Fall Semester 2006 Information Sheet

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DATES: August 28 – December 5, 2006

COST: Program fee: (TBA) The program fee includes roundtrip airfare from Birmingham, airport transfer, accommodation at London Study Centre, continental breakfast daily and meal allowance of £80 weekly, planned excursions, Paris weekend via Eurostar train and eight theatre plays.

Tuition: 12 credit hours to be billed at the per-credit-hour rate

PROFESSORS IN RESIDENCE: Dr. Mary McCullough and Dr. Max Baber

REQUIRED COURSES : Students must register for LOND 360 and one Samford faculty course:

LOND 360 – Modern Britain (4 credits): An interdisciplinary study of British life from the perspectives of history, architecture, literature, economics, political science, religion, art and sociology. Team taught by British lecturers and Samford Professor-in-Residence.

London’s Immigrant Communities 399.01x -Honors 399.03x - (4 credits) ENGL/JMC/SOCI/COMS/HIST– Dr. Mary McCullough: Four novels of various immigrant communities and diasporas will be studied: Bangladeshi, ( Brick Lane, by Monica Ali, 2003); West Indian ( Small Island, by Andrea Levy, 2004); Arab ( Only in London, by Hanan al Sheikh, 2001, and A Border Passage, by Leila Ahmed, 1999) , as well as films representing these various communities ( Bend in Like Beckham, Badji at the Beach, My Son the Fanatic, My Beautiful Launderette). A history of Britain’s colonial empire will be studied as a preview to the novels and films. We will focus on (im)migration, religion, gender roles, stereotypes, identity, and belonging in these various works. As a course requirements, students will interview members of these various communities and compare their experiences with those depicted in the books and films, and share these findings with the class. Students will also eat in ethnic restaurants, visit various ethnic neighborhoods and places of worship associated with the various communities represented in the novels and films (a mosque and a Hindu temple, for example).

The Geography of London 399.02x (4 credits) GEOG/HIST/CLAS/POLS/SOCI/JMC - Dr. Max Baber: London is one of the world's foremost urban laboratories. Centuries of history, a determined people, and the wealth of an empire built one of the world's most magnificent cities. London is home to an increasingly diverse metropolitan population greater than 12 million. Students will explore the historic roots of the city; the development of the British urban system; transportation and the shaping of the city; social, political, and economic dynamics of the Greater London Area; urban growth, decline, and revitalization; suburbanization; global impact and influence; and 21st Century prospects and challenges. This is a field based course, involving first-hand interactions with greater London’s urban landscape. Students will draw from variety of disciplines as they explore one of the world's great cities. Geography serves to bridge between these disciplines for a comprehensive overview of the diverse forces molding the city and shaping the lives of its residents.

OPTIONAL COURSES : Students may enroll in these courses to reach the required 12 credit hours. Students with a 3.0 GPA plus approval of the director of the London Programs and their advisor may take up to 14 credit hours. There is an additional tuition charge for credits above 12 hours.

LOND 200 - The British Theatre : Lectures by leading practitioners, a backstage theatre tour, and eight nights at the theatre bring British theatre to life. This course satisfies the theatre appreciation requirements. Taught by Samford staff and British lecturers. (2 credit hours)

LOND 201 – Music and Art in London: A Fine Arts directed independent study. The art resources of London are the basis for this directed independent study. Course will include a variety of field assignments. This course satisfies a Fine Arts requirement. (2 credit hours)

INTERNSHIPS : A limited number of internships are available in business, legal, political, theatre, media and other professional settings. Details are available from the London Programs Office. Must have 3.0 GPA or higher. (2-4 credit hours)