Application Deadline: Friday, June 29, 2012
Orientation: Saturday, August 4, 10-3 PM at North Seattle Community College, Education Building Room ED 2843A
Program Dates: September 28 (arrive in London Sept. 29) – December 7, 2012
London, England Loved and respected for its architecture, theatres, museums, galleries and academic institutions, London has something for everyone. Along with earning a full quarter of transferable college credits, students live with British families and immerse themselves in day to day British Life. Frequent field trips and travel opportunities enable students to experience the culture and history of this great city as well as the beautiful countryside of England. The teaching team tailors courses to the European environment and structures the coursework around several themes common to the locale.
Fall 2012 – London, England Brochure (.pdf)
London, England Budget Request (.docx)
WCCCSA London Scholarship Application, Fall 2012 (.docx)
“Living with an English family made the trip for me. It was an experience I will cherish my whole life” -Ryan Smith, 2000
SITE
Classrooms are located in the University of London Union in Bloomsbury. Bloomsbury is a fashionable residential quarter for merchants and aristocrats in the 18th century. It is very much a university area, with the main buildings of the University of London at its center. Bloomsbury also provides a wealth of interesting shops on its side streets as well as numerous restaurants. The British Museum is close at hand as are many of the colleges of the University of London. Within easy walking distance are Oxford Street, one of London’s main shopping areas, and Soho, Covent Garden and the West End, London’s evening entertainment sector.
CLASSROOM
- Classrooms are air-conditioned with whiteboards
- There is access to audio-visual equipment including LCD projectors, overhead projectors, televisions, US/UK
- VCR and DVD players.
- Flexible format ranging from lecture to seminar style
STUDENT FACILITIES
- Students will have access to the wireless enabled student computer lab (27 PCs) located in the AIFS Student Centre with free Internet access and printing facilities.
- Students will have access to the AIFS Student Centre and the services of an experienced AIFS Program Coordinator and AIFS Student Advisors for information, personal advising/counseling
- Fax, mail services and 24-emergency contact service
Membership of the University of London Union Students are provided membership to the University of London Union which gives them access to student clubs and societies and (at a reasonable additional cost) to sports facilities including a swimming pool, health spa, multi-gym and squash courts.
TRANSPORTATION
Student will be issued the London Transport travel pass, valid for unlimited use on buses and underground trains in travel zones 1, 2 and 3 for the duration of the program.
FACULTY
Dr. Thomas Grimes has taught philosophy at Peninsula College for the past 18 years. He has also held teaching appointments at Arkansas State University and Cal Poly. After double majoring in economics and philosophy at Brown University, he earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Arizona. His scholarly writings in philosophy of science and metaphysics have appeared in both national and international scholarly journals, including the prestigious British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. Beyond philosophy, Dr. Grimes has a deep interest in art, and in particular, 17th century Dutch art. Currently he is three paintings short of his quest to see all the works by Johannes Vermeer, which are scattered among 15 North American and European cities.
As part of a faculty exchange program, Dr. Grimes taught philosophy at Guangxi Vocational & Technical Institute of Industry in Nanning, China. Beyond China, his lust for getting lost in foreign places has taken him to North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. He has visited London on several occasions and knows firsthand the unparalleled opportunities it affords for learning about art, culture, and history. He looks forward to using the city as a classroom for teaching philosophy to a group of inquisitive students and to being a part of making their time there a transforming international experience.
COURSES
Students register for their courses at the home campus.
British Life and Culture (5 credits) is required of all students and provides an introduction to the culture. This course is taught by qualified local guest lecturers, focusing on historical, political, economic and cultural aspects of contemporary Britain.
Philosophy 101 – Introduction to Philosophy (5 Credits) (Please see your campus coordinator for specific course numbering)
Much of Western intellectual thought is dominated by the contributions of British philosophy. This course consists of an analytic examination of some basic problems from each major branch of philosophy with an emphasis on the views of British philosophers from the medieval, modern, and contemporary periods. Topics include free will and determinism, God and rationality, morality and justice, art and beauty, knowledge and skepticism, and mind and body. Field trips to sites in and around London will be utilized to gain a better historical understanding of many of the philosophers to be studied.
Philosophy 105 – Critical Thinking (5 Credits) (Please see your campus coordinator for specific course numbering)
As a study of informal logic this course explores the nature and application of principles of correct inductive, moral, and practical reasoning. Topics include informal fallacies, advertising, stereotypes, medical claims, the scientific method, news reporting, moral justification, and expected value. Examples will draw upon aspects of British life and cultur.
This is an academic program and students are expected to enroll in a full-time course load. Failure to participate in the academic coursework may result in dismissal from the program. Students are encouraged to make the most of their classroom learning as it will enhance understanding of all the local area has to offer.
EXCURSIONS/ACTIVITIES
On arriving in London, Students will attend a 2-day orientation program consisting of orientation meeting with AIFS staff, workshops on cultural differences, safety/security and travel. Students will receive an information packet to including a comprehensive student handbook and local area information. There will be a welcome reception and a half-day sightseeing tour of London by private coach with the services of a professional guide.
