HSU Students and Faculty prepare for annual Semester in London

September 12, 2019 Macee Hall, Staff Writer
The Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, England is one of many sites students see while abroad.

The Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, England is one of many sites students see while abroad.

(ABILENE, Texas)–Each Spring, a select group of Hardin-Simmons University students travels overseas to experience a semester-long study abroad experience in London, England. Accompanied by HSU faculty members Dr. Allan Landwer and Dr. Kelly Pigott, as well as University of Mary Hardin-Baylor professor Dr. Laura Bedwell, ten HSU and ten UMHB students will study religion, culture, literature, and the arts in the heart of Central London. The semester is three months long, and the date to apply is rapidly approaching. A completed application and an initial deposit are due no later than Oct. 7 for those wanting to participate.

To be eligible for the semester abroad, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better, must provide a list of their academic and collegiate achievements, and must have two faculty evaluations recommending them for the program.

Students in London

Students in London

The goal of this process “is to choose students who have demonstrated the following characteristics: they perform well in classes; they are dependable, cooperative, and considerate; they are disciplined and prompt; they are intellectually curious and flexible, and finally, they are persons of integrity,” according to the program application.

Both American and British professors work together on this trip to transform London into a classroom. Many class periods take place around the city, and weekly field trips allow participants to see the English countryside, Scotland, Whales, and notable British landmarks like Stonehenge. Students are required to take 12 to 15 credit hours while abroad, including nine to 12 credits of their choice from a list of six courses and a required course entitled British Life & Culture.

Students also see the Fountains Abbey, which was founded in 1132.

Students also see the Fountains Abbey, which was founded in 1132.

Throughout the semester, students will go on no less than 30 excursions to locations like the Globe Theatre, the Tower, the Royal Society, and the Kew Gardens in London, as well as locations outside of London like Stratford, Oxford, Hampton Court, Canterbury, Dover, Windsor, Dorchester, Cambridge, and Brighton.

For more information about the London Semester, or about HSU’s other study abroad options, visit HSU’s Study Abroad page.

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