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Suggested Programs for Literatures in English

London Bridge

English majors are often attracted to study in the United Kingdom, and for good reason. The UK, and England in particular, are well-suited to English majors; however, there are a number of other study abroad destinations English majors should consider to get outside the box.

Programs Specifically Selected for MAJOR

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Immersion & Exchange Programs Suggested for English

United Kingdom: Univ. College London, England

An easy first choice for English majors is to study in England. Choose among top-ranked universities for English like Univ. College London or the Univ. of Manchester.

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United Kingdom: Univ. of Edinburgh or Univ. of Glasgow, Scotland

Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are highly ranked universities for English, and Scotland can often be more affordable and a more unique experience than study in England.

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Singapore: National Univ. of Singapore (NUS)

Consider heading east for your English major in this highly developed English-speaking country with a strongly ranked English program.

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United Kingdom: Summer in Cambridge

It is hard to dispute the supremacy of the Univ. of Cambridge in terms of the strength of its English program. Consider this program for the summer.

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Australia: Univ. of Sydney

Our friends down under are also great hosts for English majors. UCEAP's partners in Australia are all top 100 universities worldwide, but the Univ. of Sydney is often at the top of the list.

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Hong Kong: Univ. of Hong Kong (HKU)

Similarly to Singapore, Hong Kong is another hidden gem in the East for studying English with a foundation in traditional British education.

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Canada: Univ. of British Columbia

Arguably the best university for English in all of Canada, UBC in Vancouver offers a wide variety of courses close to home.

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Ireland: Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has been ranked Ireland’s top university and is internationally recognized for strong research and dedicated teaching. Famously home to "The Book of Kells," the university maintains an academic culture of creativity and innovation.

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New Zealand: Univ. of Auckland

At the top-ranked Univ. of Auckland, you can choose courses from a wide array of disciplines. Immersing in a new academic culture, you can find courses alongside local and international students.

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Korea: Seoul National Univ.

Often ranked the top university for English across Korea, Seoul National University will offer you classes alongside local and international students in a wide range of disciplines.

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English Teaching Opportunities

Japan: Global Studies, Japan

Take an internship for credit that focuses on how you can teach English to speakers of other languages. For coursework, this program features undergraduate courses in global studies, history, international relations, political science, Asian studies, cultural studies, and other social science and humanities topics, all taught in English.

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Korea: Seoul Summer

Here you can volunteer teaching English at a local children’s hospital on top of choosing courses in English in humanities, social sciences, management and economics, East Asian Studies and Korean Studies—all taught by international and local faculty.

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China: Fudan Univ.

Volunteer to teach English or participate in other service learning opportunities while taking coursework taught in English that focuses on Chinese economic development and business, China’s rapidly expanding role in the world economy and international relations, and Chinese society and culture in the era of globalization.

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Research Opportunities for MAJOR Majors

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Global & International Opportunities

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Summer Physics Abroad

One potential route to study abroad for STEM students is to tackle a full year of introductory physics over the summer. Typically, this is the summer between students’ first and second year at UC Merced. Consider these options:

Australia: Sydney Summer Physics

Earn a full year of calculus-based physics credit in just eight weeks. Fulfill math requirements for the life sciences or get a jump on pre-med coursework and experience life in Sydney, Australia.

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Cyprus: Nicosia Summer Physics

Study intensive physics for the life sciences in beautiful Cyprus. Note that this program is better suited to biological sciences students than other STEM students.

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Ireland: Cork Summer Physics

In just eight weeks at the University College Cork, you can earn a full year of calculus-based physics credit, get a jump on math coursework, or prepare for a pre-med track. Lab experiments and group workshops expand your science knowledge with students from around the world.

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Spain: Madrid Summer Physics

Add some sizzle to your summer—study in Madrid and return with a full year of physics credit. This intense 8-week program is ideal for life sciences majors who want to get a quick boost in academics.

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United Kingdom: Glasgow Science & Engineering

As the home to the James Watt School of Engineering and the School of Life Sciences, the University of Glasgow offers the perfect environment for this intensive physics summer program.

