MCLA
News & Events  |  Contact Us  |  Visit MCLA  |  People Finder  |  Search   

Travel Course

Engl 372/Engl 372H: Arts of Medieval & Renaissance Britain travel course

 

The course is now filled.  Please join us in 2014!


Join Prof. Rosanne Denhard for travel to Great Britain.

About this course:

This full-semester interdisciplinary course Westminster Abbeyincorporates a Spring Break travel component to explore medieval and Renaissance British literature, history, and culture through on-site experiential learning and research.  The course contextualizes the literary arts and their relationship with the visual and performing arts, studying all within the cultural and historical heritage of Great Britain.  Our wide chronological focus will span from the early medieval period of Anglo-Saxon culture through the 17th century period of the English Civil Wars and the Restoration.  On campus the class engages in extensive reading, writing, discussion, and research work; on-site during travel, we extend our learning.  After returning to campus, we complete and polish our research projects and present our work.

Group Photo

Throughout the travel component, the class experiences the cultures of medieval and early modern Britain-and their contemporary legacies-through exploration of landscapes and cityscapes, museums, libraries, cathedrals, castles, historic sites, attendance at performing arts events, and participation in on-site research and workshops. 

Tower Bridge, LondonThis course is designed for mature and committed students.  This challenging, active-learning and research-oriented interdisciplinary course is well suited to students from all majors who have interests compatible with the course.   Within the English/Communications major or minor the course may be taken as fulfillment of the Department's "Texts in Contexts" requirement or as a departmental elective.  This course may be taken for Honors credit.  Class size is limited to 16.  (PREREQUISITES: ENGL 250; sophomore status; instructor's permission. Students pay travel fee.)

Globe TheatreSpring 2012 base locations for our travel component will be York--a city in North Yorkshire with a fascinating Roman, Viking, Medieval and Renaissance heritage--and London--truly one of the world's great capital cities, with history, arts, and culture, and an intriguing mix of old and new.  We'll also travel by rail on a scenic route from York to the ancient and vibrant city of Edinburgh, Scotland for an exciting day visit.

Travel Dates for 2012:

Departing Friday, March 9; returning Monday evening, March 19  

Group PhotoTotal Travel Fee is $2,850. per MCLA student/alumni traveler.  For non-MCLA guests, there is a $ 200. "non-student" administrative fee .  Participation  is by permission of instructor only.

*Full payment schedule:
$300. first payment at time of sign-up
$850. second payment by October 24
$850. third payment by December 5
$850. fourth (final) payment by January 16

*All  payments are considered non-refundable, except in the case of MCLA's cancellation of the entire trip, unless the student's place is taken by another paying traveler. 

Price for travel includes: round-trip airfare (Albany, NY is our home airport); rail passes; taxifares and London underground travel as needed; 9 nights hotel accommodations (5 nights York; 4 nights London), including daily full breakfasts; most lunches and dinners, including several special meals; airport snacks/light meals during travel; all tickets for theatre/concerts/special events and admissions for museums, historic sites, etc.; guidebook & course materials; some fun "extras"; and a cushion for emergencies, unforeseen expenditures, and special opportunities. 

Funding Note: MCLA has  a limited number of $300. student research/travel grants available by application for students with exceptional  research project plans.  Interested students  should speak with Prof. Denhard.

Prof. Denhard designs the travel as an integrated part of the course and works with the class to maximize experiential and collaborative learning both on campus and during travel. There will also be free time during travel for exploring on your own.

Tower of London

Please contact Prof. Denhard if you are interested in participating or would like more information.

Students Relaxing

Rosanne F. Denhard, Ph.D., Associate Professor English/Communications  Department
Office: Mark Hopkins 103-C
Office Phone: 413-662-5195
R.Denhard@mcla.edu


Special thanks to Leanne Dixon '09 for photography and photo editing.
 

Learn More, See More

Professor Denhard has put together a presentation documenting the experience.  View it online now.

Students from Dr. Denhard's travel course have presented at past Undergraduate Research Conferences.  You can read their abstracts online, and view a slideshow of travel photography.

Faculty Quote:

"Learning is always an adventure, but academic travel takes the concept of "adventure" to new places, new people, and new experiences. We study what is "old" in ways that bring the past to life in vivid detail and give us insight into our present and future.  The benefits are enormous."

Prof. Rosanne Denhard, English/Communications

Student Quotes:

"This course  has somehow managed to combine my entire English major together!   I was sad to see this experience end, but I made so many great friends and have so many memories that will impact the rest of my life."

Valerie Hope,  MCLA 2008, English/Communications

"Westminster Abbey is a phenomenal work of architecture.   As an English/Communications major with a concentration in Literature, I have known of the Poets Corner and have seen pictures in various books-but to truly be in that Corner of the Abbey was surreal  for me.   Standing there, reading all the names and admiring all the memorial sculptures was like seeing familiar friends in an unfamiliar place."

Tracey Martin, MCLA 2009, English/Communications

"In England, I researched Medieval and Renaissance "common place books."  I incorporated on-site learning at historic sites/museums and archival library research.  Common place books, or miscellanies, were a way of compiling valued information: letters, recipes, prayers, scholarly work, etc.  In my archival research, I examined materials at the library of York Minster, the British Library, the archives at Westminster Abbey, and the British Museum. "

Lyndsay DeBord, MCLA 2008, English/Communications

"Much Ado About Nothing at the National Theatre was really cool.  I hadn't seen a Shakespeare play performed in years, and this was definitely the place to see one.  I was paying attention to the movement of the stage during the production. . . it was more elaborate set up than I was used in the Shakespeare plays I've seen.  The stage was like a huge turntable.  This allowed for several stages to be on display and switched quickly.  There was the wall in the middle of this moving stage that the actors could hide behind, like the scene where one of the main characters was eavesdropping on the other people.  The stage would turn seamlessly as needed and it added a whole new dimension to the performance."
Zeke Meginsky, MCLA 2010, English/Communications

"We had an exciting day in Edinburgh, Scotland! The Castle was wonderful for taking pictures. I took advantage of the hundreds of photo opportunities. When we got around to seeing the Crown Jewels of Scotland we met a very nice guide working in that section of the Castle who tested us on our knowledge of Scotland's history. Luckily each of us knew one answer and he was very pleased with our knowledge on the topic.""
Leanne Dixon, MCLA 2009, English/Communications

Alumni Quote:

"Most people are surprised to hear that the MCLA Travel courses are often available to non-students and alumni.  They're a great deal as opposed to going it alone and they give us a wonderful way to get to know the younger classes as well!  In Great Britain we saw York, Edinburgh, and London.  I made a bunch of new friends and got to catch up with a few old ones.  I can't wait to go back and give Scotland another go!"

Adam Giroux, MCLA 2006, Computer Science