Study Abroad Spotlight: London, England
By Alisha Lombardi and Richard Menard, Study Abroad Office
While the majority of our Zags choose to study in Florence, there is a growing number of students who opt to have a slightly different study abroad experience in one of the many other locations available to them across the globe including South America, Africa, China, Japan, Costa Rica, New Zealand and many locations in the United Kingdom.
London has always been one of the most popular places for students to study abroad and the United Kingdom is one of the leading destinations for U.S. study abroad students.
Queen Mary, University of London is a semester program in London. In the past two years, the Study Abroad Office has seen an incredible jump in the number of participants on this program – which speaks to the high quality of the program. Students get to interact with, not only local British students, but also a host of international students and other U.S. students. Compared to Gonzaga, QMUL is quite large, with a student population of just over 21,000; approximately a third of that total is international students and 300 of those students are study abroad. Rest assured that there is a staff of over 4,000 staff and faculty to support your student from the International Office, Academic Support and Student Life.
Academics | QMUL offers students a wide variety of course options with over 950 offerings. The university is ranked in the Top 100 in the world, along with being one of the top 10 research institutions in the U.K. Students are taught by leaders in their field and their teaching is directly influenced by the latest research.
On-site Support | QMUL’s international office does a superb job at preparing students prior to their arrival through constant communication in the form of a weekly countdown email. They also provide a number of features including airport collection service, peer to peer mentorship program, events on and off campus for new students, and guides for course enrollment, arrival and orientation. Students have access to additional services at QMUL including Advice and Counseling, Disability, 24-hour Campus Security, Pastoral Support, Health Centre, Academic Advisors, IT support and many others.
Location| The East End is one of London’s oldest areas, exposing students to authentic local life. The campus, located in the heart of east London, is one stop on the Tube from the Olympic Park, and minutes from West End. The campus is fairly easy to navigate, and study abroad students are guaranteed housing on campus in flats ranging from 4-6 students with shared kitchen facilities. QMUL is the only university in London that offers on-campus housing. The residence halls are also staff by Hall Stewards, which is the U.S. equivalent of an RA.
For students who are not comfortable spending an entire semester in London or being enrolled at a British university, they can go to London with one of our faculty-led programs for the summer: Gonzaga-in-London: Literary London or Gonzaga-in-London: Spirituality and the Arts of London.
Academics |Courses are offered by Gonzaga faculty members who will be traveling and leading students through their academic experiences in London. Students who take the Literary London Program will take two courses for six credits; ENGL 342: The Victorian Era: London and the Victorian Literary Imagination and ENGL 446: Literary and Cultural Studies: London as Text. Students on the Spirituality & the Arts of England will also take two course for six credits; RELI 370 Christian Spirituality: A Call to Justice and THEA 122 Interdisciplinary Arts.
On-site Support | Gonzaga faculty members will be available to students 24 hours a day and will be living in close proximity to students. The faculty members have traveled to London multiple times and are supported by the Study Abroad Office located in Spokane.
Location| Kensington, the most desirable area, where you’ll find many a multi-million-pound residence, is between Kensington High Street, up and over to Notting Hill Gate. The Royal Borough has been home to the monarchy since 1689. The well-tended gardens at Kensington Palace are open to the public, as are those of Holland Park. When it comes to shopping, Kensington High Street has every high street brand you can think of with the landmark Barkers building reminding us of the street’s history in retail supremacy. With popular parks, museums and shops in easy reach, Kensington is brilliant for tourists wanting to be that little way out of the center.
London continues to be one of the most thrilling places to visit. There is no shortage of experiences for students to have, it just a matter of choosing one that fits them best!