London Program

London Program

Semester in London

Take the Binghamton classroom to one of the most vibrant cities in the world!

The Semester-in-London program is offered every spring and is open to students of all majors, especially those interested in literature, theater, art and architecture.

Courses are taught by Binghamton University faculty and take advantage of the London setting – including the city's major museums, landmarks and thriving theater scene – and the accessibility of the English countryside.

Classes meet in the Florida State University Study Centre, a well-appointed facility in a handsome historic building a block from the British Museum. Courses are offered as once-a-week seminars and do not meet on Mondays or Fridays. This schedule allows for free time during the week to explore London, plus long weekends for group trips and independent travel.

Each course carries four units of credit, and all are considered full Binghamton credits. Recent courses include Shakespeare on Stage, Modern British Theater, British Art and Architecture and The British Experience. Class sizes are typically small, usually no larger than 20 students. The small class size and integration of excursions and activities into the curriculum allows students to develop unique relationships with their professors.

Students live in apartments in central London neighborhoods. The flats are fully furnished, with linens, blankets and towels, and feature well-equipped kitchens, television, central heating, Wi-Fi and washer-dryers. Weekly cleaning is included in the rental price. A staff person is on call 24 hours a day to deal with problems and serve as an emergency contact.

The program is open to all students who have completed their freshman year, although preference is normally given to juniors and seniors. SUNY graduating seniors are welcome to participate in this program as their final semester of undergraduate work.

Note:  Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that this may impede your ability to study abroad. Students who have concerns about such matters are advised to contact the office of International Education and Global Initiatives.

Program application deadline for the Spring 2024 semester:

Early September 2023

Courses:

Courses for Spring 2024: Shakespeare's Histories, Modern Drama, The Places of Renaissance Theatre, Shakespeare on Stage, and The British Experience. All courses are offered at the 300 level in the English department, and four of them can substitute for various major requirements (Shakespeare, Brit Lit 1, and Brit Lit 2). All the courses except for "The British Experience" will be cross-listed with Theatre, and Shakespeare's Histories and Modern Drama will both fulfill the "Dramatic Literature" requirement for Acting/Directing majors in the Theatre Department. Two of the courses will also have "C" designations." C.

Contact:

For more information about the program, or to register early interest, please contact the faculty leader for Spring 2024, Professor John Kuhn, at jkuhn@binghamton.edu.

What Students are Saying about the London Program

Molly Hatch

"In London, you can go from a posh tea shop to the streets where Jack the Ripper stalked his victims in one short tube or double-decker bus ride. And if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the queen on the way. London is an amazing city with rich culture, hidden treasures and amazing people. The museums, art galleries and theaters will enhance your education while you're there and make you never want to leave. I am incredibly grateful that the English Department at Binghamton University gave me the opportunity to study in London for a semester."

Kat Fucigna

"The Semester in London Program opens a huge window of opportunity for cultural experience, education and personal growth. The exposure you get whilst living in another country is eye-opening, maturing and makes you feel like you can do anything when you get home. It was probably the best three and a half months of my life, and I would do it ten times over if I could. Cheers!"

Khalid Vrede

"Before traveling to London in the spring of 2017 I had never left the country. I had never been steeped in the different languages and cultures of people outside of the United States. The London Program allowed me to have this experience. In the London Program, I was able to maintain a feeling of familiarity, traveling with a group of Binghamton students and staff, while at the same time being able to explore the cultural differences of countries, cities, and towns that were thousands of miles away from anywhere I had ever traveled. This experience was not only great fun, but was also extremely eye opening."

Brandon Porter

"The program offers numerous activities that touch on the more "touristy" attractions of London and the U.K., while also providing students with opportunities, information, and suggestions that lend themselves to an experience that is truly one of being a resident of London. Weekly theater trips, weekend visits to various English towns, and constant offerings of things to do around the city (both of mainstream tourist attractions and smaller, not as well known museums, restaurants, historic sites, etc.) provide students with so many opportunities that they really get the absolute most out of their time abroad."