England Term (Fall 2009)

Applications now available in the Office of Off-Campus Programs/International Studies, CC320A.

Courses | Accommodations | Who | Program Dates | Cost| Why Should I Go? | Next Steps/Contact |

England Term

What is England Term?
England Term is a semester-long study and travel experience in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), Ireland, and France. England Term combines periods of travel (from a weekend to two weeks in duration) with periods of intense study. Led by Dr. Dan Ritchie and Dr. Mark Bruce.

England Term Courses (12 credits total)

ENL321: Drama in Great Britain (4 credits)

The British Isles has a rich dramatic tradition that still flourishes in a number of places, from the National Theatre, the New Globe Theatre, and the Barbican in London, to three distinctively different stages in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin (co-founded by W.B. Yeats). This course focuses on Shakespeare, and includes time in Stratford, where plays will be seen, and classes will be held at the Shakespeare Institute. Lecturers include leading British scholars and actors in the Royal Shakespeare Company. This course may substitute for ENL303: Shakespeare: The Art of the Dramatist (4 credits).

ENW302A: Travel Writing (4 credits)

We will participate in a rich tradition of travel writing in Great Britain, a tradition extending back to Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain and continuing today with Susan Allen Toth and other writers. Experiences while in Great Britain will serve as one basis for personal essays, but time spent in independent travel in Europe will also provide rich materials for reflection and composition. This course may substitute for ENW205A: Essay Writing (4 credits).

ENL354: Literature on Location (4 credits)

One of the unique elements of England Term is the opportunity to read and study the works and lives of authors in the places that inspired their creativity and influenced their perspectives. We will hike in Wordsworth’s Lake District, walk on the moors that inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, tour Thomas Hardy’s Wessex (including a stop at Stonehenge), explore the London streets of T.S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf, trace James Joyce through Dublin, and sit outside the Paris cafes like Hemingway did—just for starters. This course counts as a literature elective or may substitute for ENL350: 20th-Century Literature (4 credits) or ENL352 Contemporary Literature (4 credits).

Cross-Cultural Experience- Category (Z) Course

England Term 2009 will count as your Z-tag course. These courses stress significant, off-campus, cross-cultural experiences. The focus of this aspect of our course will be in Northern Ireland, where students will have home stays with Christian families in Belfast and learn about reconciliation efforts among Protestants and Catholics.

Accommodations
“Home bases” providing classrooms, dorm-like facilities, meals, laundry, and recreational facilities are used:

Salomons Center
A conference center associated with Canterbury Christ Church University, Salomons offers modern, dorm-like accommodations. Located on an estate near Tunbridge Wells, Salomons has excellent food, a good library, internet access, just 90 minutes from London and Canterbury.
St. Deniol’s Library
This charming library and study center located in Wales will gives the group time for study and relaxation.
When traveling, the group generally stay in B&Bs or small hotels. Most travel is done by coach (bus) or “tube” (subway), with ferries the preferred method of getting across the Irish Sea and English Channel. Guest lecturers and literary tour guides may be used during these periods of travel, but formal class sessions are nearly always held at the home base or at a site in London.

Who participates in England Term?
Students from all majors are welcome to apply to England Term. Priority is generally given to juniors and seniors, but a number of factors may be considered in the application process. Professors Daniel Ritchie and Mark Bruce from Bethel’s English Department lead a group of 22-26 Bethel students.

When is England Term?
The dates for England Term generally coincide with Bethel’s fall semester schedule. A departure date of August 18, 2009, is tentatively set; the term will end by December 3, 2009. England Term will include a fall break to allow for independent travel in Europe; this will provide both a period of rejuvenation and an opportunity to experience additional locations as material for travel writing.

How much does England Term cost?
Cost is a variable factor, depending on foreign exchange rates and number of participants, but in more than 20-years of Bethel University England Term programs the cost has averaged about 10-15% more than a semester on campus (For reference, the on-campus comprehensive fee for 2008-2009 is $16,545). This includes all transportation, lodging, food, entrance fees, and other associated program costs. Participants are responsible for “discretionary” expenses (e.g., souvenir purchases) and for independent travel during fall break.

Why should I participate?
There are a number of reasons to take advantage of this opportunity; here are three:

A unique educational experience: Literary study in England Term will deepen your understanding and appreciation of a wide range of literature, and will provide new opportunities to use writing to explore your expanding world. Not only will you see literary works in a new light, but also your study gains an exciting intensity when conducted in the company of other enthusiastic explorers.
A unique spiritual experience: England Term inevitably creates a close-knit community of Christians. Both as a member of a Bethel group, and in encounters with Christians from other cultures, you will experience new dimensions of Christian fellowship. England Term can be an encouraging time of spiritual stimulation, and most participants find that their faith is affected as much as their intellect.
A unique personal experience: You will learn as much about yourself as you do about literature, classmates, other cultures, and God. You will be challenged and supported as you stretch your mind and expand your worldview, and discover new abilities (e.g., negotiating the subway system in a major world city!) and perspectives (e.g., meeting those who suffer in “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland).

Next steps
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, do at least three things:
1. Consult with your academic advisor: Make sure that England Term will fit into your academic program. If you know now that you might be off-campus in fall 2009, you can plan your next semester on campus more wisely.
2. Consult with your Study Abroad Advisor. Make an appointment in CC320.
3. Talk to your parents: England Term does represent an additional financial investment. Even though it is a bargain, it is not cheap. You should be sure that you could fit this into your budget.
4. Ask questions: Contact International Studies or the England Term faculty directly. Talk to those who have participated on this adventure in the past.
5. Finally, don’t neglect prayer; seek God’s wisdom and guidance for this decision.

Then, obtain an APPLICATION in the Office of Off-Campus Programs/International Studies, CC320A.

Important dates

Oct 1   Priority application deadline (application includes a non-refundable $50 application deposit)
Nov 3   Final application deadline
November   Students notified of acceptance (a $250 confirmation deposit will be required 2 weeks after notice of acceptance to hold the spot)
Feb   Pre-departure Meeting #1
Mar   Pre-departure Meeting #2
April   Mandatory study abroad orientation
August   Final Payment due with Fall 2009 bill
Aug 18   Tentative date of departure
Dec 3   Tentative date of return