Description
During Spring Quarter 2017 the Department of English will offer a quarter-length version of its highly successful program of study in London. We have found that by keeping our program size to 30, by tailoring our courses to what is immediately capable of being seen in London and in England, and by asking students to participate actively, everyone emerges feeling that the experience was richer for them, as students, as tourists, as people.
The program consists of four courses totaling 20 credits: London’s Contemporary Theater, taught by Professor John Webster of the UW Department of English, Representing London: Writing and the Experience of Place, taught by Professor Anis Bawarshi of the UW Department of English, Contemporary Britain, taught by Professor Michael Fosdal, and Art, Architecture, and Society taught by Professor Peter Buckroyd. Professors Buckroyd and Fosdal are both British faculty who are experienced teachers of American students. (Students will normally enroll for 15 of the available 20 credits.)
Students in the program will maintain their UW residency and any financial aid eligibility already established. Credits earned will be recorded on students’ UW transcripts and apply directly to UW graduation requirements. Credits earned in the English courses may be used to satisfy requirements for the English major.
Housing and 2 meals a day (breakfasts and dinners) for students will be arranged with families in London. Janet Dunlop has been our London Homestay Coordinator since 1986: 30 years. She screens prospective homestay families for our program, and matches students up with London families. Homestays are an integral part of the program giving students a unique opportunity to live like a Londoner, a cultural experience that dorms and apartments just don't provide. Janet Dunlop lives in London, and she is available to assist students throughout the program.
London is a large city. Few people can afford to live in the very center of town, and commuting is a way of life. Students should expect a commute to and from class of about 35-45 minutes, via The Underground or bus. All students will receive a London Transport Pass, good on underground trains, over ground rail, and busses between the homestay zone and central London (included in the program fee.)
Excursions and Group Trips
Some excursions and group trips are included. Transportation for field trips will be via chartered bus with professional drivers. During overnight trips, students are housed in established hotels or bed and breakfasts. Some typical destinations include Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, Stonehenge, St. Paul's Cathedral, museums, and historic London pub tours, but please note that the Spring 2017 excursions have not yet been finalized.
Eligibility
The London program values diversity. Any UW student from any campus is eligible to apply to the program. It is recommended (though not required) that applicants have successfully completed a 200-level literature course at the UW prior to participation. We try to provide as much information as possible on this site and in our printed materials, but that is no substitute for human interaction. We strongly recommend that interested students attend an Information Session or meet individually with Professor Webster.
The application includes
**In most cases, we require that letters of recommendation come from UW Faculty or Teaching Assistants. However, if you are a new transfer student we will accept letters from faculty from your transfer school(s) in lieu of (or in addition to) UW Faculty recommendations. Letters from family friends, employers, high school counselors, or high school teachers generally will not meet the requirement. If you have any questions about this or any other part of your application, you are more than welcome to contact Nancy Sisko.
Enrollment is limited to 30 students. Depending on the applications submitted, we may maintain a waiting list for the program. Following the online application process, students may be contacted by the Program Director for an in-person interview.
Courses
Much of the program requires walking city streets and visiting museums, theatres and monuments, and applicants will therefore need to be ready to take a physically active role in the program.
ENGL 444 (5 credits): London’s Contemporary Theater
Professor John Webster
The goal of this class is to help students become more informed, confident and, especially, active readers and watchers of contemporary theater. We will approach this goal in five ways. First, we will be seeing a series of theatrical productions during the course of the quarter, and discussing each of those productions both before and after we see them. Second, we will be reading several of these plays before we actually see the production—thinking about possibilities for dramatic representations of what we read. Third, students will be writing about what they see. They’ll be keeping a theatre notebook as their contribution to the formal work of the quarter, and I will be reviewing material from that notebook on several different occasions. Fourth, we’ll be engaging in a range of informal dramatic exercises throughout the quarter, introducing students to a range of theatrical techniques that will significantly increase their ability to “see” what’s happening on stage. And fifth and finally, we’ll be visiting several physical sites with special importance to the history of drama in London—such as the Globe Theater, The National Theater, The Royal Court Theater, or The Southbank environs of Shakespeare's London.
