Women’s Studies in London, England (UK)

Summer 2009

5 weeks (late June to early August)

Sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program in the College of Arts & Letters

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

The Women’s Studies Program in London offers the opportunity to study the lives of British women of diverse backgrounds.  London is a perfect setting for cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary investigation into British women’s writings and culture, feminist movements, and feminist theories and perspectives.  British women and men have made vital contributions to women’s progress and have had intellectual, social, and political links to the United States since the 18th century.

Who are/were British women? What are/were British feminisms? What influences have constructed notions of gender, race, class, ethnicity and sexuality had on British women’s lives? How has the role of empire and British nationalism influenced British women’s writing and politics? How have British women of different ethnic and racial backgrounds been represented in literature and culture and to what effects?  By focusing on an overview of the ideas and history of the British Women’s Movement primarily from the 19th and 20th centuries to the present, on an overview of selected British women writers over about the same period, and on feminist views on art and the theatre, we hope to come to some answers to these questions and to raise other questions as well.

Discussions and readings will be enhanced by contacts with women’s organizations and a trip to the Women’s Library - London’s premiere archive of British women’s activism.  We will go on London walking tours, to the theater, art museums and on trips to Stonehenge, and Leeds Castle.  Along the way, we will compare U.S. notions of gender with England’s and examine ways in which culture is influenced by legendary and ordinary women.

What can I study?

Students will be required to enroll in a minimum of six (6), maximum of nine (9), semester credits from the following courses:

Students must enroll in either WS491 or IAH 241C.

What are the requirements?

Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of at least 2.00 at the time of application.  Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission.

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Where will I live?

Students will reside in a residence hall, part of the University of London system.  The hall is in Bloomsbury, a centrally located historic area of London.  Breakfast is included.  The hall is just a short walk from the classroom location.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Joyce Ladenson
Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures
WRA Bessey Hall Mail Room

Joyce Ladenson is the former, long-time director of MSU’s Women’s Studies Program and a professor emeritus in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures.  She has written and taught about U.S. women’s literature, culture and history, and Women’s Studies as a field of study.  She is passionate about understanding diverse women’s lives and their contributions to change in many cultures and nations.

You can also log-on to Professor Ladenson’s Web site.

Do I need a passport or visa?

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport both to enter other countries and to return to the United States.  If you already have a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after your return date.  If you must apply for or renew a passport, APPLY EARLY, since a minimum of eight to ten twelve weeks is usually required for processing.  During peak travel seasons, more processing time is required.  Passport forms are available at many federal and state courts, probate courts, some county/municipal offices and some post offices.  They can also be downloaded from the Web.

For more information about passports visit the web page.

A visa is official permission granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or travel that allows you to enter and remain in that country for a specific purpose.  The visa itself is frequently a stamp in your passport, not a separate document. You will need a passport before applying for a visa and the passport plus visa process may take several months, so start early.  It is your responsibility to inquire about visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad; this includes countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program.  If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements.

For more information about visas visit the web page.

Are there special health issues?

As part of your acceptance you will complete a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization. It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; inquire whether there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety.

See the "Health Issues" section of the Student Handbook for further health information and recommendations.

How much does it cost?

The program fee in 2008 was $4,447 and included the following:

• application fee ($100)
• deposit ($200)
• pre-departure orientation
• accommodations with breakfast
• accident and sickness insurance
• field trips

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need to budget include:

• MSU tuition and fees*
• airfare
• additional meals
• books and supplies
• passport application fee
• visa application fees (if applicable)
• pre-departure doctor visits
• pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
• personal spending money

Excluding tuition and fees*, these additional costs were estimated at $4,415 for 2008.  Students may request a cost sheet which lists both the program fee and an estimate of additional expenses by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

*Check Student Accounts for current tuition, fees and taxes. MSU students pay the same amount they would pay to study at MSU; non-MSU students pay the Lifelong Education rate, regardless of state of residence.

Approximately two months before the program’s departure date, students will receive an e-bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the study abroad program fee.  Students will also be e-billed for tuition and fees, based on the number of credits taken, once they have enrolled in courses.  (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

How can I get help to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available to students who make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) and MSU’s Office of Financial Aid. 

If you are an MSU student and indicate on your application that you plan to use financial aid to pay for your study abroad experience, OSA will forward an estimated cost sheet to the MSU Office of Financial Aid for processing.  This form will include all anticipated costs associated with the program, including airfare.

If you are a non-MSU student, please request financial aid from your home university.  If your university is unable to award you financial aid, contact the MSU Office of Study Abroad to apply for loans only and you will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.

For further information about financial aid, visit the Web page.

Additionally, MSU students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for OSA scholarships.   Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need.  Requirements are listed in the scholarship application.  The deadlines to apply for these scholarships are February 1st for spring break programs, March 1st for summer, academic year and fall semester programs, and October 15th for winter break and spring semester programs.  

A generous endowment from the MSU Federal Credit Union, as well as additional resources provided through the Forest Akers Endowment, MSU Alumni Association, the Australia-Pacific Council, Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr., Brigitte and Thomas Huff, the Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund, the Kellogg Foundation, Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo, and contributors to the Overseas Study Endowment provide funding for these OSA scholarships.

For even more MSU scholarship opportunities through individual colleges or external scholarship possibilities (including funding for Multicultural students) visit the web page.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form.

Applications must be received in the Office of Study Abroad by March 1st for summer programs.  We strongly recommend that you apply early as this program may fill to capacity prior to this deadline.

Selection of applicants is done on a rolling admission basis - that is, applications are accepted and students are evaluated and considered for admission throughout the academic year.  Please remember that applying early and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.

A $100 application fee is required.  Students will receive an e-bill for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student has accepted admission into the program.  Students who have accepted admission may also be billed for a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit, also applied to the cost of the program.

Students who wish to withdraw their application are required to notify the Office of Study Abroad, in writing, that they no longer intend to participate.

Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on a faculty review of your transcript and a review of the Judicial Affairs Office records (MSU students) or Dean of Students Reference (non-MSU students).

Details about the admissions process, pre-departure information, what to know while you’re abroad, and information about returning home can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook that will be sent to you with your acceptance letter.