We’d like to warmly invite all Texas State University students to join us for a travel-writing and British literature study-abroad program in London & Cambridge in Summer 2024.
The Texas State in London and Cambridge, England program is designed for first- and second-year college students who would like to earn credit for 1 or 2 Texas State University courses in just 5 weeks! You will spend two weeks in London with your teachers and classmates and complete the remainder of our coursework online, whether at home or while traveling.
What will I learn?
By joining us for this program, you’ll complete your English 1320 requirement with a Travel Writing course (ENG 1320) by writing and taking photographs for your blog about your visit to London. You’ll also complete your required sophomore literature course requirement (ENG 2320) with our British Literature class while learning about some of the world’s most beloved authors in the exact same places where they were inspired to write!
How do I pay for Study Abroad?
You can use your current financial aid package for these courses, but you should also apply for the International Education Fund (IEF) Scholarship, which grants awards of $750-$3,500 (there is no GPA requirement for freshmen!). The deadline for the IEF Scholarship is January 21, 2024. Additionally, if you receive the Pell grant, you are eligible to apply for theGilman Scholarship by March 7, 2024.
How do I apply for this trip?
Please check out the London & Cambridge online brochure (and application!)at the Texas State Education Abroad Office website. (The application opens in mid-October, and you’ll want to act quickly to reserve your spot!)
What if I have a question about the program?
Come and meet your Texas State in London & Cambridge faculty, Laura Ellis-Lai and Ben Reed, at the Texas State Study Abroad Fair in the LBJ Ballroom on October 19, 2023 from 10 am – 2 pm. An academic advisor will also be available at the fair that day to complete the academic advisor form you’ll need for your application. Please call us or email the program faculty with any questions:
Dr. Laura Ellis-Lai
LE17@txstate.edu
(512) 245-7678
Faculty Profile
Mr. Ben Reed
ben-reed@txstate.edu
(512) 245-7668
Faculty Profile
What will I do in London?
Together, we’ll spend lots of time exploring the same streets, visiting the same royal palaces, relaxing in the same coffee shops, and traipsing through the same leafy parks that our writers did over the previous decades and centuries. Our readings will help us time-travel through the centuries and our outings will make history come alive!
Together, we’ll visit:
- a reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater along the banks of the Thames River,
- the British Library to see Jane Austen’s desk and many other literary treasures,
- the Victoria and Albert Museum to learn about the influence of the British empire on English taste and culture,
- the Charles Dickens Museum to sit in the chair next to the fireplace in his parlor where he wrote many of his masterpieces,
- the Tate Museum of Modern Art to learn more about the post-war era of Modernism in art and literature,
- the British Museum to see treasures collected from around the world and to learn about ongoing efforts to have many of these objects repatriated to the places where they were created,
- the Harry Potter fan favorite, Platform 9 and 3/4, alongside a shop where you can get “fitted” for a magic wand of your own,
- and much more!
We’ll also take a field trip to visit the nearby college town of Cambridge, England to punt the River Cam, visit the King’s College Chapel, and see where many of the world’s greatest literary and scientific advancements were made. We will stand where Watson and Crick announced the discovery of DNA (at their favorite Cambridge lunch spot), walk by Stephen Hawking’s office, and even see an apple tree grafted from the same tree that inspired Isaac Newton to reconsider gravity.
Where will my classroom be in London?
We’ll be learning as we explore the city from top to bottom! Upon arrival in London, you’ll be provided with an orientation to the city, which will include health and safety information, and you’ll get a transportation pass and orientation to the London Underground (a city-wide subway system often referred to as “The Tube”) to help you feel confident and comfortable traveling around the city. Our local provider, IES Abroad London, will house our classroom in their gorgeous historic building in Central London. Our staff at IES Abroad London will take excellent care of us from the time we arrive in London for our orientation to the city until our goodbye dinner and departure at the end of our stay.
Where will I stay in London?
Our IES staffers will place you in a stylish student dorm, such as The Stay Club, alongside your classmates. Student housing will be filled with instagrammable backgrounds for the photos you’ll share with friends and family during and after your trip! Both your instructor and our IES Abroad staffers will remain available for advice and guidance about all aspects of life in London, from heath and safety to the best places to buy breakfast pastries or fish and chips.
What will I do in my free time?
In London, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know the city during our class field trips, but you will also have time to explore on your own with new friends from class. Would you like to catch a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theater? Take Insta-worthy photos and explore the colors and flavors of Notting Hill for your travel blog/journal? Ever been curious about how figgy pudding really tastes? Discover your favorite new bookstore on Booksellers Row? Meet your roommates for afternoon tea and scones? Watch a football match alongside passionate fans? Instructors will also organize optional excursions to see some of London’s Roman ruins, or the Egyptian Avenue at Highgate Cemetery. The city is ready to be explored!
What will I take away from this experience?
While participating in this program, you will gain a cultural awareness of the interconnectedness of global economic, political, and social systems as you study British literature and culture in London and Cambridge. You’ll engage in meaningful interactions with local Londoners – including immigrants from around the world – as you develop new intercultural competencies, inclusive communication skills, and a growing appreciation for one of the most diverse and culturally rich cities in the world. You’ll analyze British literature while learning about culture and history in London and Cambridge, and you will draw upon your experiences abroad and our course texts as you research, draft, revise, and edit your own travel writing essays about London.
While our academic focus will be travel-writing and literature, our situation in London will allow us to approach our curriculum in a truly inclusive and interdisciplinary way. You will gain proficiency in your coursework as you receive indelible impressions in the areas of international cuisine, contemporary fashion, and human history—all while developing the cultural competencies and sophisticated worldview of the experienced traveler. Come see why studying abroad is often the richest and most memorable adventures of the college experience.