In addition to being well-suited to fulfill a variety of general education distribution requirements, London Centre classes have no pre-requisites making them accessible to students of all majors. Most students earn around 20 units for the term.

While at the London Centre, you will take the required 2-unit British Life and Culture class and three elective classes from the list below. Students interested in customizing their experience to the London Centre may consider taking an internship or music lessons. Internships will have an additional application process and fee associated with them. Music lessons are open to students actively taking music on campus; they are subsidized up to $500.

Required Classes

British Life and Culture - 2 units

This required 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. In the past, students have visited the Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, London Mosque, a football match, and more! With this course, students will earn two units. 

2025-2026 Electives - 6 units each

You will take two to three 6-unit elective courses at the London Centre, depending on if you are pursuing the optional internship or music lessons. Contact Off-Campus Programs with any questions.

Please note: The list of 2026-2027 London electives will be available in November.

For Full London Centre Course Descriptions, please visit our Off-Campus Programs SharePoint site.

Fall 2025

  • HIST/GLST 273 - London – A City Shaped by Migration
  • THAR 257 - Diversity on the London Stage
  • ARHI 246 - 19th Century Art, Design, and Society in Britain
  • PHYS 114 - The Whirligig of Time - Megan Pickett, Associate Professor of Physics, Visiting Faculty from Lawrence University
  • PHYS 115 - Nature's Infinite Book - Megan Pickett, Associate Professor of Physics, Visiting Faculty from Lawrence University

Winter 2026

  • ENG 203 - Literary London
  • HIST 247 - Impact of Empire on Great Britain, 1815-1914
  • THAR 176 - Post War British Musical Theatre
  • GOVT 385 - Modern British Politics
  • ANTH 372 - Urban Anthropology of London

Spring 2026

  • ENG 155 - Domesticating Literature: London House Museums
  • ENG /THAR 170 - Shakespeare in London
  • MUCO 131/431 - The Grand Tour: Musical Taste and Concert Life in Europe 1600-1750
  • ARHI 247 - Art Now: Contemporary Art in London
  • HIST 272 - The Empire at Home: Politics, Culture, and Society in Britain from 1914 to Present

Optional - Internships

Internships are one of the amazing ways you can tailor the London Centre program to your interests! With dozens of placement areas available, you are sure to find a good fit regardless of your major.

During the internship, you will participate in a one-hour weekly internship seminar (6 units) and work 15-20 hours in your placement. Not only will you gain professional experience, you will also come to view London as only a true Londoner can - through your morning commute, interactions with your co-workers, and navigating workplace culture and cultural workplace differences.

If you apply for an internship, you will need flexibility, an open mind, a positive attitude, and a professional hardworking approach.  You will be challenged but you will also benefit.  You will be able to grow professionally, strengthen your interpersonal skills, network, see an industry from a different cultural context, develop time management skills, and make your London Centre experience uniquely your own.  You will learn as much about yourself as you will your host culture. 

For more details on the London Centre Internship program, including placement areas, the application process, and visa requirements, please visit our Internship page on SharePoint.

Internships add another layer to the study abroad experience for Lawrentians

Two London Centre alums share their experiences participating in internships while at the London Centre.

Go to Article

Optional - Music Lessons

If you are a music major and have regularly taken music lessons on-campus and are interested to continue in London, you can sign up for a 3-unit S/U music lessons course. With this, you will earn five contact hours of private instruction from a local instructor. Lessons are partially subsidized (up to $500) and need to be arranged in advance. Typically, students taking music lessons will do so in addition to their other London Centre courses. Alternative arrangements would need to be discussed with the Off-Campus Programs office.

There is a dedicated practice space at the London Centre for students to use. The space comes with a clavinova.  If you are a piano student and prefer to practice on a piano, however, there are some locations in London, including public libraries, where you can play, either for free or for a small fee. Most students bring their own instruments.

For more information on how to register, finding an instructor, and more, please see our Music Lessons page on SharePoint.

Looking Ahead to Spring 2027

Bob Williams, Professor of Education, Director of Teacher Education & Director of the Linguistics Program will be teaching two classes at the London Centre! There are no prerequisites for either class, and both classes are open to all majors.

Headshot of Bob Williams, Professor at Lawrence

Bob Williams, Professor of Education, Director of Teacher Education, Director of the Linguistics Program

Creative London (Topics in Cognitive Science)

In this course, we’ll explore the cognitive science of creativity, mixing research on neuroscientific, psychological, and social aspects of creative thinking and activity with examination of creative works in contemporary London and, where possible, the processes that led to their production. Types of works will be driven in part by student interest and could include architecture, art, music, theatre, and design, though we will also consider how creative thinking is employed in fields outside the arts, including (specifically) students’ major fields of study. 

The English Language (Topics in Linguistics)

In this course we’ll examine the greatest British export: the English language. We’ll learn about the  development of English in the context of British history, unique characteristics of English that  resulted from this development, the varieties of English in contemporary Britain (including differences from American English), and contemporary issues such as the tension between preferred speech (received pronunciation) and the everyday language of different regions, ethnic groups, and social classes. A key source will be David Crystal’s The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, which includes online recordings and resources.