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AIFS Study Abroad in London, England
Summer 2010
Course Descriptions |
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Courses are divided by session and then grouped by broad academic discipline. Schedules are sent in early May.
- Art courses often meet in museums and galleries. Students incur some travel and entrance expenses, which are outlined in the syllabi.
- A maximum of 15 students can register for each Art/Art History class. Students are registered in the order of the date their application is received.
- The Inside Parliament course is held at the House of Commons. To allow traveling time, students should not register for another course in the period immediately before or after this course.
Session A (May 16 - June 4)| Art History and Art, Design and Media | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 106A (3) | | Course Title: | Introduction to Photography | | Course Description: | | For students with little or no experience in the technical aspects of photography. This class concentrates on using the 35mm and digital camera correctly and creatively and evaluating results through developing film and making prints in the darkroom. By the end of this course each student is able to produce a small portfolio of work. A studio fee is levied on this course. Students should provide their own digital or manual 35mm camera. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 300A (3) | | Course Title: | Palaces and Stately Homes of London | | Course Description: | | England's royal families, nobility and land owning gentry have made London and its surrounding areas their principal residence
for more than 1,000 years. Their dwellings, both palatial and 'stately', often played multiple roles, serving concurrently
as homes, prisons, seats of power, and increasingly as pleasure palaces and pastoral retreats from the nearby urban lifestyle. In this course, students examine the rich heritage of palaces and stately homes in the London region, learning about their historical backgrounds, architectural and decorative styles. Students should budget $60 for travel and entrance fees for this course. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 349A (3) | | Course Title: | British Art and Architecture | | Course Description: | | Considers British painting, sculpture, architecture and interior design of the 18th and 19th centuries in their cultural, social and political context. Includes Georgian architecture, gender and representation; art and the Industrial Revolution, travel and the expansion of empire; the country and the city. Supported by regular visits to museums, galleries and buildings to discuss works. Visits require some travel and entrance costs. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 351A (3) | | Course Title: | Museums and Galleries of London: The Cultures of Display | | Course Description: | | Considers the nature of museums and art galleries and their role and function in our society. Studies the workings of the art market, conservation, restoration, the investment potential of art and art world crime. Students visit many of the great London collections as part of this course. Suitable for students majoring in Art History or for those interested in careers in museum
or gallery work. Visits require some travel and entrance costs. | |
| Business Administration and Economics | | | Course Code and Credits: | FNN 304A (3) | | Course Title: | Money and Banking | | Course Description: | | The most significant recent developments are reviewed and commented upon. The main emphasis is on money and its place within the macro economy. The role of the commercial banks and the central bank is studied from the viewpoint of the part each plays in portfolio selection among economic agents. Some of the controversies about the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies are also reviewed. | | | Course Code and Credits: | INB 306A (3) | | Course Title: | European Business Development | | Course Description: | | Focuses on the economic, political and social environment for business in Europe. Examines the institutional interplay with the European Union, the contrasting structure of the European economy compared to its major competitors, the single market,
the Euro, Foreign Direct Investment, the role of multinationals
and the expansion of the EU to include Central/Eastern European members. | | | Course Code and Credits: | MGT 307A (3) | | Course Title: | Operations Management | | Course Description: | | Provides a theoretical understanding of operations management
and its application to practical business problems. Includes
operations strategy, materials management, production planning and simulation, network planning, variety reduction, quality assurance, quality circles, purchasing and problems of introducing new technology. | | | Course Code and Credits: | MKT 301A (3) | | Course Title: | Principles of Marketing | | Course Description: | | Introduces students to the principles and operations of marketing,
and the strategic role marketing plays in business from new product development, marketing research and target marketing
to consumer behavior analysis, advertising and promotion
and personal selling activities. Studies the marketing mix and the macro/micro business environment. Illustrated by case studies, videos and practical exercises. | |
