Starting in the 2003-04 academic year, a new academic model was
introduced for the London Centre. Under the new model, all students are
required to take the 3-unit core course, British Life and Culture.
Students may then opt to take two or three elective courses. While
adding two courses will provide minimum full-time standing (15 units
total), the core course has been specifically designed so that students
may consider pursuing three courses (21 units total).
Music Lessons
B.Mus. and B.A. Music students wishing to pursue music performance study may choose to arrange lessons in London. If successful in contracting for at least the five hours worth of lessons, students may register for a 3-unit, S/U-only course overseen by Associate Dean Jeffrey Stannard. Students are reimbursed up to a maximum of $500 for lesson fees, transportation, and, if necessary, rental of practice space. Please note that the reimbursement cannot take place until the formal request is submitted to Dean Stannard at the end of the term.
Internships
For Fall and Winter terms, internships are an excellent option to
consider. The London Centre has contracted with the Centres for
Academic Programmes Abroad (CAPA) to facilitate internship
placement of 15 hours per week (two full work days per week), arrange a
special orientation program for interns, and conduct on-site
monitoring during the course of the term. Internship placements
are available for students in the humanities, social sciences, fine
arts, and sciences. For a listing of past placements, more
information on the internship program, and some thoughts from former
interns, please visit the Internship page.
FALL 2007
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| ANTH 372 | Urban Anthropology of London | 6 units |
| HIST 247 | The Impact of Empire on Great Britain, 1815-1914 | 6 units |
| THAR 111 | Introduction to Theatre | 6 units |
| MUHI 136 |
Gilbert and Sullivan and the Victorian World |
6 units |
| MUHI 137 | Opera in Context | 6 units |
| UNIC 264 | London Internship | 6 units |
WINTER 2008
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| ARHI 246 | 19thC Art, Design and Society in Britain | 6 units |
| GOVT 385 | Modern British Politics | 6 units |
| MUHI 135 | British Musical Renaissance | 6 units |
| THAR 279 | Fringe Theatre in London | 6 units |
| UNIC 262 | The Fields Beneath: Discovering London's Histories | 6 units |
| UNIC 264 | London Internship | 6 units |
SPRING 2008
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| ANTH 372 | Urban Anthropology of London | 6 units |
| ARHI 246 | 19thC Art, Design and Society in Britain | 6 units |
| HIST 150 | Stuart England 1603-1714 | 6 units |
| THAR/ENG 170 | Shakespeare in London | 6 units |
| UNIC 203 | British Crime Fiction | 6 units |
ANTH 372
Urban Anthropology of London
Mr. James
6 units, Fall and Spring Terms
This seminar combines a variety of methods to explore contemporary
British culture. In addition to the readings and field trips, students
conduct ethnographic fieldwork in London on a topic of their own
interest. This may be based in a particular place or, more broadly,
focus on a certain group of people. The course provides an introduction
to field research methods. Throughout the term, students participate in
shorter exercises designed to develop their confidence in the skills of
observation, interviewing, description, and analysis. Readings on
topics such as neighbourhoods, social use of language, class,
education, and migration experience provide a framework for
understanding the detail of the individual projects. Students are
expected to make presentations and participate in discussions. This
course fulfills a social sciences distribution requirement and the demensions of diversity general education requirement.
ARHI 246
19th-Century Art, Design, and Society in Britain
Ms. Barnes
6 units, Winter and Spring Terms
In the 19th century, Britain was at the height of her imperial and
industrial powers, with a burgeoning middle class with increased
spending power. Against this background, this course examines the
painting (including Turner, Constable, the Pre-Raphaelites, the High
Victorians), architecture, furniture, and interiors of the period,
utilizing the wealth of examples in London's museums, galleries, and
buildings. This course fulfills a fine arts distribution requirement.
GOVT 385
Modern British Politics
Mr. Fosdal
6 units, Winter Term
This course analyzes the central structures and processes of British
politics, the important policy issues of recent years, British
attitudes toward the political system, and critiques of British
politics and history. This course fulfills a social sciences
distribution requirement.
HIST 150
Stuart England 1603-1714
Ms. Dobbs
6 units, Spring Term
This course explores the causes and impact of the English Civil War,
the effect of the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, and the path to
the Hanoverian Succession. Also studies are the economics, politics,
religion, social history, and cultural aspects of the period. Visits to
museums and building of the period are included. This course fulfills a
humanities distribution requirement.
HIST 247
The Impact of Empire on Great Britain, 1815-1914
Ms. Dobbs
6 units, Fall Term
In 1914 the British Empire contained a population of over 400 million
people and was territorially the largest empire in world history. While
the British spread their ideas about government, language, religion,
and culture to their colonies, Britain itself was also profoundly
influenced by the colonies it ruled. This course will explore aspects
of the impact of the Empire on British politics, economics, society,
and popular culture during the 19th century. Among the topics to be
covered are the anti-slavery movement, imperialism and new imperialism,
jingoism and popular culture, economic responses, and the influence of
imperialism on culture and the arts. The myriad resources of London
will be used to provide specific examples of how important the Empire
was in shaping British identity and institutions during the 19th
century. This course fulfills a humanities distribution requirement and the writing intensive general education requirement.
MUHI 135
The British Musical Renaissance: Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten
Mr. Charlston
6 units, Winter Term
An introduction to British music in the first three-quarters of the
20th century. In addition to studying major works by Elgar, Vaughan
Williams, and Britten, students will explore the social and political
currents as they impinged on musical life in Britain. A number of
concerts and outside visits will be organized, and students will be
encouraged to attend relevant performances in London, for which they
will be prepared in class. The course is general in scope, and no prior
musical knowledge is expected. This course fulfills a fine arts
distribution requirement.
