Field Study, Exchange, or Leave of Absence
There are various reasons students might consider taking time away from Hampshire: to go on field study, exchange, a personal leave of absence, medical leave, or to withdraw or transfer to another institution.
Field Study
Field study at Hampshire is an approved semester of academic work or study that requires a student to be away from the College for a semester. Field study status assumes that the student is engaged in academic work away from the College, not just living off-campus. Field study should only be taken when a student has adequate academic preparation.
Field Study may be international or domestic and may be course-based or self-designed. Field Study must be pre-approved by Division II or Division III committees, the Global Education Office, and the Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA). The enrollment notification deadlines are listed in the academic calendar with tuition information available on the student financial services website.
Eligibility Requirements for Field Study (both domestic and international)
To be eligible to participate in a semester of Field Study, students must
- Have filed for Division II or be in their first semester of Division III. Division I students and Division III students in their last semester are not eligible.
- Be in good academic and disciplinary standing to qualify.
- Receive approval from a student’s Division II or III committee.
- Be in good financial standing at Hampshire. Students who may have outstanding financial obligations may not be eligible.
- Receive necessary approvals from all relevant offices by the field study, leave, and exchange deadline the semester prior to being away (November for spring/April for fall).
Enrollment Status
Students on field study will be considered full-time students for the purpose of educational loan obligations. A semester of field study is considered a semester of enrollment for the purpose of academic standing (see the section on Guidelines for Academic Progress).
Students who discontinue a field study for any reason should contact the Center for Academic Support & Advising and their advisor immediately. If the field study is canceled before classes begin, students may either elect a one-semester leave of absence or return to Hampshire full-time.
Insurance
Students on Hampshire field study are required to have health insurance coverage. Students who will be studying outside of the United States will need to confirm that their provider will cover them internationally. Some field study programs may have additional, country-specific insurance requirements.
All students, including those on field study, are automatically enrolled in the Hampshire College health insurance plan. Plan and coverage information for Hampshire health insurance can be found through the student health insurance webpage.
Fees and Financial Aid
The fee for field study is approximately one-third of the Hampshire College tuition for that semester and financial aid availability for students on field study can refer to the Student Financial Services web pages.
International Students
International students (with an F-1 student visa) are required to consult with International Student Services regarding visa implications of field study before applying for field study.
Additional information can be found in the Student Handbook:
View Filing Procedures for Field Study
Course Based Field Study
A course-based field study includes full-time study at another regionally accredited U.S. institution, at an internationally accredited institution, or on an accredited study abroad program. Completion of a course-based field study is documented through an official transcript.
Academic Expectations
Students are expected to fulfill the academic requirements as outlined by their field study program and their Division II or III committee. Failure to successfully complete a semester of field study may impact a student’s academic progress, divisional status, or financial aid eligibility.
Transcripts and Evaluations
Transcripts must be submitted to Central Records no later than the beginning of the semester following the field study semester. Successfully completed courses will appear on TheHub for students to include in Division II or Division III.
Self-Designed Field Study
A self-designed field study is a semester of full-time Hampshire enrollment, studying away from campus with a field supervisor or under the supervision of the Division II or III chairperson.
Academic Expectations
Students are expected to spend approximately 25-40 hours per week over a 15-week semester engaged in activities pre-approved by the Division II or III committee. These hours could include an internship, apprenticeship, field-based project, course work, research or teaching assistantships or participation in a non-accredited training program. In some cases, students may enroll in courses or pursue other learning activities in addition to the self-designed component.
Evaluation Requirements for self-designed field study: Student
Students are required to submit the following to their Division II or III committee to show evidence of continued enrollment and completion of Field Study.
- Mid-semester self-evaluation on TheHub by the published deadline.
- Final self-evaluation on TheHub by the end of the semester.
- Other documentation required to demonstrate completion of the semester must be submitted to the Division II or III chairperson.
- Examples: Narrative evaluation(s) from field supervisor; official transcript(s); other certificate(s) and forms of media.
