Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Mark Twain

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

London Details at a glance

September 5th - December 6th, 2013 (13 week semester)
·     2013 cost: from $8,125.00*
 . This fee covers orientation, language and culture classes, homestay accommodations*, museum tickets, and internet access.
·     Financial Aid and Scholarships are available.
·     Study in one of the most exciting cities in Europe: London, England
      To find out more, contact our London Instructor, JoAnne Hobbs @ email: JHobbs@losmedanos.edu 
      or visit: www.dvc.edu/studyabroad 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Description of London Courses

DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE

Instructor:  JoAnn Hobbs

ENGL 154, Shakespeare and His World
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Recommended: completion of ENGL 122, Freshman English: Composition and Reading, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area III - Arts and Humanities; CSU Area C2 - Humanities; IGETC Area 3B - Humanities
There is no finer setting than London to study and celebrate the Bard and his plays. In this course we will study the language, structure and characterization of selected plays as well as the historical, social and artistic influences, which helped to shape his works. We’ll include at least one play from each genre: comedy, tragedy, history and romance as well as several of Shakespeare’s sonnets. In class students will informally act out scenes as a means to understanding the plays and characters in more detail. We will invite local actors and directors to share their insights about why Shakespeare and his characters are so enduring.
With London as an extension of our class, we’ll take field trips to the National Portrait Gallery, the British Library, and the Globe Theater. We’ll also visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and final resting place in Stratford-upon-Avon and catch a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre - all truly memorable experiences!

ENGL 180, Literature of the Drama
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Recommended: completion of ENGL 122, Freshman English: Composition and Reading, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area III - Arts and Humanities; CSU Area C2 - Humanities; IGETC Area 3B - Humanities        
London is a mecca for theater lovers as it houses some of the finest theater companies and productions in the world. This vibrant city provides a wonderful backdrop for our study of drama. This course introduces students to representative works in dramatic literature, and explores how plays are transformed by staging. Through reading, writing, discussing and interacting with professionals in the field, students will develop an appreciation for the major elements of drama.
Plays come alive when they are performed, whether it is a dramatic reading in class, a film production or a staging in one of London’s theatres. We’ll have opportunities to see a Shakespeare production at the Globe Theatre, take a backstage tour at the National Theatre and hear from local actors and directors about their interpretation of characters and productions. Whether students are avid fans of drama, or are seeing a production of a play for the first time, studying drama in London will be an unforgettable experience.

ENGL 253,~ Survey of Late English Literature
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Prerequisite: completion of ENGL 122, Freshman English: Composition and Reading, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area III - Arts and Humanities; CSU Area C2 - Humanities; IGETC Area 3B - Humanities        
London is a literary wonderland; authors and their great works come alive in this historic city. Imagine reading Oliver Twist while visiting Charles Dickens’ home in London, seeing his study, manuscripts and original furniture, and eating in his favorite restaurant, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Tavern, on Fleet Street.
This course surveys British literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will be introduced to poems, fiction, drama, and non-fiction from the Romantic, Victorian, modern and post-colonial periods and examine the historical and cultural contexts of the literary works.
As part of the course, students will complete a presentation on one author or poet utilizing the resources that London provides. With sites such as the British Library, the National Portrait Gallery, which chronicles the story of the Victorian Age through paintings, and Oxford University, where writers such as T.S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf studied, students will have the opportunity to truly immerse themselves in England’s rich literary tradition.

HIST 160,* British Life and Culture
(3 units)           (Credit/No Credit or Letter Grade Option)
    Recommended: eligibility for ENGL 122, Freshman English: Composition and Reading, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS elective; CSU GE Area
C2 - Humanities
This course is designed to introduce students to Great Britain with a broad overview of British culture and civilization through a combination of lectures by local experts and organized field trips. The course takes a social, historical and cultural approach to contemporary British society and examines traditions and institutions to help understand the British way of life in the 21st century. Topics may include the history of the Royal Family, the European Union, the British theatre, education, and the arts. Field trips may include Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the British Museum, the Tate Modern Museum, the Houses of Parliament, the Inns of Court, and Evensong at St. Paul's Cathedral. This course is required for all London Semester students whose AIFS applications are processed through Diablo Valley College.


COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO

Instructor:  Sondra Saterfield

PSYC 100, General Psychology
(3 units)                                               (Letter Grade)
Recommended: eligibility for ENGL 838 or 848, Introduction to Composition and Reading, and completion of READ 400, Academic Textbook Reading, or 405, College Analytical Reading, or 415, Reading Across the Disciplines, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or higher, or appropriate skill level as indicated by the reading placement tests.
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area E5b - Social Science;
CSU GE Area D - Social, Political & Economic Institutions or E - Lifelong Understanding &
Self Development; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences
This course is designed to introduce students to the field of psychology and provide an overview to major perspectives of the five domains of psychology. Students will be introduced to theories describing mental process and behavior, and research methods of the field. Perspective topics include the biological determinants and general processes of behavior such as; development, learning, intelligence, perception, motivation, emotion, sexuality, personality, social, abnormal and includes methods of therapy.
Students will take field trips to museums, education centers, and libraries in London to research psychological perspectives. Field trips may include the Anna Freud Centre, the Tavistock Clinic and the Jekyll and Hyde Tour. The Anna Freud Centre is an educational and research institution specializing in the psychological treatment of children and young adults. It has a distinguished historical tradition and an unrivaled reputation as a center for the psychoanalytic study and treatment of disorders. Tavistock Clinic has a worldwide reputation for leadership in contributing to the understanding of the traumatic effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Jekyll and Hyde Tour students can trace the steps and observe psychological behaviors. Students will write reports and reflect on findings of the observations.

PSYC 200, Developmental Psychology
(3 units)                                               (Letter Grade)
Prerequisite: completion of PSYC 100, General Psychology, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area E5b - Social Science;
CSU GE Area D - Social, Political & Economic Institutions; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences         
This course examines human development across the lifespan, from conception through death by focusing on the three domains of human development; physical, cognitive, and social/emotional changes throughout the lifespan. Goal of course is to identify those factors that influence consistency and transformations in people over the human lifespan. Lectures will emphasize development as an on-going process understanding the interaction of development issues: nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity, multi-directional vs. multidimensional, consistency vs. change and theories and methods of psychological research.
With London as the setting, students will explore contributing developmental factors of British society that lead to healthy life expectancy and will discussed many examples of British social, cultural and institutional practices. Students will be able to utilize the rich resources of London – from the British Library to the many (free) museums, to the educational and health institution of the city– to explore a wide range of cultural practices. A strong emphasis will be placed on public policies and on the conditions of development of children, families, and the aged in British society. This course is designed as a foundation for careers in education, criminology, social work, psychology, nursing and many other medical fields. Students will take field trips throughout the course.

PSYC 300, Social Psychology
(3 units)                                               (Letter Grade)
Prerequisite: completion of PSYC 100, General Psychology, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area E5b - Social Science;
CSU GE Area D - Social, Political & Economic Institutions or E - Lifelong Understanding &
Self Development; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences
This course introduces student to the study of human interaction, with emphasis on how thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. Focus of course is on social factors that influence human behavior; ourselves and other people in other countries, institutions and social and physical structures people create. Students will examine various perspectives unique to social psychologists including attitude formation, interpersonal attraction, and aggression.
London provides an excellent venue for students to do research projects using the libraries of the world-famous colleges that make up the University of London. Students will learn about social factors of the British way of life in the 21st century that influence human behavior and compare with their own culture through attending cultural events, museums, galleries, theater, and general observation from field trips. This will offer an excellent opportunity for cultural comparisons and contrasts between the United States and England in that the language barrier is not as great as with studying in other countries

COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE

Instructor:  Colette Harris-Mathews

COMM 315, Persuasion
(3 units)                (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Prerequisite: completion of ENGWR 300, College Composition, or equivalent, with a grade of C or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area II (b) - Communication and Analytical Thinking; CSU Area A3 - Critical Thinking; IGETC Area 1B - Critical Thinking - English Composition
You will be introduced to fundamental persuasive theories and techniques of persuasion as they occur in various communication contexts including commercial, interpersonal, public, and mass media. While studying in London, you will analyze current US and British events, US and British mass media, print and media advertisement considering political, cultural and social impacts of persuasion.
London remains an international capital of culture, music, education, fashion, politics, finance and trade. Each of these aspects of London provides students ample opportunity to identify clear persuasive arguments, fallacies, evidence and reasoning of spoken and written messages. Students studying in London will be able to assess their individual responsibility and the responsibility of others to influence ethical, effective and appropriate communication among diverse settings and people. Students will also be able to define and identify various theoretical perspectives across the discipline of Communication Studies. A particularly compelling opportunity while in London is the ability to examine political arguments in a country that has a reigning Monarchy as well as a democratic system of multiparty elections. A planned trip to the Houses of Parliament and the ability to examine political and social events while in London hold relevant intellectual opportunities for students being introduced to theories and applications of persuasion.

