The University of Minnesota Duluth Study in England Programme began in 1980-81 with the support of the administration, faculty, staff, and students at the University of Birmingham. The programme is located on the Selly Oak campus of the University. Birmingham is the second largest city in Britain and is located 110 miles northwest of London in the county of West Midlands.

The Study in England Programme has developed into a successful, thriving programme, taking between 40 and 50 students from the United States each year to study in Birmingham. Continued efforts at improvement are made by the programme staff in order to provide the best study abroad opportunity for participants at an affordable cost.

The on-site Programme Director is a faculty member from UMD with administrative experience in programme operation. This person directs the entire programme for all participating students and faculty. The Director has the experience and expertise to make the programme work and, while in England, has the overall authority to make all decisions relative to the Study in England Programme. The Director also serves as an academic and personal counselor for the students in the programme.

Programme faculty include the Director, two faculty members from UMD each semester, and selected British faculty members from universities in the Birmingham area. Each semester there are at least nine courses from which to choose: 5 from UMD faculty members, at least 4 from British faculty members, including a beginning Spanish language course. In the 1999-2000 academic year University administrators began the process of directly immersing interested student participants into selected University of Birmingham courses offered on the Selly Oak campus. We will continue to do that this year.

Course work is diverse and dependent upon the faculty teaching in the programme in any given year. Every course is fully accredited by the University of Minnesota and is offered through the auspices of the departments at UMD. The students are in close contact with all their professors, both in and out of the classroom. This really works, and the companionship between the students and professors is one of the important positive attributes of the programme. The faculty are carefully selected for the programme; not only are they knowledgeable teachers, but they are also personable people. You will be with them not only in the classroom, but on field trips and in many relaxed settings. This experience of getting to interact with a faculty member much more closely than in the typical university setting is a highlight of the program for both students and faculty.

The academic focus of the programme will be stressed time and again. This is necessary because many of our students have such a good time they sometimes forget the main reason for the existence of the programme, which is to provide the opportunity to STUDY abroad in excellent academic programs that are complemented by the English setting. Students are expected to attend all classes and they MUST attend the classes immediately before and after programme breaks. Little tolerance will be shown for irresponsibility. There is ample time outside of class for students to travel and experience other cultures and to take advantage of every opportunity to expand their view of the world. The demands of class work are essentially the same as they are at your home academic institution. The academic standards of the programme will not be compromised because of the British setting, but instead, enhanced by it. We reserve the right to send home to the United States any students who do not meet or maintain the standards expected (minimum GPA of 2.4).

If you are like most of our past participants, you have never been abroad before. Some of you have never been in a really large city. Suddenly, you are now looking forward to Europe, where they speak different languages, use different money systems, and have all kinds of customs that you are not familiar with. We will visit castles, cathedrals, London, and more. It is fascinating to see yourself react to this different environment and begin to adapt to varied ways of life. It is impossible to communicate the extent to which past participants' lives have been positively changed as a result of their experiences with this programme. Many have made lifelong international friendships. We encourage everyone to keep a journal of their year's experiences!

You need to remember three critical things to make this year a success: you are a guest in another country, you must be flexible, and you must be sensitive to other cultures. At times all of us will become tired, homesick, irritable, perhaps frustrated and discouraged. Being able to cope effectively with stress and crises is a real sign of maturity and will be much appreciated by everyone--including yourself. Remember, the Director, Housing Coordinator, and faculty are always there to help.

Read this Handbook carefully and thoroughly. It contains essential information about passports, tickets, immunizations, courses, responsibilities, etc. These are things you NEED TO KNOW. Then prepare yourself for a wonderful adventure!

Share the information with your parents.