, it should accept the credit(s).
Top
Who do I contact for a replacement transcript?
Please download, complete, and return the
Request for Transcript form.
Top
What if I need an official transcript sent to my high school or college/university?
Please download, complete, and return the
Request for Transcript form.
Top
How much is a replacement transcript?
Replacement transcripts range from $5.99 to $20.99, depending on delivery method and how quickly you need your transcript. Please download, complete, and return the
Request for Transcript form.
Top
How much is an official transcript?
Replacement transcripts range from $5.99 to $20.99, depending on delivery method and how quickly you need your transcript. Please download, complete, and return the
Request for Transcript form.
Top
Is the Washington School of World Studies an Accredited Member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?
Ambassador Programs, Inc., Washington School of World Studies’ parent organization, has been an accredited member of the BBB since 1982.
Top
Travel Study Program FAQ
How much credit is available to People to People participants?
Students in grades 9-12 will be enrolled in a course that includes pre-travel, on-program, and post-travel components. The amount of the credit varies as follows:
- Student Ambassadors may earn 120 instructional hours, plus 10 service-learning hours.
- Sports Ambassadors may earn 60 instructional hours, and, on most itineraries, 10 service-learning hours.
- Leadership Programs provide 55-60 hours, depending on the itinerary, plus 10 service-learning hours.
Top
What type of credit is awarded?
Students in grades 9-12 who participate in People to People programs and meet all learning objectives are awarded one elective semester credit. Depending on the emphasis of your program, this credit may represent
55-120 hours of instruction and be applied to social studies or geography, physical education, leadership studies, or another course designated by your school district.
Top
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. For example, the WSWS has determined that the Student Ambassador 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 unforeseen program adjustments.
Top
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 their school’s academic advisor prior to the program, so they are assured that their school will be able to accept the WSWS credits.
Students are also 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 a program.
Top
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 office or the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). Staff at NWAC is available to answer your questions regarding the agreements between the accrediting institutions.
Top
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.
Top
Who ensures students 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.
Top
Will participants receive an official transcript?
Following the travel portion of the program, delegation leaders submit student credit completion forms
for 9th through 12th graders 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 submit this transcript to their school’s office so it may be included in their school district transcript. Students may also provide a copy of their program itinerary to their school 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.
Top
What travel study programs are available?
Please visit
Travel Study Programs to view all available travel study programs for the upcoming year.
Top
What do students in grade 5-8 earn when they travel?
Student Ambassadors in grades 5-8 who travel successfully and complete the course requirements will receive a
Certificate of Completion. This certificate may be presented to classroom teachers for possible “extra credit” or as documentation of work to meet state and local school district
Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) requirements in reading, writing, social studies, and/or service learning. Schools will often place these certificates in a student’s work portfolio as demonstration of subject specific work samples and experiences beyond the regular classroom requirements.
Top
Are students who have completed 8th grade and going into 9th grade eligible to earn credit?
Yes, students who have completed the 8th grade are eligible to earn credit. If they are traveling with a high school delegation, they are automatically enrolled for high school credit with the rest of the delegation.
Students who have completed 8th grade and are traveling with a junior high delegation are eligible to earn credit but are not automatically enrolled. They need to inform their leader that they wish to earn credit.
Top
Are the curriculum requirements for students in grades 5-8 still the same even though they are not earning credit?
Yes. People to People Ambassador Programs are all educationally driven programs. There is a continuous learning process for each delegate that begins during pre-travel exercises and continues during travel. All students are expected to participate fully in the educational aspect of the program. Students in grades 5-8 will still receive the certificate of completion verifying they have completed the program. This certificate may be used as a standalone piece to highlight their travel experience or to obtain additional extra credit from their school.
Top
What do students need to do to earn high school credit?
To successfully receive credit for their course, the student must exhibit a comprehensive range of social and academic skills. Examples of these skills include how to properly conduct oneself during a cross-cultural experience, understanding the special responsibilities of a People to People Ambassador, good time management and record keeping, and consideration for others. The course allows the participant to work closely with the delegation leaders to achieve academic excellence. All Washington School of World Studies courses provide a unique personal growth experience seldom available through a traditional educational setting.
Top
Can a student earn university-level credit?
Yes, students who are in grades 7-12 may earn university-level credit, through Eastern Washington University.
Top
What do students need to do to earn university-level credit?
Students should contact Eastern Washington University directly to enroll for university credit. They are not automatically enrolled in this, and there is an additional cost that should be paid directly to EWU.
Top
What course work is required?
Depending on the course and number of credits being earned, course requirements can include keeping a journal, writing a research paper(s), and/or completing a variety of projects before, during, and/or after completion of the program.
Top
For more information, families can contact EWU directly at:
Eisenhower Center
300 Senior Hall
Cheney, WA 99004-2442
Phone: 800.541.2125
Email: Eisenhower.Center@mail.ewu.edu
Website: www.ewu.edu/ec
Top
|