For this is the place!—for fans of the English-language theater, London is the sacred ground of sacred grounds. (The course will also be linked with an excursion to Stratford Upon Avon and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s main stage.
This course meets the Senior Capstone requirement for Language and Literature majors.
ENGL 381 (5 credits): Representing London—Writing and the Experience of Place
Professor Anis Bawarshi
In this course, we will explore how writing can shape the ways we experience place. We will do this by analyzing and producing textual representations of London, and then considering how these representations mediate the ways we encounter, experience, and make sense of the city. The course will begin by asking students to analyze various London-related “travel genres” such as travel guides, tourist maps, postcards, websites, and brochures. Students will learn and apply methods of genre analysis in order to examine how these genres work to construct our sense of place. In the second part of the course, students will conduct mini-ethnographies of various places around London. We will learn strategies for conducting fieldwork, and then each student will visit a selected place (historical landmarks, popular tourist attractions, lesser known, everyday sites) over a period of time in order to conduct observations about what happens (and does not happen) at that place, how people interact with each other and experience the place, what artifacts they use in that place, how, and why, etc.
This course meets the Forms and Genres requirement in the English Language and Literature major (for this program only). It may also count toward the composition or additional writing requirement.
ENGL 295 (5 credits): Art, Architecture, and Society in London
Professor Peter Buckroyd, British Faculty
This course is interdisciplinary. The material is London itself. The course is taught entirely on the streets and in buildings, ranging from medieval, Elizabethan and Jacobean to Victorian, modern and post-modern. As well as equipping students to look more carefully at buildings, pictures and sculpture, the course encourages them to do some imaginative re-creation, considering what it might have been like to have lived at different times in the past as a member of different social classes. Field trips, to locations like Stratford Upon Avon, are included, typically via chartered bus with professional drivers. Students usually stay in established B&B's for any overnight trips.
This course counts as VLPA credit and does not count toward the English major (it's an Art History course).
HSTEU 490 (5 credits): Contemporary Britain
Professor Michael Fosdal, British Faculty
This course introduces students to various aspects of life in Britain, from royalty to the homeless, from politics to sport. There is a major emphasis on direct contact with the people and institutions of contemporary Britain, including meetings with homeless people and politicians, visits to Parliament and the media, and individual research projects which encourage students to follow up their own interests. The course also looks at issues such as race, crime, the family and the problems (and delights) of being young in Britain today. The course should enable students to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Britain and equip them better to understand their own society.
Cost
The program fee will be $7,350 (Estimated program fee based on current exchange rates). This fee includes: instructional costs (paid in lieu of tuition), room, two meals per day (breakfasts and dinners), a London Transport pass, excursions, and textbooks. No additional tuition payment is required, resident and non-resident students all pay the same fees.
Fees do not include: the $350 non-refundable Study Abroad Office fee, airfare, weekday lunches, mandatory health insurance and other health-related expenses, or personal spending money.
So how does this compare to a quarter at the UW? According to the UW Financial Aid Office, a Traditional, Resident Undergrad would budget for roughly $8,650 per quarter for resident tuition, books, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses.
Source: UW Financial Aid Office.
In London, because participants' instructional costs, course excursions, books, transportation, housing and two meals per day are covered by the program fee of $7,350, your other expenses will chiefly be for airfare/travel, weekday lunches, personal expenses, and health insurance.
Airfare varies, but recent participants have paid around $1,200 for a plane ticket. Personal expenses can vary greatly from person-to-person, but with basic expenses (instructional costs, room and two meals a day, London transport pass, excursion tickets) paid as part of the program fee, your principal costs will be for lunch and pocket/shopping money.
