Academics at the Lawrence London Centre

All London Centre students are required to take the 3-unit core course, British Life and Culture. Students then opt to take two or three elective courses. While adding two elective courses will provide minimum full-time standing (15 units total), the core course has been specifically designed so that students may consider pursuing three elective courses (21 units total). London Centre courses do not have limited enrollment or prerequisites and are, therefore, open to any London Centre student.

Music Lessons

Students who have regularly taken music lessons on-campus and who wish to continue taking lessons while in London may choose to so. If successful in contracting for at least the five hours worth of lessons, students may register for a 3-unit, S/U-only course overseen by Associate Dean Jeffrey Stannard. Costs up to $500 for these lessons will be reimbursed by the Foundation for International Education. Students interested in pursuing lessons, should contact the Off-Campus Programs office for more information.

Internships
Internships are an excellent option to consider for students who will have Junior standing or above when they attend the London Centre. Interns spend approximately 20 hours per week at their placements as well as participate in a 6-unit seminar with other Lawrence interns. As London is a city with a wealth of opportunities, internship placements are available for students in the humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and sciences. Internship placements and coordination will be facilitated by the Foundation for International Education (FIE) who will arrange an orientation program for interns and conduct on-site monitoring during the course of the term. For a listing of possible placements, more information on the internship program, and some thoughts from former interns, please visit the Internship page.

Click Here for 2009-10 Course Schedule and Descriptions

2010-11 Course Schedule and Descriptions

Fall Term 2010

ANTH 372 – Urban Anthropology of London – Professor James – 6 units
Catalog Description: This seminar combines a variety of methods to explore contemporary British culture. In addition to the readings and field trips, students conduct ethnographic fieldwork in London on a topic of their own interest. This may be based in a particular place or, more broadly, focus on a certain group of people. The course provides an introduction to field research methods. Throughout the term, students participate in shorter exercises designed to develop their confidence in the skills of observation, interviewing, description, and analysis. Readings on topics such as neighborhoods, social use of language, class, education, and migration experience provide a framework for understanding the detail of the individual projects. Students are expected to make presentations and participate in discussions. Attributes: Social Science Div GER (01cr), Diversity-Dimens GER (01cr), BM Social Science (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

ARHI 246 - 19th Century Art, Design, and Society in Britain – Professor Barnes – 6 units
Catalog Description: In the 19th century, Britain was at the height of her imperial and industrial powers, with a burgeoning middle class with increased spending power. Against this background, this course examines the painting (including Turner, Constable, the Pre-Raphaelites, the High Victorians), architecture, furniture, and interiors of the period, utilizing the wealth of examples in London’s museums, galleries, and buildings. Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

CSMC 120 – WWII Code Breaking and the Origin of Computer Science – Professor Krebsbach – 6 units
This course is pending formal approval and addition to the course catalog. More information about this course will be posted here as it is available.

CSMC 130 – Can Machines Think? The History and Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence – Professor Krebsbach – 6 units
This course is pending formal approval and addition to the course catalog. More information about this course will be posted here as it is available.

THAR 111 – Introduction to Theatre – Professor Schiele – 6 units
Catalog Description: A survey of the traditions of dramatic form and the contributing arts of the theatre presented in historical context. Students read representative playscripts and attend performances. Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

UNIC 260 – British Life and Culture – Professor Fosdal – 3 units
Catalog Description: This compulsory course utilizes visiting speakers, site visits, small group fieldwork and short research projects to introduce students to contemporary life in London and the United Kingdom. Site visits usually include the Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, London Mosque, and a football match. Speakers have included religious leaders representing several different traditions and a homeless couple, among others. The course is designed so that the majority of work takes place during the single class meeting each week, allowing students the possibility of pursuing up to three elective courses. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course

UNIC 264 – Internship Seminar – Professor Harris – 6 units – enrollment by permission of instructor
Catalog Description: Students in the internship program participate in seminar meetings and build upon the field study, lectures, and discussions in the British Life and Culture course. Students are expected to maintain a journal that critically reflect on their experiences from intercultural, cross-cultural, social, ethical, organizational, and interpersonal perspectives. Students are also required to complete written work interrogating their experiences and the broader issue of how a liberal arts-informed perspective frames one’s experience in the workplace. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course

MUIN 355 – London Music Lessons – Arranged – 3 units – enrollment by permission of instructor
B.Mus. and B.A. Music students wishing to pursue music performance study may choose to arrange lessons in London. If successful in contracting for at least the five hours worth of lessons, students may register for a 3-unit, S/U-only course overseen by Associate Dean Jeffrey Stannard. Students interested in pursuing lessons, should contact the Off-Campus Programs office for more information.

