May 21 - June 1, 2010

6 Credits available at the undergraduate and graduate level  in English Studies in International Locales: Language Preservation in the United Kingdom, Course # is TBA.

Program Cost: $4,000*

Application Deadline: March 1, 2010

Faculty Program Leader: Dr. Barbara Ching and Dr. Susan Popham, Associate Professors in the English Department will lead the trip.

Eligibility and Space Available: The program is open to upper division undergraduate and graduate level English students from the University of Memphis and any accredited public or private university.

Program Description: This course will be taught in two sections (3 hrs. each) that will work collaboratively to provide students with a rich multi-cultural experience as students study and explore the varieties of English (Gaelic, Celtic, Welsh, etc.) and the cultures surrounding those language varieties. Students will learn how these sub-languages are preserved in drama, song, stories, and textiles, and how these sub-languages have inspired important artistic and cultural texts in English. Students may register for either or both classes. The collaborative courses, while distinct in structure, course work, and reading material, will be taught sequentially during on-campus time, and synchronously during the trip abroad. One section of the course will focus on drama and literature of Ireland and the United Kingdom, while the other course will focus on folk texts of stories, songs and textile arts.

Tentative Itinerary:

Day 1:

• Depart Memphis, TN and fly to London, UK

Day 2:

• Arrival at London Heathrow Airport
• 3 nights in twin rooms with private bathrooms including breakfast at a 2-3 star hotel in London
• Public transportation pass for the entire stay in London (Zone 1 & 2)
• Guided tour of the British Museum in the afternoon to see the Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles
• Welcome Dinner at a restaurant in London

Day 3:

• Breakfast at the Hotel
• Transfer by public transportation during the day
• Entrance ticket to the Queen's Gallery located in Buckingham Palace in the morning; See the Queen's wide-ranging collection of art and treasures from the Royal Collection held in trust by The Queen of the Nation
• Guided tour of the Museum of London focusing on the collection "Exploring the 20th Century London" to learn more about "Cockney London" in the afternoon
• Optional: Ticket to a performance at the Globe Theater or The Old Vic in the evening can be arranged at extra cost (play and seating to be chosen in conjunction with the faculty leader; depending on availability)

Day 4:

• Theater workshop with the English Theater Company or during a Masterclass at the Theater Royal Haymarket in the morning; focus on voice/diction coaching - practice of Cockney English, how actors are taught to work with different dialects and accents
• Free time in the afternoon to explore London on your own

Day 5:

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer by private bus to Liverpool
• 2 nights in twin rooms with private bathrooms including breakfast at a 2-3 star hotel in Liverpool
• Public transportation pass for the entire stay in Liverpool
• Guided tour of Liverpool (Hop on - Hop off_ in the afternoon to see the Cavern Club, Beatles Story (outside), Albert Dock, etc....Students may end the tour at the Beatles Story and visit it on their own

Day 6:

• Guest lecture at the University of Liverpool and their School of English on "Liverpool - Accent and Dialect" in the morning
• Entrance to the Merseyside Maritime Museum in the afternoon

Day 7:

• Transfer by private bus to Bangor and Conwy
• Guest lecture at the Bangor University and their School of Welsh on "Preserving the Welsh Language" in the morning
• Guided tour of the Conwy Castle in the afternoon
• Overnight ferry from Liverpool Birkenhead to Belfast in 4 berth inside cabins

Day 8:

• Arrival in Belfast in the early morning
• Transfer by private bus from the harbor to the hotel in Belfast
• 1 night in twin rooms with private bathrooms including breakfast at a 2-3 star hotel in Belfast
• Breakfast at the hotel or nearby cafe
• Public transportation pass for one day in Belfast
• Guided walking tour of the Gaeltacht Quarter of Belfast in the late morning
• The rest of the day is free time to explore Belfast and its murals on your own

Day 9:

• Transfer by private bus during the day to Dublin
• Guided tour at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum near Belfast in the morning; focus on the Textiles & Costume Collections (Embroidery)
• Afterwards, free time to explore the museum on you own
• 3 nights in twin rooms with private bathrooms including breakfast at a 2-3 star hotel in Dublin
• Optional: Ticket to a performance at the Abbey Theater in the evening can be arranged at extra cost (play and seating to be chosen in conjunction with the faculty leader; depending on availability)

Day 10:

• Entrance to the Irish Museum of Modern Art to see the Tain Tapestries in the morning
• Guided tour of the Dublin Castle (State Apartments) in the afternoon

Day 11:

• Visit to a Gaelic School near Dublin in the morning
• Visit to RTE, to get information on using Irish & English for their national broadcasting, in the afternoon
• Farewell Dinner at the famous Brazen Head pub followed by live-traditional music

Day 12:

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer by private bus to the airport in Dublin
• Departure from Dublin Airport to Memphis, TN

Program Fees and Refund Policy: The program fee is $4,000*.The program fee includes international travel, accommodations and some meals, inland transportation, student ID card and application fee.The program fees do not include tuition, which is an estimated $1835 for undergraduates and $2,2558 for graduates, visa fees, medical insurance or personal expenses. A non-refundable deposit of $350 is due by March 1, 2010 to secure your place. Please submit you payment to the Study Abroad Office located at 102 Brister Hall. If you are a U of M student, you can pay the deposit online here.

Fees with the exception of the deposit will be refunded in full if notification is received 90 days before the program start date. Withdrawals up to 45 days prior to the program will incur a charge of $500. Withdrawals up to 20 days before the program will incur a charge of 50% of the program fees. All other withdrawals within 20 days or less will incur a charge of 75% of the program fees. In addition to these fees any unrecoverable expenses will be billed to the student. Cancellations should be in writing and are only effective upon date of receipt of written notification. Should the University decide to cancel the program, there will be a full refund of all fees paid.

Scholarships: Scholarships for University of Memphis students are available through the Study Abroad Office, 102 Brister Hall phone: 678-4271. Applications may be obtained at that office or accessed online here.

Contact: For more information, please contact Dr. Ching at baching@memphis.edu / 901.678.4586 or Dr. Popham at spopham@memphis.edu / 901.678.2845 or the Study Abroad Office at 901.678.2814 / studyabroad@memphis.edu or visit our website

* Price is subject to change.