Study Abroad in London: Special Programs

International Internship Program (IIP)

The International Internship Program is an innovative way to enhance classroom learning with work experience for credit. After a class introducing British culture and preparatory seminars, students are placed in full-time positions with leading companies, organizations and agencies in London. Internships provide insight into a career, practical experience and development of professional skills. Students may be placed in advertising and sales promotion, museums, counseling agencies, accounting, investment and banking, market research and public relations, government or publishing. This program is open to juniors and seniors who meet specific admission requirements. See details in next chapter. Recently a number of Richmond students have had the good fortune to work with, and/or meet during their internship placements, a number of influential and international leaders, such as Tony Blair, Al Gore and David Cameron.

Exciting New Opportunities for Education Majors/Minors with Internships and Volunteer Placements in Global Education

Education majors and minors can now apply for internships in schools in London for Junior (5-11 years) and Secondary Education (11-18). Teaching assistant positions (full time) and volunteer positions (1 day/week) are available as either an internship for credit through Richmond the American International University in London, or the volunteer positions through the Study Abroad programme at Richmond. These exciting new opportunities would give you the opportunity to fully experience an educational system in another country in one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities! Please contact your AIFS Admissions Office for details.

Postgraduate Art History Course for Honors students (6 credits)

Richmond’s well-established MA in Art History is concerned with intercultural issues in the study of art and art history, and with establishing methods for the study of non-Western culture. It includes a special focus on methodologies for intercultural investigation and for the visual representation of identity and difference. Richmond’s central London location supports the program through its close proximity to some of the world’s leading museums, galleries and research facilities such as the research library of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Although Richmond postgraduate courses are not usually available to study abroad students, in the Fall semester seniors majoring in Art History with a GPA of 3.4 or above will be able to join Richmond’s MA students in the following 6-credit course:

ARH 412 (6)
Colonialism, Orientalism and Primitivism
Examines visual representations associated with cultural relationships springing from Britain’s colonial history, and Western constructs of the “primitive” and of the Orient. Beginning with colonial enterprises in the 18th and 19th centuries, the course traces the significance of constructions of “the other” and the relevant impact on visual arts. Moving into the 20th century, notions of alterity based on orientalist representation provide further links to modern art.

A further 6 or 9 credits can be taken from Richmond’s regular undergraduate course offerings outlined later in this chapter.

Certificate in British Studies (15 credits)

For those interested in the interdisciplinary nature of a liberal arts education, this is an excellent way to combine history, literature and the social sciences in a systematic and intensive study of British culture. To achieve the certificate, students must complete five courses from a specially selected list with a GPA of at least 2.0. Courses include British Art and Architecture, Museums and Galleries of London, History of London, British Politics: Inside Parliament and Contemporary British Theater. A full list of certificate courses is available on Richmond’s website at: www.richmond.ac.uk. If you are interested in being considered for receipt of this certificate, be sure to notify the Academic Affairs Office at Richmond upon arrival in London.

Freshmen and Sophomores

A separate program is available for freshmen and sophomores at the University’s Richmond Hill campus, 45 minutes away from Kensington. Students live in double or triple rooms and receive 10 meals per week in the student cafeteria. A range of 100 and 200 level courses are offered, details of which can be found on Richmond’s website at: www.richmond.ac.uk. Please note that upper division students should not enroll in lower division courses.