THAR 111
Introduction to the Theatre
Ms. Schiele
6 units, Fall Term
Drawing upon the rich resources of the London theatre scene, this
course studies the fundamentals of dramatic structure, form, style, and
criticism through an examination of plays currently in performance.
Students are required to attend performances of the plays under study.
This course fulfills a fine arts distribution requirement.
THAR 170/ ENG 170
Shakespeare in London
Ms. Vinter
6 units, Spring Term
Students study several plays by William Shakespeare selected from among
the current offerings by the Royal Shakespeare Company and other
companies. Students are required to attend performances of the plays
under study. This course fulfills either an humanities or a fine arts
distribution requirement.
THAR 279
Fringe Theatre in London
Ms. Schiele
6 units, Winter Term
This course will attempt to define Fringe Theatre (a movement started
in 1968) and to categorize its main elements. The class shall attend a
wide variety of plays and venues and come to an understanding of how
the fringe has changed over the years. Discussions will address
production techniques, the plays themselves, the audiences to whom they
appeal, and to what extent the fringe is still an important theatrical
force. Students are required to attend performances of the plays under
study. This course fulfills a fine arts distribution requirement.
MUHI 136
Gilbert and Sullivan in the Victorian World
Ms. Koestner
6 units, Fall Term
This course will explore the world of Victorian England through comic
masterpieces that have remained popular and relevant up to our own
time. The social, political, literary and artistic life of
Victorian England is reflected in the comic operettas of William
Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Gilbert used his fertile imagination and
wit to satirize contemporary topics, such as higher education for
women, the aesthetic movement in art and literature, morals and
manners, and political bureaucracy. There are references to
advances in technology, corrupt and inept government officials, popular
fads, and nearly every other aspect of daily Victorian
life. In addition to being one of the all time great writers in the
English language, Gilbert transformed the production practices of
modern theater. Documents from the period will prfaovide reading
material, visits to London museums will allow viewing of Victorian art
work and articts, and attendance at a live Gilbert and Sullivan
performance will, if possible, be included. The course is general in scope, and no prior
musical knowledge is expected.
MUHI 137
Opera in Context
Ms. Koestner
6 units, Fall Term
This course will explore the literary and historical inspirations
for great operas, giving particular attention to operas and related
plays being offered in London during the fall of 2007. Some operas are
derived from literary sources, such as Britten’s The Turn of the
Screw (being produced by English National Opera), based upon the gothic
psychological thriller of Henry James. Others, such as Mozart’s
The Magic Flute (also coming to ENO), with its many connections to
Masonry and enlightenment philosophy, are a rich source of both
literary and historical/cultural interest. Other operas to be studied
will depend upon the offerings of London theater companies. The
structure of opera libretti will be compared to their literary sources,
and the role of music in advancing the drama will be examined. This
course is designed for a general student population, and does not
require a background in music.
UNIC 203
British Crime Fiction
Ms. Harris
6 units, Spring Term
The course will offer a survey of the development of crime fiction in
Britain from the mid-nineteenth century to the pre sent. Taught as a
lecture/discussion class, it will also attempt to exploit the London
setting to provide a physical context for some of the work under
scrutiny. Students will be able to develop their analytical and writing
skills, and should expect to achieve a good grasp of the
characteristics of genre fiction; they should also be able to recognise
the contribution that a study of these popular forms can make to
developing a broader understanding of the values and concerns of the
society within which they arise.
UNIC 260
British Life and Culture
Mr. Fosdal
3 units, Fall, Winter and Spring Terms
This compulsory course utilizes visiting speakers, site
visits, small group fieldwork and short research projects to introduce students
to contemporary life in London and the United Kingdom. Site visits usually include the
Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, London Mosque, and a football match. Speakers
have included religious leaders representing several
different traditions and a homeless couple, among others. The course is
designed so that the majority of work takes place during the single class
meeting, allowing students the possibility of pursuing up to three elective courses.
UNIC 262
"The Fields Beneath:" Discovering London's Histories
Ms. Harris
6 units, Winter Term
This interdisciplinary course aims to give students a thorough
grounding in the chronology of London's development from Roman
settlement on the periphery of Empire to 21st-century "World City." The
use of contemporary literary and visual sources will serve both to
develop students' historical imagination and to enable them critically
to examine the concepts involved in the discipline of history itself.
Alongside this historical approach, a theoretical examination of
specific themes and topics will be used to explore the nature of "the
town as palimpsest," a layered structure in which the past is never
entirely obliterated by what succeeds it. Examples of such themes and
topics might include, inter alia, religious observance, theatrical
presentation, immigration, commerce, domestic life, and government.
UNIC 264
London Internship
Ms. Harris
6 units, Fall and Winter Terms
The compulsory internship seminar meets once per week and builds upon
the field study, lectures, and discussions in the British Life and
Culture course. Students are expected to maintain a journal with at
least two substantial entries per week critically reflecting on their
experiences from intercultural, cross-cultural, social, ethical,
organizational, and interpersonal perspectives. Students are also
required to complete two short reflective essays and a final internship
essay interrogating their experiences in terms of the course readings,
class discussions in the seminar and the British Life and Culture
course, and the broader issue of how a liberal arts-informed
perspective frames one's experience in the workplace.