COMM 325, Intercultural Communication
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Advisory: completion of ENGWR 101, College Composition, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better, or skills demonstrated through the assessment process
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area V (b) - Social and Behavioral Sciences, and VI - Ethnic/Multicultural Studies; CSU Area D2 - Social, Political and Economic Institutions and Behavior, Historical Background; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences        
Students will meet and interact with a variety of individuals in London. This class identifies intercultural theories and explores contexts central to where intercultural interactions may occur  - in healthcare, education, business, and tourism. Students will explore their own cultural identity and the role of cultural ethnocentrism. While studying in London, students will have sufficient opportunities to explore theory and also reflect on their cultural experiences. Course assignments will require students to attend cultural events. In London, students will be able to explore many every day cultural events as well as cultural events central to British life. Students will write and reflect on theory as well as their experiences while studying abroad. Students will study interpersonal relationships in the context of US cultural groups as well as international cultural groups. Students will also complete research papers applying theory and be able to explore intercultural communication benefits from studying social media as a means to maintain long term relationships, cultural differences in interpersonal relationships and developing relationships without benefit of cultural norms familiarity. Context projects are completed in the latter part of the semester and inform cultural competence behaviors in healthcare, business and education. This project may serve to enhance a student’s professional portfolio and resume.

COMM 361, The Communication Experience
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Advisory: completion of ENGWR 51, Developmental Writing, or equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area II (b) - Communication and Analytical Thinking; CSU Area A1 - Oral Communication; IGETC Area 1C^ - Oral Communication             [^CSU only]
This class introduces students to communication contexts and focuses on specific communication experiences in those contexts. While studying in London, students will explore self-identity, interpersonal communication, group discussion and participation in human communication systems. Reflective journal assignments will allow students to explore topics such as identity and identity management, intercultural experiences, examination of stages of interpersonal relationships, exploration of London cultural events, nonverbal communication, gender communication and organizational communication. London affords students the opportunity to explore their perceptions of their identity and their identity individually, interpersonally and within groups.
Students will design and participate in an application project in this course. These projects engage students in critical thinking, decision making in groups and communication competence. Studying in London is not only an opportunity to experience British culture, but also to contribute to the community in which they are studying.
The Communication Experience course broadens through the experiences and interests of students in the course, but also where the course occurs. London as a capital city, center for persons of diverse backgrounds, country with a love for British Monarchy, vibrant cultural and social experiences and pride in a rich history give students a broad backdrop to explore and research the ubiquitous nature of communication.  Topics such as the use of social media, international approaches to healthcare communication, communication in tourism are possible while in London.
In the latter half of the semester, the class focus is rhetoric and public speaking. Students are assigned outside speech critiques in this course and must also complete informative and persuasive speeches. London cultural events, a trip to the Houses of Parliament and events in the London Center and University afford unique and life altering opportunities for students to examine the rhetorical situation in London and critique determinants of the rhetorical situation: audience, content, occasion and speaker.

SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE

Instructor:  Nicole Slovak-Villano

ANTHRO 1, Physical Anthropology
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area C - Life Sciences and
H - Environmental Literacy; CSU Area B2 - Life Science; IGETC Area 5B - Biological Science
“Descent with modification via natural selection.” With that simple phrase, Charles Darwin, an English scientist, laid out his theory of evolution and changed the course of human history forever. What better place to study Physical Anthropology, with its emphasis on evolution and biological variation, than in the country and city that launched modern biology?
Throughout this course, students will explore four major themes: Evolution and Genetics; Modern Human Variation; Primates and Primate Behavior; and the Human Fossil Record. We will make use of the rich resources that London and the surrounding environs have to offer including visits to London’s Natural History Museum to tour its vast collections of fossils and to explore the world-famous Darwin Centre, and to Charles Darwin’s house where he composed his famous tome On the Origin of Species. Students also will have the opportunity to visit either the London Zoo or Port Lympne and Howlett’s Wild Animal Parks in Kent, both of which have an astounding number of primate species such as gorillas, golden lion tamarins, and marmosets . While there, students will be asked to conduct observations on primate behavior and biology.
This class provides a unique opportunity as it is the only class currently offered in London  that fulfills a Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, or Biological Sciences requirement.


