Past Review
By Angelina D (English, Italian Studies, Wellesley College) for
King's College London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned so much about language, culture, dialects, etc. It was very helpful to my research interests in English literature. Just because it's English doesn't mean you won't learn anything about language! I hope to return to the UK for a masters. I had an absolutely amazing experience and I highly recommend going to London to study abroad.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | King's College London |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There was only one paper for each class which counted for the entire grade. Other than that, classes were a mix of lecture and discussion. Readings were both primary texts and criticism. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
N/a |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived at King's Great Dover Street Apartments, near the Waterloo campus. It was in Southwark, SE1. It was a large complex divided into about 12 blocks, and each block had multiple flats. I lived in a flat with seven other students. <br /><br /> I lived with first years, who were wonderful people, but there were some serious tensions between parties in the flat. The location was good, near a major bus stop with access to all other parts of London. Near many theaters and museums. 45 mins by bus or less to my campus. |
| * Food: |
It was what I bought and cooked myself in the flat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Most of my activities I arranged myself, and London is great for concerts, plays, parks, museums, and travel. With some initiative you can do so much. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
When I got really sick in London, I went to a walk-in clinic in Soho. The wait was not nearly as long as I had heard from other people. The NHS is pretty good quality. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | London is an expensive city with a high cost of living. I spent at least £20 a week, often more. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Grocery shop at Asda and Tesco. If you like plays, it's easy to find £5 and £10 tickets for off-West End shows. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Seize the day! Directly enrolling in a large university like King's means you have to make things happen on your own (making friends, traveling, activities, etc.). |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Jacobean Shakespeare |
| Course Department: | English Language and Literature 6AAEC010 |
| Instructor: | Gordon McMullan, Ann Thompson |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The lectures were much more interesting than the seminars. I enjoyed the criticism chosen for the class. The focus seemed to be primarily on textual and editing issues, as both of the professors do editing for Arden Shakespeare. I found it interesting, but if that's not something you enjoy you should not take this course. In general though, I recommend taking Shakespeare in London because you can draw on local productions. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | It hasn't gone through my home institution yet. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Postcolonial Perspectives |
| Course Department: | English Language and Literature 6AAEC044 |
| Instructor: | Anna Snaith and Ruvani Ranasinha |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This is a great course to take in London because it highlights the diversity of modern British literature. Primarily focused on South East Asian and Caribbean diaspora writers. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | See above. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Gender and Performance |
| Course Department: | English Language and Literature 6AAEC049 |
| Instructor: | Lara Shalson |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Most of the course was American literature. I was rather underwhelmed with this class. The professor was knowledgable, but didn't go as far into gender issues as I would have liked. Rather basic for my taste. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | See above. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Memory and Time in the Nineteenth Century |
| Course Department: | English Language and Literature 6AAEC021 |
| Instructor: | Josephine McDonagh and Mark Turner |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course drew upon materials not only from fiction and poetry, but also science writing and photography, all around the central theme of memory and time. It was fascinating, with some of the best lectures I had at King's, but the reading material was often dense and unfamiliar. Highly recommended. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | See above. |