You can lunch reasonably on £ 7 ($11) or less a day if you are economical; other costs will vary immensely depending on what you like to do, and whether you like to shop. London is a fairly expensive city with lots of good things to spend money on. A ballpark figure for a moderate spender has been about $2,000 for the quarter ($200/week); if you like to shop, you can spend more, but if you are economical, you can get by with a little less.
Payment Schedule
Program fees will be posted to participants' MyUW student accounts and can be paid the same way that you pay tuition and other fees.
Total fees: $7,700.
Note: Program fees are paid in dollars; most program expenses are paid in pounds. The English Department program in London reserves the right to modify the program fee based upon dollar devaluation or severe inflation. In this unlikely event, students will be notified of the increase and an adjustment will be made to the final program payment.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Most forms of financial aid can be applied to study abroad. You can verify that your financial aid award will apply to your program costs by contacting the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid or scholarships awarded as tuition waivers or tuition exemptions might not apply so you will need to verify that these funds are eligible for use with study abroad by contacting the funding office.
Revision Request:
In some instances you may qualify for an increase in your financial aid award (typically in loan funds). Check with the Financial Aid Office about your options. To request a revision in your aid, you will need to submit the following paperwork to the Financial Aid Office:
2. Budget of student expenses for your program: The UW Study Abroad Office will upload this budget to your study abroad account after a signed contract has been submitted to the UW Study Abroad Office. You can request an unofficial copy of this budget by emailing ipe@uw.edu.
Visit the Finances section of the Study Abroad website to learn more about disbursement, revising your aid package, short-term loans and scholarships.
Disbursement:
Please remember that financial aid and most scholarships will be disbursed according to the UW academic calendar (beginning of the quarter). If your program starts before the start of the UW quarter, your financial aid award will not be disbursed until after the start of the program. If your program begins after the start of the UW quarter, your financial aid award will be delayed until the start of the program. In either of these cases, you will have to finance any upfront costs such as airfare and health insurance and the start of your time abroad on your own. Please take this into consideration when you plan your foreign study.
Short-term Loans:
The Financial Aid Office does have a Short-Term Loan Program to assist students with temporary cash flow problems. To be eligible, students must be currently enrolled in regular classes in the UW Student Database. Students studying abroad during Spring quarter will need to apply for a short term loan before the end of Winter Quarter.
Scholarships:
Fritz Undergraduate Scholarships provide competitive funding to undergraduate students in the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Washington through the Chester Fritz Endowment.
GO! Scholarships are funded by the Washington State Legislature and provide students with significant financial need access to international learning opportunities. The scholarship is limited to UW students who are Washington State residents.
The UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards is an excellent resource for additional undergraduate scholarship advice and options.
English Majors (officially declared as of Winter Quarter 2017 or earlier) are also eligible to apply for the June Yeakel Barnes and the Robert Hardy Barnes Wings to London Scholarship.
Health Insurance
The University of Washington has a mandatory comprehensive health insurance plan that is specifically for students studying abroad on UW programs like the Department of English Spring in London Program. It has a very low premium: approximately $62 per month for the duration of the program.
Please visit their webpage or contact the Study Abroad Office for more information.
Mandatory UW Study Abroad Health Insurance Plan
Withdrawal Policy
$350 of the total program fee and the $350 UW Study Abroad Fee are non-refundable and non-revocable once a contract has been submitted, even if you withdraw from the program. Students withdrawing from a program are responsible for paying a percentage of the program fee depending on the date of withdrawal. More details about the withdrawal policy will be included in participants' payment contracts. No part of the program fee is refundable once the program has begun. The date of withdrawal is considered the date (business day) a withdrawal form is received by the UW Study Abroad Office.
Notice of withdrawal from the program must be made in writing, completing the following steps:
1. Provide notice in writing to the program director that you will no longer be participating in the program for which you have signed a contract and accepted a slot.
2. Submit a signed withdrawal form to the Study Abroad Office, 459 Schmitz Hall.
Dates & Deadlines
Important Dates
- Information Session: To be announced.
- Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 15, 2016
- Required Seattle Pre-Departure Orientations: TBA in Winter Quarter
- Arrival in Homestays: Tuesday, March 21st and Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017
- First Day of the Program: Thursday, March 23rd, 2017
- Last Day of the Program: Friday, June 2nd, 2017
- Departure from Homestays: Saturday, June 3rd, 2017
Pre-Departure Orientations
Participants will be required to attend a total of three pre-departure orientations in Seattle during Winter Quarter.
In addition to the orientations given by the UW English Department, program participants must also attend an in-person pre-departure orientation facilitated by the Study Abroad office.You must register for this orientation through your online study abroad account in order to attend scheduled orientations. You can visit the Orientation section of the Study Abroad website to view the current orientation schedule. The general Study Abroad orientation must be completed prior to March 1, 2017.
Any problems or financial losses that occur as as a result of not attending the orientations are entirely the responsibility of individual students.
The Spring in London program begins with two days of required on-site orientation sessions in London scheduled for all day Thursday and Friday, March 23rd and 24th, 2017.
Passports and Visas
You will need a passport to travel to the United Kingdom. It can take time for your application to be processed and your passport issued, so it's a good idea to apply for (or renew) your passport as early as possible. According to the U.S. government's passport services website, the total cost is $135 for a 10-year passport, and the University Neighborhood Service Center, 4534 University Way NE, is the passport acceptance facility closest to campus. The most extensive passport information, including application procedures, fees, office locations, and even printable application forms you can download, is available from the State Department's passport services website. Some general information on applying for passports is also available by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free number: 1-877-487-2778, while an automated appointment line and some general information is available at the Seattle Passport Agency: (206) 808-5700.
If you are not a U.S. Citizen, a visa, or additional documentation, may be required for your period of study in the United Kingdom. If a visa is required, international students participating on the program are encouraged to obtain their student visitor visas and/or any other required documentation no later than January 31, 2017. It can take the UK Border Agency several weeks to process your application and to issue your visa. Participants should begin the application process as early as possible (but no earlier than 90 days before your arrival date in London).
We will assist students with this process in any way we can, but please remember that we are not immigration experts. Obtaining a visa (should you need one) is your responsibility.
Travel
Travel Arrangements
Participants make their own travel arrangements - there is no group flight to London. Airfares fluctuate too often and too much to make any estimates here, but we encourage students to begin shopping for flights as soon as they are officially enrolled in the program. Council/STA Travel is a student-friendly travel agency we recommend, but students often find great deals on their own by taking advantage of frequent flyer miles and individual airline promotions.
NOTE to participants: Please be wary of some of the cheap airfare websites. Read all the fine print. Tickets may not be changeable, and flights may not always fly as scheduled. Students have run into problems with these sites in the past. Just use your best judgment and consider your options carefully.
IMPORTANT: As noted above, the program begins with two days of required on-site orientation sessions in London scheduled for all day Thursday and Friday, March 23 and 24. Students will be expected at their homestays Tuesday or Wednesday, March 21 and 22, and must plan their travel so they arrive in London no later than March 22 so they will be ready to attend the first on-site orientation on Thursday morning. They will be expected to leave their homestays on the morning of Saturday, June 3.
London Weather/What to Pack
Londoners open many conversations with comments about the weather - and with good reason. London weather is unpredictable and often mercurial; over the course of a single, spring day, one might see sun, rain, hail, and sleet. Students often ask us what to pack. There are two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wish they did. We recommend that students pack a week's worth of clothing, with options for layering. Comfortable shoes and a waterproof shell are must-haves, and students should keep in mind that they will have limited storage space in their host family's home. For more packing and backpacking ideas, check out the Rick Steves' website.
Professor John Webster
London Program Director
(206) 543-6203
cicero@uw.edu
Nancy Sisko
Academic Adviser
(206) 543-2634