- Students using a component of field study such as an internship for a Division III Advanced Educational Activity (AEA) must have this listed on the filed copy of their Division III contract in the AEAs section.
- The component used for the AEA will be registered separately and evaluated or certified as complete by the Division III chair. Students must submit documentation of completion directly to the Division III chair.
- If a student takes a course or courses at another institution an official transcript must be sent to both the Division III Chair and Central Records.
Evaluation Requirements for self-designed field study: Chairperson
- Submit a mid-term evaluation and course summary according to published deadlines.
- Certify successful completion; or write an evaluation referencing documentation from field supervisors; or write a full evaluation if directly supervising the student.
Note: There is no option for partial completion of the semester. The chairperson’s certification/evaluation, brief or detailed, will be included in the student’s transcript.
Exchange
Exchange programs are sponsored by Hampshire — they are administered by the Global Education Office (GEO) and follow a home school tuition policy. These semester or year-long programs have either been designed by Hampshire faculty or were created through an affiliation with an academic institution that complements Hampshire’s academic program in some way.
They offer a variety of opportunities for language study, community engagement, coursework, independent research projects, internships, and more! Participation in an exchange program is considered a full semester of enrollment that will count toward graduation (see section on Satisfactory Academic Progress).
Eligibility for Exchange
- Division II and first semester Division III students are eligible to participate
- Program-specific restrictions may apply
- Students must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing to qualify for a semester of exchange.
- Students may apply for one Hampshire exchange program per term unless permission is given by GEO.
- Detailed information on eligibility requirements and policies in the Hampshire College Handbook under Exchange, Field Study, and Short-term Field Courses
Any exchange for which final approval has not been received will be canceled.
View Filing Procedures for Exchange
Leave of Absence from Full-time Enrollment
There are various reasons students might consider a personal leave of absence: to take time away from Hampshire, including personal circumstances; the desire to travel or work; or simply the need for a break. A personal leave is not intended for students planning to obtain academic credit while away. A personal leave may be granted for one term.
In extenuating circumstances, students already enrolled in a term may take a personal leave for the semester, but must meet with a CASA dean to request the leave by the end of the add/drop period at the beginning of the term. Requests for a personal leave after add/drop will be denied, and are considered to be requests for withdrawal from the institution.
A leave of absence is not an active enrollment status, regardless of the nature of activities pursued.
Students on leave of absence do not have an advisor, may not complete divisional exams, may not negotiate the Division II or Division III contract, and may not work with faculty. In addition, a student on leave of absence may not have use of any Hampshire College or Five College facilities. Specifically, this involves the library; the Robert Crown Center; the Hampshire College or University of Massachusetts Amherst health services; the Outdoors Program and Recreational Athletics college-sponsored trips; enrolling, teaching, or auditing Hampshire or Five College interchange courses; having a job on campus; or having a validated Hampshire ID card.
Deadlines and Fees
The deadline for filing for a personal leave of absence is the enrollment notification deadline in November and April. See the academic calendar for the actual deadline date. No requests for personal leave will be approved after the add/drop deadline each semester — these requests will be considered a request to withdraw.
If CASA is not notified of a student's plans for the term following the leave by the notification deadline, that student will be withdrawn from the College.
The leave of absence fee is $400 for each term. A change of status from fully enrolled to leave of absence after the start of classes will, if approved, lead to the partial or full forfeiture of tuition, room, and board fees. Refer to the Student Accounts website for the refund schedule.
Vacating Student Rooms
Students who go on leave must vacate their on-campus rooms within 48 hours after the date on which the leave is scheduled to begin. All residential keys must be returned to the appropriate area office upon a student's departure. Failure to comply with this policy may result in additional charges commensurate with the amount of time students have taken to vacate their rooms or to make arrangements with the Housing Office to have articles moved to storage.
Insurance
Students may purchase the supplemental health insurance offered by Hampshire College that entitles leave students to medical care as outlined on the Health and Counseling Services web pages.
Refer to the Student Handbook for more information.
View Filing Procedures for Leave of Absence
Returning from Leave, Field Study, or Exchange?
Information for students planning on returning to Hampshire.