| History | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 301A (3) | | Course Title: | History of London | | Course Description: | | From the creation of Londinium by the Romans to the great modern metropolis, this course traces the growth and the changing functions, institutions and architecture of London. Readings from contemporary writers, describing the London they knew and visits to selected monuments are an integral part of this course. Visits require some travel and entrance costs. | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 339A (3) | | Course Title: | U.S. and U.K. Comparative History | | Course Description: | | Focuses on shared themes from the 1880s to the present day, using a variety of approaches to enable students from different disciplines to participate in the course. Examines issues around popular culture, gender and ethnicity, as well as peoples’ responses to major events like the Depression and wars. Concepts from economic history are used to analyze booms and slumps, along with the resulting changes to both the U.S. and the U.K. The decline of Britain as a world power and the parallel rise of the U.S. is studied, putting into context the current debates on the post Cold War world order and globalization. | |
| Literature and Communications | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT/THR 337A (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World I | | Course Description: | | Aimed at the novice and the experienced reader of Shakespeare,
this course provides a historical context to Shakespeare’s
writing and closely analyzes the poetic and dramatic aspects in his drama. Shakespeare in performance is an integral part of the course and students are expected to see productions of most texts studied. A performance fee is levied on this course. | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT 353A (3) | | Course Title: | The Reading and Writing of Short Stories | | Course Description: | | Explores various types of narrative structures and storytelling techniques that are involved in the active reading of fiction. Students will examine different kinds of narratives and consider
the theoretical debates produced by them. Although most examples will be drawn from the modern and contemporary short story genre, the use of narratives in other genres, including
film, will be included. Students will have the opportunity to write their own story. | |
| Music and Theater Arts | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR/LIT 337A (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World I | | Course Description: | | See LIT/THR 337A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR 316A (3) | | Course Title: | Screen Acting Techniques | | Course Description: | | Develops acting skills specifically relating to the camera - ie for film and television. In a series of practical workshops and lectures, students are introduced to the disciplines of acting for the camera, and discover the basic differences between acting for television and for film (as opposed to the theater) as well as various styles of performance. Students learn how to develop realistic, sincere and believable performances. They also become practiced in dealing with the maintenance of performance under adverse technical conditions. Students gain experience in the rehearsal process, the development of a character, and shooting procedures, They are also given exercises
in interviewing for screen work and screen testing. | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR 359A (3) | | Course Title: | Contemporary British Theater | | Course Description: | | A survey of the major developments in the British theater since the 1950s. The writers’ theater movement at the Royal Court Theatre and the work of John Osborne and Harold Pinter are studied, as well as the work of major dramatists such as Peter Shaffer and Tom Stoppard. Students see a number of experimental and controversial productions and discuss current playwriting and acting techniques. Visits require some travel and performance costs. | |
| Social Sciences/International Relations | | | Course Code and Credits: | RLG 300A (3) | | Course Title: | Comparative World Religions | | Course Description: | | Explores the monotheistic religions of the Near East (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), those of India and the Far East (Hinduism,
Buddhism and Taoism) and the “new age” faiths. The history and practice of each is studied. Special emphasis is laid on the philosophical and psychological basis of each religion and common themes such as the “self” and suffering. | | | Course Code and Credits: | SCL 372A (3) | | Course Title: | Sociology of Culture and Subculture | | Course Description: | | Introduces the field of cultural studies by examining various concepts of culture, the positions taken in cultural criticism, and the relationship between social and cultural transformation.
Emphasis is placed on differences between U.S. and U.K. culture and the theory of subcultures. | |
Session B (June 6 - June 25)| Art History and Art, Design and Media | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 106B (3) | | Course Title: | Introduction to Photography | | Course Description: | | See ADM 106A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 326B (3) | | Course Title: | Video Production | | Course Description: | | A "hands on" course for students new to video, involving most aspects of production from camera work and sound recording to editing and audio dubbing. The theory and practice of video technology are taught through a series of group exercises and out of class assignments. Students also study a range of classic
videos and films as a means of understanding the language of the medium. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 340B (3) | | Course Title: | Communication Design: Type | | Course Description: | | This course focuses on the theory and practice of communication design, with emphasis on type-based solutions. It introduces students to the concept of graphic design as a social activity and projects include book design, grid systems and poster design.