Winter Term 2011

GOVT 385 – Modern British Politics – Professor Fosdal – 6 units
Catalog Description: This course analyzes the central structures and processes of British politics, the important policy issues of recent years, British attitudes toward the political system, and critiques of British politics and history. Attributes: Social Science Div GER (01cr), BM Social Science (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

HIST 247 – Impact of Empire on Great Britain, 1815-1914 – Professor Dobbs – 6 units
Catalog Description: In 1914 the British Empire contained a population of over 400 million people and was territorially the largest empire in world history. While the British spread their ideas about government, language, religion, and culture to their colonies, Britain itself was also profoundly influenced by the colonies it ruled. This course will explore aspects of the impact of the Empire on British politics, economics, society, and popular culture during the 19th century. Among the topics to be covered are the anti-slavery movement, imperialism and new imperialism, jingoism and popular culture, economic responses, and the influence of imperialism on culture and the arts. The myriad resources of London will be used to provide specific examples of how important the Empire was in shaping British identity and institutions during the 19th century. (G&C or E) Attributes: Humanities Div GER (01cr), Diversity-Global GER (01cr), Writing Intensive GER (01cr), BM Humanities (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

MUHI 135/435 – The British Musical Renaissance: Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten – Professor Charlston – 6 units
Catalog Description: An introduction to British music in the first three-quarters of the 20th century. In addition to studying major works by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and Britten, students will explore the social and political currents as they impinged on musical life in Britain. A number of concerts and outside visits will be organized, and students will be encouraged to attend relevant performances in London, for which they will be prepared in class.
135: The course will be general in scope and no prior musical knowledge will be expected. Does not satisfy course requirements for any music major. Not open to students who have previously received, or need to receive credit for MUHI 435.
435: The course is a seminar involving independent research. Not open to students who have previously received credit for MUHI 135. Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and 202
Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr),

THAR 249 – Fringe Theatre in London – Professor Schiele – 6 units
Catalog Description: This course will attempt to define Fringe Theatre (a movement started in 1968) and to categorize its main elements. The class shall attend a wide variety of plays and venues and come to an understanding of how the fringe has changed over the years. Discussions will address production techniques, the plays themselves, the audiences to whom they appeal, and to what extent the fringe is still an important theatrical force. Students are required to attend performances of the plays under study. Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

UNIC 203 – British Crime Fiction – Professor Harris – 6 units
Catalog Description: The course will offer a survey of the development of crime fiction in Britain from the mid-nineteenth century to the pre sent. Taught as a lecture/discussion class, it will also attempt to exploit the London setting to provide a physical context for some of the work under scrutiny. Students will be able to develop their analytical and writing skills, and should expect to achieve a good grasp of the characteristics of genre fiction; they should also be able to recognize the contribution that a study of these popular forms can make to developing a broader understanding of the values and concerns of the society within which they arise. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course

UNIC 260 – British Life and Culture – Professor Fosdal – 3 units
Catalog Description: This compulsory course utilizes visiting speakers, site visits, small group fieldwork and short research projects to introduce students to contemporary life in London and the United Kingdom. Site visits usually include the Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, London Mosque, and a football match. Speakers have included religious leaders representing several different traditions and a homeless couple, among others. The course is designed so that the majority of work takes place during the single class meeting, allowing students the possibility of pursuing up to three elective courses. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course

Spring Term 2011

ARHI 246 – 19th Century Art, Design, and Society in Britain – Professor Barnes – 6 units
Catalog Description: In the 19th century, Britain was at the height of her imperial and industrial powers, with a burgeoning middle class with increased spending power. Against this background, this course examines the painting (including Turner, Constable, the Pre-Raphaelites, the High Victorians), architecture, furniture, and interiors of the period, utilizing the wealth of examples in London’s museums, galleries, and buildings. Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course

ENGL/THAR 170 – Shakespeare in London – Professor Vinter – 6 units
Catalog Description: Students will study several plays by William Shakespeare selected from among the current offerings by the Royal Shakespeare and other companies. Discussions will address the plays themselves, production techniques, and the audiences to whom they appeal. Students are required to attend performances of the plays under study. Students must register for ENG 170 and may submit a cross list request form to have the class listed on academic records as THAR 170.
Attributes (ENGL 170): Humanities Div GER (01cr), BM Humanities (01cr), Introductory Course
Attributes (THAR 170): Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Introductory Course

HIST 150 – Stuart England 1603-1714 – Professor Dobbs – 6 units
Catalog Description: This course explores the causes and impact of the English Civil War, the effect of the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, and the path to the Hanoverian Succession. The economics, politics, religion, social history, and cultural aspects of the period are also studied. Visits to museums and buildings of the period are included. (E) Attributes: Humanities Div GER (01cr), BM Humanities (01cr), Introductory Course

UNIC 262 – ‘The Fields Beneath’: Discovering London’s Histories – Professor Harris – 6 units
Catalog Description: This interdisciplinary course aims to give students a thorough grounding in the chronology of London’s development from Roman settlement on the periphery of Empire to 21st-century “World City.” The use of contemporary literary and visual sources will serve both to develop students’ historical imagination and to enable them critically to examine the concepts involved in the discipline of history itself. Alongside this historical approach, a theoretical examination of specific themes and topics will be used to explore the nature of “the town as palimpsest,” a layered structure in which the past is never entirely obliterated by what succeeds it. Examples of such themes and topics might include, inter alia, religious observance, theatrical presentation, immigration, commerce, domestic life, and government. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course

UNIC 260 – British Life and Culture – Professor Fosdal – 3 units
Catalog Description: This compulsory course utilizes visiting speakers, site visits, small group fieldwork and short research projects to introduce students to contemporary life in London and the United Kingdom. Site visits usually include the Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, London Mosque, and a football match. Speakers have included religious leaders representing several different traditions and a homeless couple, among others. The course is designed so that the majority of work takes place during the single class meeting, allowing students the possibility of pursuing up to three elective courses. Attributes: Foundation/Gateway Course