Study abroad

There are increasing opportunities to study abroad as part of your English degree at King’s. This enables you to enrich your studies, increase your employability and broaden your horizons. It can also give you a chance to improve a foreign language at the same time as continuing your studies in English literature.

Most students taking part in this programme will spend the second semester of their second year abroad. This means that you will be able to settle back into King’s for your second year before going. To qualify for the study abroad programme, you need to achieve an average of 60 or above in your first year courses.

Existing links

We currently have established links with the following institutions:
North America:

UPENN (University of Pennsylvania)
UNC (University of North Carolina)
UC (University of California) Students applying to California select three campuses in order of preference

Germany:

Humboldt University, Berlin (all teaching of English literature at the Humboldt is done in English. The Humboldt spring term runs from April-July so you will be free between your January exams and April).

Choosing your institution

Where possible, we encourage students to choose from the institutions listed above. King’s College does have links with other institutions (eg. in Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore). Where students express convincing reasons for choosing another institution, we may consider allowing you to apply there. We may also consider allowing you to go for the first semester, instead of the second.

Before applying to an institution, you must check that all their teaching of English literature is done in English and that they offer courses that will allow you to fulfil our banding system (see below).

Choosing your modules

In the second year at King’s, students must choose modules according to our banding system.

Band 1 = pre 1800
Band 2 = post 1800

English students must take at least four Band 1 modules in their second year (including at least one medieval course).English and film students must take at least three Band 1 modules in their second year (including at least one medieval module). You can assume that you will be able to do one medieval module and one other Band 1 module in the second year semester you spend at King’s. Therefore, you should take at least two pre-1800 modules during your semester abroad. If investigating an institution other than the four we recommend, you must make sure you will be able to do this. The modules you take will be weighted equivalently to our second year courses. You can choose second or third year courses but not first year courses.

Application process and deadlines 2010-11

There will be a series of meetings for interested students in semester 1. Details will be published here once they are available.

Application form

Please visit the King's Study abroad & exchanges web pages to access the study abroad application form for current students.

Further information

The English Department’s Study Abroad co-ordinator is Dr
Janet Floyd.

Further information about the King’s Study Abroad programmes as a whole is available on the King's Study abroad & exchanges web pages.