The course has an important theoretical component, which includes visual culture and graphic design criticism.
| | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 351B (3) | | Course Title: | Museums and Galleries of London: The Cultures of Display | | Course Description: | | See ARH 351A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 364B (3) | | Course Title: | Modern Art: The Age of Impressionism | | Course Description: | | Offers a critical consideration of European art between 1848 and 1900, examining the emergence of new pictorial forms and strategies during a period of political, cultural and economic
upheaval. Concentrating primarily on the first great metropolis,
Paris, the course addresses a series of key issues: the representation of the city and its suburbs; images of women; and orientalism. Major topics include Realism, Impressionism,
Post-Impressionism and Symbolism. Visits to museums and galleries introduce students to London’s rich collections of nineteenth century art. Visits require some travel and entrance costs. | |
| Business Administration and Economics | | | Course Code and Credits: | ECN 353B (3) | | Course Title: | Economic Problems of Developing Countries | | Course Description: | | Discusses why the level of economic prosperity varies between countries, how the difference should be measured, what the range of measures is to improve the lot of the world’s poorest inhabitants and the role organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank take in this process. | | | Course Code and Credits: | MKT 304B (3) | | Course Title: | Country Risk Analysis | | Course Description: | | Provides students with an overview of the history, methods, strength, and limitations of political risk forecasting. Political
risk forecasting is defined as a package of social science concepts and methods used by government and multinational businesses to analyze the future political environments in which they operate. | | | Course Code and Credits: | MKT 302B (3) | | Course Title: | Consumer Behavior | | Course Description: | | Focuses on the study of what it means to be a consumer in a global, information-oriented culture. Examines behavioral science concepts, processes, and approaches that inform marketing
strategy as to what, how, when, where and why people consume. Provides a managerial-oriented understanding of the ubiquity of consumption in post-modern life. Examines the influences
upon and the behavior of consumers, both in groups and as individuals. | | | Course Code and Credits: | MKT 308B (3) | | Course Title: | Internet Marketing | | Course Description: | | Provides students with an insight into the techniques and processes
involved in creating and maintaining a marketing presence
on the Internet. New technologies have created some radical changes in the way companies reach their markets. Students
have the opportunity to learn about electronic commerce in action; the interplay between the technology and marketing applications; the changing scope and uses of the Internet; and current management issues facing business attempting to use the World Wide Web. | |
| History | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 301B (3) | | Course Title: | History of London | | Course Description: | | See HST 301A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 313B (3) | | Course Title: | Introduction to Modern Europe, 1870-1945 | | Course Description: | | Taking as its starting point German unification, examines the central themes in European history encompassing nationalism, imperialism and other 20th century ideologies. It addresses the rivalry of the great powers in Europe, which culminated in World War I, and then studies the failure of the interwar peace, leading to the causes and events of the Second World War which witnessed Germany’s unsuccessful bid for hegemony in Europe. | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 328B (3) | | Course Title: | Roman and Medieval Europe | | Course Description: | | Introduces the student to the Middle Ages in Europe, a period of a thousand years from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance and the array of events and developments which formed the basis for our modern world. Along with important political, military, religious and artistic advances, the course examines the everyday lives of women and men in this fascinating
era. | |
| Literature and Communications | | | Course Code and Credits: | COM 362B (3) | | Course Title: | Adaptations: Literature and Cinema | | Course Description: | | Deals with adaptations from literary texts, in the broad sense - novels, plays and comic books - to cinema and television. It engages with issues around the transition from one medium to another, debating questions of authorship and the relative advantages of different forms. Adaptations are discussed in terms of their historical and cultural contexts and “faithful” versions
contrasted with “free” adaptations that retain the tone and spirit of the original while deviating from the letter of the text. | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT 324B (3) | | Course Title: | Travel Writing | | Course Description: | | Exposes students to the scope and the power of modern travel writing. It provides an intellectual framework for the understanding
and analysis of this genre and will introduce students to many of the critical texts which will be drawn from Bryson, Raban and Naipaul, among others. | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT/THR 337B (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World | | Course Description: | | See LIT/THR 337A. | |
| Music and Theater Arts | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR 320B (3) | | Course Title: | World Theater | | Course Description: | | Provides an overview of the theater of different non-European countries. Mainly issue-driven writing is examined, especially drama as a reaction to oppression. The course also identifies styles that are specific to certain cultures in an aim to identify cultural influences from one country to another. Students are encouraged to contribute insights from their own individual countries. | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR/LIT 337B (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World | | Course Description: | | See LIT/THR 337A. | |
| Social Sciences/International Relations | | | Course Code and Credits: | INR 306B (3) | | Course Title: | Human Rights | | Course Description: | | Examines international human rights as they are practiced in the modern world. It draws from the related disciplines of international law and international relations. It considers the principal global and regional mechanisms as well as actual events, cases and responses, in an attempt to understand the development of universal human rights. | | | Course Code and Credits: | PLT 301B (3) | | Course Title: | British Politics: Inside Parliament | | Course Description: | | An introduction to the political system of the United Kingdom, employing both theoretical and comparative approaches, particularly with reference to the political system of the USA. Topics include: the constitution; concepts of democracy; the role of the legislature; the Cabinet; the Head of State/Head of Government; the electoral system, pressure and interest groups and party political programmes. Includes meetings at the House of Commons, conducted by a Member of Parliament.