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United Kingdom: Summer in Sussex

Minutes from the sparkling seafront, Sussex is quintessentially English, with spectacular castles, greenery, and attractions fit for royals. Pre-med and life sciences majors can earn up to a year of physics credit in two months!

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Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Opportunities

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Human Bio Opportunities

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Engineering-Specific Opportunities

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Advanced MAJOR Opportunities

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Completing Other SSHA Requirements Abroad

SSHA students, in general, can take advantage of the requirement to complete four (4) non-major upper-division general education courses—or equivalent—from SSHA areas as varied as English literature to economics. Most SSHA students complete one or more of these required courses while studying abroad. These courses must be reviewed through the   SSHA course approval form.

SSHA students must also complete a total of 60.0 semester units in order to graduate. SSHA students complete many of these units within their major but often need more and can complete these requirements abroad.

Course Approval and Course Approval Forms

With a few exceptions of previously approved courses (ask your academic advisor), courses will need to be approved to meet individual degree requirements. In these cases, students will use the Course Approval Form for the school that would typically offer such a course at UC Merced:

 

The school will often require a syllabus or equivalent in order to do a review. Keep in mind that syllabi may be protected intellectual property of certain professors or universities and may not be publicly posted online. If it is a UC Center program, you may be able to acquire syllabi through your study abroad advisor. If the program is with a local host university and the course is not posted online, you may be able to inquire with the instructor or host university in some cases.

Academic Planning

No matter your academic intentions while studying abroad, you should consult your academic advisor and your MyDegreePath report to plan out your study abroad academic goals. Once you narrow your search to 1-3 study abroad programs consult your program page or ask your study abroad advisor about resources for researching courses in your program.

 

Start planning for study abroad with your academic advisor as soon as you can. One of the keys to maximizing academic success abroad is early planning and scheduling course loads before, during, and after study abroad. This includes strategies such as targeting a study abroad term to exploit areas of flexibility in your academic plan.

Be sure to make use of UCEAP course credit resources below, too.

 

UC Merced Campus Credit through UCEAP

How to Explore Database of Courses Previously Taken

 

Campus Credit Abroad

Planning the courses you’ll take on study abroad is as important as figuring out when and where to go. All courses taken on the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) are guaranteed UC credit, but understanding how each class may fit into your academic plan is a critical part of the planning process.

UCEAP Database of Courses Previously Taken

How to Find Courses for UCEAP

One of the challenges with academic planning and completing the Academic Planning Form is finding courses. While there is never any certainty with course offerings and study abroad always requires a little calculated academic risk, there are some techniques to minimize the risk and exploit unique educational opportunities through study abroad.

Courses & Credit Tab

For nearly every UCEAP program page, there will be a tab labeled “Courses & Credit.” Within this tab you will find information and links in the “Course Opportunities” area. The course resources are listed in order of relevance. Depending on the program, you might find any of the following resources:

  1. Course syllabi
  2. Links to academic majors or programs with courses
  3. A bulleted list of courses

UCEAP Course Catalog

All UCEAP coursework taken in the last five (5) years is listed in the UCEAP Course Catalog. There are a few things you should consider when using the UCEAP Course Catalog:

  1. The list of courses is not comprehensive.
  2. Course units are listed in quarter units (to convert to semester units, divide by 1.5).
  3. Syllabi are not included.
  4. You may need to search less intuitive subject areas to find coursework (e.g. health sciences for public health, "engineering" for bioengineering, business for management and business economics).

Check Previously Approved Courses

There are a few resources available showing coursework previously approved for study abroad online. The resources are limited but they do represent some of the more recent course approvals:

A Note on Course Syllabi

Your academic advisor or school may insist that you need syllabi in order to determine whether a course abroad will substitute a particular degree requirement. While this is generally true, this does not prevent you from planning out your academic schedule abroad and determining what type of degree requirements a course may fulfill.

Sometimes your study abroad advisor or UCEAP can acquire a syllabus on your behalf; however, this is not always the case. Please understand that syllabi are often considered intellectual property and may not be shared until the course begins. Previously approved courses (see above) are often your first go-to resource to select courses.