AIFS Partnership Programs: Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

Courses

Students register for their courses at the home campus. See your study abroad advisor for course offering.

British Life and Culture (5 credits) is required of all students and provides an introduction to the culture. This course is taught by qualified local guest lecturers, focusing on historical, political, economic and cultural aspects of contemporary Britain.

English 121: “Our Words’ Worth,” Introduction to Creative Writing
Henry James wrote that “London is on the whole the most possible form of life. I take it as an artist […] as one who has the passion of observation and whose business is the study of human life.” In this class, students will be taking their cue from James: exploring London with a passionate artist’s eye for observation.

In doing so, students will be taking their place in a long line of writers who have drawn inspiration from this city—its sights, its sounds, its people. We’ll be exploring other writers’ visions of London (in poetry and short fiction), with the goal of giving students a full range of tools to express their own visions.

More than just technical know-how, though, students will leave this class with a dynamic record of their time abroad. The term’s work will be spent spinning the straw of their daily experiences into the gold of their writing. Their final portfolios will offer proof of the fact that there is no inspiration quite like travel, and no destination quite like London.

English 272: “Shakespeare: On the Scene,” Introduction to Shakespeare
He may have come from Stratford, but Shakespeare made his name in London. The Globe Theater, which sits on the banks of the Thames, is one such sign of the Bard’s legacy. But a closer look reveals that Shakespeare drew his inspiration from many parts of London: its people, its places, and—importantly—its politics.

That inspiration resulted in a host of plays, including Richard II, Henry IV (Parts I and II), Henry V, and Richard III. The class will explore these works together, overcoming the challenge of Shakespeare’s language to focus on the scheming, striving, and plotting that dominates these stories, drawn from the real-life events of London’s history.

In doing so, we’ll encounter a rich tapestry of intrigue that served as The Game of Thrones of Shakespeare’s time. When possible, we’ll also venture into the city to visit the scenes of these stories, from the Tower of London to the taverns of Eastcheap. The goal is to transform the plays from two-dimensional puzzles lying flat on the page into three-dimensional experiences, filled with meaning and relevance for today’s day and age.

History 230: Revolutions in the Modern World
In this course we will look at the long term causes of revolutions. What are the immediate triggers that precipitate the outbreak of the revolutions? We will study the forces that produce significant changes in a nation’s social, economic, or political ideas and institutions.

In particular we will look at the Industrial Revolution in the U.K., exploring how and why it was a precursor to our modern day technology. The Industrial Revolution was one of the major transformations in history.  Britain was the first society to undergo this transformation.  The Industrial Revolution brought fundamental changes which had an immense economic, social, cultural, political, and artistic impact locally and internationally. We will study each of these aspects.

In addition, we will discuss the Hard Times (Charles Dickens) that came with the Industrial Revolution and the beginnings of the era of Romanticism (Wordsworth and Blake). We will integrate history, politics, art, and literature in our class. This course might include a tour of the British Financial Center, The British Library, The London Docks, the house that Dickens lived in, and a visit to The British Museum to view the various exhibits of this era.

Political Science 204: Comparative Politics
How do societies and cultures organize their political, economic, and social lives? Through comparison of political systems, students discover unique characteristics, challenges, and opportunities as well as how political authority operates focusing on policy process, the economy, the role of citizens, and overall performance in a time of globalization.

It looks at the similarities and differences in the domestic political systems of different states and the theoretical debates which seek to explain them. This course, with its emphasis on the U.K., will examine the differences between a Parliamentary and a Presidential system. We will study the 2015 Parliamentary elections and compare and contrast it with the 2016 Presidential elections. Students will look into how the British media investigates the American elections.

We will also delve into a comparison of public policy issues like education, healthcare, and immigration in the U.K. and the U.S. Students will most likely attend a session of the Parliament and watch the question time of the British Prime Minister. A visit to local schools and non-profit organizations will also be included.

This is an academic program and students are expected to enroll in a full-time course load. Failure to participate in the academic coursework may result in dismissal from the program. Students are encouraged to make the most of their classroom learning as it will enhance understanding of all the local area has to offer.