ANTHRO 2, Cultural Anthropology
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Recommended: eligibility for ENGL 1A, Reading and Composition, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area D - Behavioral Sciences and H - Environmental Literacy; CSU Area
D - Social Science; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Have you ever wondered why Americans say “thank you” and English folks say “cheers”, or why Americans are addicted to coffee while the Brits fancy tea? This course explores human cultural diversity and analyzes how themes of kinship, childrearing, religion, art, political systems, and language vary from one society to the next. As part of the course, students will be asked to conduct a mini-ethnography, a kind of anthropological study based on first-hand, participant observation. Students will be asked to participate in a classic British activity such as attending an afternoon tea service or football match, a religious service at Westminster Abbey, or ordering fish and chips or a ploughman’s lunch at a local pub and recording their experiences.
Class lecture and discussion will be enhanced by visits to important locations around the city. For example, while exploring important cultural anthropological themes of ritual, ceremony, and politics, students may journey to Buckingham Palace to view the time honored tradition of the “Changing of the Guard” or visit Parliament to view the heart of British politics. Issues of caste and class could be explored by field trips to the Geffrye Museum and Kensington Palace – the former a museum that recreates what life was like for the majority of Londoners from the Elizabethan period to the present day while the latter is a royal residence where students can tour the wealth and prestige that characterize the British monarchy. Finally, no cultural anthropology class in London would be complete without a visit to the recently completed Olympic Park. There students can tour the recent venues used for the 2012 summer Olympics, including the London 2012 megastore, and explore themes of globalism, commercialism, and nationalism.

ANTHRO 3, Prehistory and Archaeology
(3 units)               (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade Option)
Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 1A, Reading and Composition, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area D - Social Sciences; CSU Area D - Social Science; IGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences
Imagine studying the advent of writing while standing in front of the Rosetta Stone or learning about the process of Egyptian mummification while surrounded by dozens of 5,000 year-old mummies at the British Museum. Picture yourself wandering the monumental ruins of Stonehenge, a world heritage site, having just learned about its spiritual and economic significance in class, or visiting the Roman town of Bath to explore the archaeological themes of culture change, colonization, and imperialism. Enrolling in this class while in London truly will make the past come to life.
This course presents a survey of world prehistory alongside archaeological methods, theory, and ethics. Given that we will be in London, we will focus heavily on the archaeology of ancient Britain from the earliest settlements tens of thousands of years ago to the construction of world-famous monuments such as Stonehenge, Avebury, and Hadrian’s Wall. We will compare social and cultural developments in Britain to the archaeological record in places like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Peru. Additionally, we will learn about archaeological practice and theory, and the various ethical conundrums facing archaeologists today. Classroom learning will be augmented with weekly visits to museums and sites around the city, especially the British Museum.


Notes:
@   Transfer credit is contingent on evaluation of course outline by transfer institution.
#    Transfer credit may be limited by UC or CSU or both. Please consult a counselor for additional information.
~    Prerequisite - check course description for details.
* All students must enroll in the British Life and Culture course offered by the college that processes their program application..

London Sp 13 Instructors

DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE    Instructor:  JoAnn Hobbs

JoAnn Hobbs has been a member of the English department at Los Medanos College since 1990. She began her own college career at LMC, and went on to CSU Chico to major in English and obtain a teaching credential. After completing her studies, she joined the Peace Corps, and spent 2 ½ years in Kenya, teaching English literature at a boys’ boarding school. In addition to traveling extensively throughout Kenya, she journeyed through Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. After her Peace Corps service was complete, she spent three months exploring India, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. After returning home she earned a Master’s Degree in English Composition from San Francisco State University.

