Study Abroad in London: Academics
Full course descriptions, class schedules, prerequisites and course availability are posted at www.richmond.ac.uk. Study abroad students are not permitted to take the independent study, senior project/senior essay, research and writing methods, graduate level or Foundations Program courses listed on the Richmond website. After students are enrolled in the program and receive their student identification number, they may request preferred courses through the website.
- Credits awarded by Richmond generally are transferable. Grading is on a 4.0 scale—A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, etc. Courses may be audited, but taking them on a pass/fail basis is not an option.
- Because Richmond is a fully accredited university, the year will be academically challenging and rewarding. The University maintains the highest standards of academic excellence.
- Students across the U.S., as well as Richmond’s own degree students, are registering for classes, so the earlier a student’s course requests are submitted, the better the chance of getting the courses he or she wants.
Course load
Most courses carry three credits per semester. A normal course load is five courses (15 credits) each semester. Study abroad students are encouraged to choose at least three courses from the London Core (see Courses), supplemented by additional courses from different disciplines to maximize their cultural and educational experience.
Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities
Individual faculty members determine the content of their own courses. However, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are usually offered (for a nominal additional fee) to complement students’ classroom experiences, enhance their academic understanding and increase their cultural awareness.
Typical activities, designed to complement the London Core courses, may include:
- Tour of Parliament and meeting with an MP
- Visits to local art galleries, including the Tate Modern and
- Tate Britain
- Theater performances
- Visits to London museums including the British Museum, National Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum
- Tour of the Bank of England
- Visits to multinational companies
- Visiting lecture series—previous speakers have included representatives from world politics, international businesses, pressure groups and the theater/arts industry
Credits
Since Richmond is an accredited American university, its credits are transferable to other U.S. institutions. Several hundred U.S. colleges and universities are affiliated with AIFS, making credit transfer easy to arrange.
Student advising
Richmond combines the personalized atmosphere of a small liberal arts college with the exciting opportunities of a big city. Classes are small and students receive personal attention from faculty and staff. Academic advisors ensure that students get the most out of their time abroad academically as well as culturally.
Transcripts
Transcripts are prepared by the Richmond Registrar’s Office, Richmond, The American International University in London, Queen’s Road, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6JP. One official copy of the transcript will be mailed to you free of charge.
Additional official transcript copies may be obtained from the Richmond Registrar’s Office by using the Transcript Request Form, which is also located on the Richmond website, http://www.richmond.ac.uk/. This form should be printed, signed and mailed or faxed to the Registrar’s Office. There is a fee of £5 per transcript, plus an additional fee of £15 if courier service is requested. (Courrier service will take 2-3 business days; regular mail will take 2-3 weeks.) Address, fax number, and fee details are on the request form.
An end-of-term grade report will be sent to the home address on your application.
