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 2008
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| BIOL 103/203 | Biotechnology and Society | 6 units |
| BIOL 235 | Evolutionary Biology | 6 units |
| ANTH 372 | Urban Anthropology | 6 units |
| MUHI 131/431 |
Musical Taste and Manners in Europe 1600-1750 |
6 units |
| THAR 111 | Introduction to Theatre | 6 units |
| UNIC 264 | Internship Seminar | 6 units |
WINTER 2009
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| HIST 247 | The Impact of Empire on Great Britain 1815-1914 | 6 units |
| GOVT 385 | Modern British Politics | 6 units |
| ARHI 246 | 19th Century British Art, Design, and Society | 6 units |
| THAR 279 | Fringe Theatre in London | 6 units |
| UNIC 203 | British Crime Fiction | 6 units |
| UNIC 264 | Internship Seminar | 6 units |
SPRING 2009
| Core course | ||
| UNIC 260 | British Life and Culture | 3 units |
| Elective courses | ||
| ANTH 372 | Urban Anthropology | 6 units |
| ARHI 246 | 19th Century British Art, Design, and Society | 6 units |
| HIST 150 | Stuart England 1603-1714 | 6 units |
| THAR/ENG 170 | Shakespeare in London | 6 units |
| UNIC 262 | The Fields Beneath: Discovering London's Histories | 6 units |
ANTH 372
Urban Anthropology
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.
BIOL 103/203
Biotechnology & Society
De Stasio
6 units, Fall Term
This course focuses on gaining an understanding of human medical technology & agricultural biotechnology, with particular emphasis on genetic technology. Topics that will be covered: stem cell research, gene therapy, and the production of genetically modified agricultural and pharmaceutical products. Potential site visits & London resources include: King’s College workplace of Nobel laureate Maurice Wilkins, Chelsea Physic Garden, Laboratory of Sir Alec Fleming, Old Operating Theatre, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, and the site of the discovery of the structure of DNA in Cambridge. No prior biological knowledge or prerequisites are required for 103, 203 counts towards Biology major and BIET minor, and either will fulfill a natural sciences distribution requirement.
BIOL 235
Evolutionary Biology - Darwin’s Legacy
De Stasio / De Stasio
6 units, Fall Term
This course focuses on the study of biological evolution including: natural selection, adaptation, the evolution of sex, speciation, and extinction. Potential trips & London resources include: Darwinian pilgrimage to Downe House, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo, Natural History Museum, and the approaching bicentennial of Darwin’s birth means there will be a lot of other offerings. No prerequisites are needed. This course will count as speaking intensive, will fulfill a natural sciences distribution requirement, and will count towards a Biology or Environmental Studies major.
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, Winter 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 131/431
Musical Taste and Manners in Europe 1600-1750
Mr. Charlston
6 units, Fall Term
A study of music in the Baroque period, its social and historical
context and relationship to other arts. The course explores the
depth and variety of 17th and 18th century musical life and follows a
broad range of interests to suit both music majors and non-specialists.
Museum visits and weekly concerts, with accompanying lectures;
demonstrations by performers active in the field of historical
performance practice; and readings on form, style, and the lives of
composers. The course is general in scope, and no prior
musical knowledge is expected or prerequisites required for 131. Students with MUHI 201 and 202, can take this course at the 431 level. Either will fulfill 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.
UNIC 203
British Crime Fiction
Ms. Harris
6 units, Winter 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, Spring 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.