She lives in Walnut Creek with her husband, Dave, a political science instructor at LMC and Contra Costa College, and son, Stephen, who is a grad student in journalism at Berkeley. With her family she has traveled to British Columbia, the Southwest, including rafting through the Grand Canyon, Princeton, Philadelphia, New York, and most recently to Washington D.C. She also enjoys visits to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.
As an English Instructor, JoAnn can think of no better place than London to go on a literary adventure. Visiting Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, combing the British Library, and visiting Charles Dickens Museum will be wonderful experiences to share with students.


COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO    Instructor:  Sondra Saterfield 

Sondra Saterfield is very excited to have the opportunity to teach in London in the fall of 2013, and is eager to share her love of teaching with an enthusiastic and adventurous group of college students in an exciting and culturally rich city.

Sondra Saterfield has been on the faculty and a full-time Professor in the Psychology Department at Canada College since 1985, having taught many years prior to that as an adjunct and counselor in the Peralta and San Francisco Community College districts, and for many years before that as a special education teacher at the Elwyn Institute in Pennsylvania. Sondra’s primary teaching responsibilities have been in General, Development and Social Psychology. Sondra earned a Doctor of Education with emphases in Psychology from Argosy University in 2010; a Master’s Degree in Psychology from California State University East Bay in 1978, with emphases in both Educational and Clinical Psychology; her Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Psychology from Cheyney University, Pennsylvania in 1970. Sondra’s minor was in Special Education with emphases on developmental learning, emotional disorders, and social development.

Sondra’s roots are from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has lived for many years in Los Altos California were she raised her three children, two dogs and now one cat. Sondra loves travel, having visited Europe several times, but over the years have traveled to many countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Most recently, she visited Turkey. She is thrilled, honored, and eager to return to Great Britain in the fall as a faculty member in the Study Abroad program.


COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE    Instructor:  Colette Harris-Mathews

Dr. Colette Harris-Mathews is a Professor of Communication Studies. She began her teaching career more than 15 years ago at California State University Sacramento in the Communication Studies and Ethnic Studies Departments. Prior to her teaching career she was employed as a District Manager for an international staffing service for 10 years. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Communication Studies from CSUS. Her Doctorate in Educational Leadership is from Argosy University, San Francisco. Her specific areas of interest are rhetoric and public communication, organizational communication and intercultural communication. She has traveled both inside and outside of the United States and has studied Intercultural and International Communication in these contexts. Traveling and studying intercultural and international experiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, Manila, Philippines and throughout the United States, has continued her interest in teaching globally.  She is eager to teach in London Fall 2013!  

Her courses incorporate interactive lectures, paired reading dialogues and learning through doing. For the last 4 years she has incorporated group research papers, service learning projects and student engagement activities outside of the classroom. These types of assignments will enrich the London student learning experience. She is eager for community college students to have the opportunity to explore the field of Communication Studies in London. This semester promises to be a transformative learning experience for students. See you in London!


SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE    Instructor:  Nicole Slovak-Villano

Nikki Slovak-Villano has been an avid Anglophile since birth – she never really had a choice. Her paternal grandmother hails from northern England, and as a child she frequently traveled to England to visit with family. She grew up reading every British author she could get her hands on, and was fascinated by ancient British mythology and archaeology. As an undergraduate at The Catholic University of America, she fulfilled a life-long dream of studying at Oxford University for a semester. To this day, it remains one of the most pivotal, transformative and down-right fun periods of her life.

Nikki currently teaches Anthropology and Archaeology at Santa Rosa Junior College. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropological Sciences from Stanford University in 2007, and her BA in Anthropology from The Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1999. Her areas of interest include the archaeology of complex societies, the ancient Andes, mortuary customs, colonization, isotopic analysis, and bio-archaeology. Nikki has taught classes in Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Anthropological Methods.
Nikki is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with students in London and to expose them to the richness that studying abroad and the discipline of Anthropology has to offer. In addition to living and studying in England, Nikki has spent multiple field seasons conducting archaeological research in Peru, Guatemala, and Montana and truly understands the joys and challenges of living abroad. Fall 2013 marks the 15 year-anniversary of her own study abroad experience, and she is so excited to make new memories not only with students but with her husband and two young daughters who will be accompanying her to London.