The AIFS staff will keep students informed about various cultural and social events in London and help students make individual plans that compliment academic interests. AIFS staff also organizes a cultural program of evening theater events and day-long excursions to places of interest outside London. Students pay an additional fee for some activities, but they are considerably subsidized by the program fee. The subsidized cultural program of events include 5 Friday daytrips (to Oxford, Stonehenge and Salisbury, Bath, Brighton and Stratford Upon Avon) 4 theatre events, a football or rugby match and a walking tour.
Optional Scotland Excursion
An optional 5-day, 4-night excursion to Scotland will be offered for a supplemental fee of $595 per participant. Included in the price is a round-trip train ticket between London and Edinburgh, 4 nights hostel accommodation with breakfast included (2 nights in Edinburgh, 1 night in Loch Ness, 1 night on the Isle of Skye), a 3-day guided bus tour to the highlands and islands of Scotland, entrance to Edinburgh Castle, 2 evening meals and the services of an AIFS staff member throughout the excursion.
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
Use free weekends to travel in England and to Europe’s great cities including Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Edinburgh. AIFS’s local staff will assist you in choosing your destination and transportation.
HOUSING
Students will live with local families in their homes. All families are carefully screened and selected by AIFS personnel overseas. The AIFS Local Organizer will use the information that students provide on their AIFS accommodation form to place students with local families.Students will have accommodation in a twin room in a homestay within a residential neighborhood of London. Continental breakfast (cereals, toast, juice, tea/coffee) will be provided in the homestay five days a week (Monday through Friday) and dinner four days per week (Monday through Thursday). Students will have access to the kitchen for the preparation of any other meals. By living with a host family, students have a link to the local culture and customs. Students are encouraged to make the most of family life and community activities during their stay in London. Students are expected to respect the norms and customs of their host family.
AIFS will offer an optional meal money program whereby students can lodge money (in sterling) at the beginning of the quarter and be given it back every two weeks throughout the program. Information will be included in the student information packet and discussed at orientation meetings. This is to help students pace their spending.
DATES & DEADLINES
Program Dates: September 28 (arrive in London Sept. 29) – December 7, 2012
Payment Deadlines:
- Deposit of $450 due with application by Friday, June 29, 2012 to AIFS – if Scotland tour is selected, $50 is also due at this time.
- AIFS will then bill the student for the remaining balance of $6,225 plus a $250 refundable damage deposit which are both due by Thursday, August 9, 2012 – if Scotland tour is selected, $545 is also due at this time.
- Students applying after the application deadline date of Friday, June 29, 2012 can only be accepted on a space-available basis
- Students wishing to purchase the Transportation Package must notify AIFS in writing by Friday, June 29, 2012.
** At least $150 is non-refundable; please check the London brochure and AIFS application for full refund policy guidelines.
COSTS
Program Fees: $ $6,675 based on a minimum of 25 participants. Does NOT include the $250 refundable damage deposit
INCLUDED:
- Accommodation in a twin room homestay
- Roundtrip airport transfers to the student homestays on the program arrival and departure days.
- Continental breakfast Monday -Friday and dinners Monday – Thursday in homestay
- Access to homestay kitchen for the preparation of other meals
- Two day on-site orientation with welcome reception
- Half-day sightseeing tour of London by private coach with tour guide.
- London Transport travel pass for unlimited use on buses and underground trains in travel zones 1, 2, and 3.
- A subsidized cultural program of events
- Access to the wireless enabled student computer lab with 27PCs in the AIFS Student Center with free Internet access and printing facilities
- Access to the AIFS Student Center and Student Services Staff
- 24 hour emergency contact service
- Membership of the University of London Union (allows students access to the Union facilities, subsidized rates to sports facilities and the opportunity to join University of London clubs and societies).
- $50 non-refundable application fee
- Student medical and program fee refund insurance policies
- Pre-departure orientation
Optional Transportation Package
On a space-available basis, students may purchase the optional transportation package consisting of round-trip airfare (Seattle – London – Seattle) and round-trip transfers overseas between the airport and the housing in London for an additional $695 excluding mandatory U.S. government and airline-imposed departure taxes, fees and fuel surcharges of $579 (subject to change) for which students will be billed separately. A minimum of 10 participants must purchase the flight for it to be offered. AIFS will reserve spaces at the above prices according to information on the student application form. Once airline tickets have been issued to students they can only be changed directly with the issuing agent- agent and airline-imposed penalties apply. AIFS cannot arrange airline tickets for students applying after Thursday, July 13, 2012. Participants wishing to cancel from the flight must notify AIFS in writing by Thursday, August 9, 2012. Cancellation penalties may apply. Tickets are non-refundable after this date.
NOT INCLUDED:
- $250 refundable damage deposit
- Airfare
- College tuition and fees
- Course books or materials (unless specified)
- Passport and visa fees if applicable
- Meals not mentioned above
- Personal expenses
- Anything not specified as included in the program
- Optional personal effects coverage and medical insurance upgrade
ORIENTATION
When: Saturday, August 4
Where: North Seattle Community College, Education Building Room ED 2843A
Time: 10am-3pm
What to bring: Students need to bring (a) a signed copy of the Student Guidelines, (b) 4 passport photos, (c) a copy of your passport, (d) flight itineraries for students not on the group flight, (e) a notepad to take notes, and (f) questions. Student participants should also invite parents, guardians, or whomever they feel should attend with them.
Coffee will be provided in the morning and lunch will be served. The faculty will be available to discuss their courses and expectations.