Limited to 30 students. | | | Course Code and Credits: | PLT 359B (3) | | Course Title: | The European Union in the New International System | | Course Description: | | This course examines the historical beginnings of the European
Union, its institutions and its economic performance. Studies the Single European Act, the Euro and the European Central Bank, social, political and economic aspects of integration
and expansion and foreign policy cooperation. | |
Session C (June 28 - July 17)| Art History and Art, Design and Media | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 106C (3) | | Course Title: | Introduction to Photography | | Course Description: | | See ADM 106A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ADM 335C (3) | | Course Title: | Photojournalism and Publication Layout | | Course Description: | | Concentrates on the reportage area of photography using digital equipment. Students learn about the history, nature and techniques of photojournalism by studying the work of eminent practitioners, and by designing, shooting, printing and laying out a number of documentary style projects. A studio fee is levied on this course. This course is recommended for communications, journalism and social science majors. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 300C (3) | | Course Title: | Palaces and Stately Homes of London | | Course Description: | | See ARH 300A | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 349C (3) | | Course Title: | British Art and Architecture | | Course Description: | | Considers British painting, sculpture, architecture and interior design of the 18th and 19th centuries in their cultural, social and political context. Includes Georgian architecture, gender and representation; art and the Industrial Revolution, travel and the expansion of empire; the country and the city. Supported by regular visits to museums, galleries and buildings to discuss works on site. | | | Course Code and Credits: | ARH 351C (3) | | Course Title: | Museums and Galleries of London: The Cultures of Display | | Course Description: | | See ARH 351A. | |
| Business Administration and Economics | | | Course Code and Credits: | FNN 301C (3) | | Course Title: | Corporate Finance | | Course Description: | | Examines the financial needs of corporations and the range of mechanisms available to meet them. Different financial requirements are examined with an emphasis on a comparison
of internal and external sources of funds and their relative availability and cost. Topics include capital budgeting, cost of capital, dividend policy, capital structure, current asset management
and portfolio theory. | | | Course Code and Credits: | INB 306C (3) | | Course Title: | European Business Environment | | Course Description: | | See INB 306A. | |
| History | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 301C (3) | | Course Title: | History of London | | Course Description: | | See HST 301A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | HST 313C (3) | | Course Title: | Introduction to Modern Europe, 1870-1945 | | Course Description: | | See HST 313B. | |
| Literature and Communications | | | Course Code and Credits: | COM 307C (3) | | Course Title: | Script Writing | | Course Description: | | Students are guided through the creative processes of writing scenes for the stage, TV and film. The building of character and plot is examined as well as the industry standard formats for writing in these media. Group and team work are encouraged
as well as discussions, critique and analysis of the narrative
techniques used in existing stage plays and films. | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT/THR 337C (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World | | Course Description: | | See LIT/THR 337A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | LIT 353C (3) | | Course Title: | The Reading and Writing of Short Stories | | Course Description: | | See LIT 353A. | |
| Music and Theater Arts | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR/LIT 337C (3) | | Course Title: | Shakespeare and His World | | Course Description: | | See LIT/THR 337A. | | | Course Code and Credits: | THR 359C (3) | | Course Title: | Contemporary British Theater | | Course Description: | | See THR 359A. | |
| Social Sciences/International Relations | | | Course Code and Credits: | PLT 301C (3) | | Course Title: | British Politics: Inside Parliament | | Course Description: | | See PLT 301B. | | | Course Code and Credits: | PLT 364C (3) | | Course Title: | Religion, Identity and Power | | Course Description: | | This course explores the relationship between religion and political identity and its expression between and across nation-state borders. By focusing on a number of religious movements,
such as various Islamic revivals and the new Christian right, this course examines the various ways in which religious traditions are used as identity-building vehicles, particularly at times of cultural transition and social change. It examines how the Internet and other communication networks serve as mediums for religious identity formation. | |
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