INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE

Study in England Programme - University of Birmingham

Programme Information|Director Faculty Information| Location Information | Current Courses | Next Year's Courses | Eligibility | Costs | Deadlines & Dates | Orientation | Housing | What's Next? | Photos | Helpful Links

Apply now! -- for 2009-2010!

Programme Information
The Study in England Programme sponsored by UMD offers students a wonderful opportunity to enrich their college experience by spending an academic year abroad. Students will spend a full academic year taking courses and living on the University of Birmingham campus. The university facilities - library, computer labs, recreational and social areas - are available to programme participants.

Students have many course options. Each term a minimum of five courses are offered by UMD faculty members who participate in the programme. Additionally, UMD hires several British and European faculty to offer additional courses in their specialty areas and most take advantage of the British setting. These options allow students to complete UMD liberal education requirements, fulfill major/minor requirements and elective requirements. All courses are taken in the UMD Study in England Building on the Selly Oak Campus of the University of Birmingham.

The school year for the UMD Study in England Programme begins with an approximate departure date in-mid September. Classes meet Monday through Thursday beginning in early October. The group returns to the United States at the end of May.

More information may be viewed in the Study in England Programme Student Handbook. Please note that not all the information in this handbook is the most up to date and will be revised for the 2009-2010 programme.

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Location Information
The Study in England Programme is located in Birmingham, England on the University of Birmingham Selly Oak Campus. Birmingham is England's second largest city and is located 110 miles Northwest of London. Birmingham has a population of approximately 1,006,500 and is a city and metropolitan bourough in the West Midlands. Birmingham has an International airport and is just a train or coach (bus) ride away from Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare Country), Cardiff, Wales and London.

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Students normally enroll in 12-15 credits each semester. They select courses from offerings by UMD faculty on site, and British and European faculty hired by UMD. These options allow students to complete the UMD liberal education requirements as well as to fulfill major/minor requirements and elective requirements. Courses are scheduled in an intensified four-day week, leaving three-day weekends available for field trips and independent travel. Please examine the listing below for specific courses available.

*Courses vary year to year depending on what UMD faculty members participate in the programme and what contract faculty are available to teach in Birmingham

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UMD Faculty joining 2009-2010 Programme Director Judith Kritzmire are: John Arthur, Department of Sociology (Fall 2009); Paul Cannan, Department of English (Fall 2009); Jennifer Jones, Department of Anthropology(Spring 2010); Helen Mongan-Rallis, Department of Education (Spring 2010).

Students normally enroll in 12-15 credits each semester. Select from courses offered by UMD faculty on site, and British and European faculty hired by UMD. These options allow students to complete the UMD liberal education requirements as well as to fulfill major/minor requirements and elective requirements. Courses are scheduled in an intensified four-day week, leaving three-day weekends available for field trips and independent travel. Please examine the listing below for specific courses available.

* Please note that courses are subject to change as the British and European contract faculty are confirmed closer to the programme start date.

Back to 2009-2010 courses

Back to 2009-2010 courses

Back to 2009-2010 courses

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Eligibility
Applicants should be current UMD students or students from other universities who are admissible to UMD. All applicants must have:

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.4 at the time of application
• Completion of 24 college credits by the time of programme participation

Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.4 while a Study in England Programme participant.

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Costs
The 2009-2010 Programme cost is $23,250 and is comparable to the cost of a full year at UMD. Two non-refundable deposits are due upon acceptance into the Programme and will be applied towards the Programme fee.

Participants pay the cost of the Programme in two installments during the 2009-2010 academic year through their student account. Students may choose to utilize a payment plan. The cost covers

• Application fee & deposits paid to UMD
• All tuition
• Housing and meal allowance during term time
• Academic field trips
• Local bus pass in Birmingham
• Round trip air transportation from Minneapolis to England
• Student Guild Fee
• International Student Identity Card
• International Health Insurance
• Administrative costs.

Each student provides his/her own financial support for passport, required UK student visa, textbooks, recreation, personal travel, etc.

Financial aid available to students attending UMD while they are on the Duluth campus would be available to students participating in the UMD Study in England Programme. Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. There are several study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students. Tuition Waivers such as the Best in Class Scholar can be applied to this programme.

Refund Policy for SIE
The student is contracting for an academic-year program and, as a general policy, will not be allowed to participate for only one semester. Should it become necessary for a student to leave the program during the year, she/he may receive a refund of $3,000 for each full semester not in attendance. There is no refund for a partial semester. For more information please view the International Education Office Cancellation and Refund Policy.

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Deadlines & Dates
The application deadline for the 2009-2010 program is no later than Friday, January 23, 2009. Early application is strongly encouraged, as space is limited to 50 students. The programme will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. A wait list will be opened after the program fills. Eligible students are encouraged to apply even with a wait list as there is a possibility that some students choose to opt out of the programme after acceptance.

Study: 2009-2010 Academic Year
UMD Deadline to apply: Friday, January 23, 2009
Programme dates: September 2009 through May 2010

For more information on deadlines to apply, click here.

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Orientation
Students participating in the UMD Study in England Programme will be required to attend two orientations prior to departure and one orientation upon arrival in Birmingham. The orientation sessions are designed to provide students with important information about the programme and to prepare students for their year abroad.

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Housing
Students live in the Tennis Court Apartments on the University of Birmingham Campus. The apartments, located in Vale Village, are less than one kilometer from the main campus, and a few kilometers from Birmingham city center. The student flats are about a 10 minute bus ride to the programme office or a 30 minute walk. The flats are housed in a relaxing area with its own lake and wildlife, Tennis Court holds 138 five and six bedroom flats (apartments) and hosts 697 students with catered or self-catered meal options. All flats are fully furnished and offer high-speed ethernet internet connections. The 2008-2009 SIE students were able and willing to room with University of Birmingham students along with being housed with other students on the SIE programme.

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What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides information on financing, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, the UMD study abroad application may be downloaded from the IEO website or a hard copy can be picked up from the IEO office. Please complete the application with required accompanying materials (unofficial transcript, essay and non-refundable $100) and return to IEO.

For more information about the programme and application process, contact Lyndsey Andersen, Programme Coordinator at the UMD International Education Office (138 Kirby Plaza). She can be reached at (218) 726-6673, toll-free at (877) 755-4200, or via email at lmanders@d.umn.edu.

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Please view photos and websites that have been created by and recommended by past Study in England Programme Participants.

Photos

• UMD Students in England 2008-2009
• UMD Students in England 2007-2008
• UMD Students in England 2006-2007
• UMD Students in England 2005-2006
• UMD Students in England 2004-2005
• UMD Students in England 2003-2004
• Programme Photos

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Helpful Links for England and Birmingham

• Information Britain
• VisitBritain
• BBC
• Birmingham Assist
• University of Birmingham
• Tennis Court (student residence on the University of Birmingham campus)
• Course Equivalencies at University of Birmingham
• Best of the Web-England
• http://www.howtocallabroad.com/uk/

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