Dietrich School London Field Studies

 

In this rigorous field study, you will travel with a small group of your peers and University faculty and staff to London, England, during the first two weeks of May, where you will access resources unavailable online or in the United States to enrich your independent spring and summer term-long research. Participants enroll for 1—3 credits of directed research in the spring term, during which time they conduct faculty-mentored research on a project of their own design. They also spend the spring term meeting with members of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity to plan their research while in the United Kingdom.
 
While in London, participants will be immersed in an innovative urban center—the most populous capital of Western Europe and one of the world’s global cities—as well as a community of their peers, undergraduates dedicated to independently designed research projects. The city of London and the Field Studies program empower you to not only improve your research project, but also to see it and yourself in an international context.
 
In pre- and post-trip meetings with your peers, you also will discuss the thematic similarities and differences between your diverse projects. While you will conduct the majority of your study independently, at locations decided by you and a faculty mentor, planned cultural activities and daily group discussions will enhance your project. 

Applications will be accepted from any Dietrich School undergraduate who:

  • is in good academic standing;
  • has a faculty mentor within the project discipline responsible for oversight of the project, and intends to enroll in directed research for spring 2023.

Interested students should complete the following steps and apply through the Global Experiences office Web site no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, November 10th, 2023

  • Secure a Dietrich School faculty mentor for directed research for spring 2024
  • Write a 3-4 page description of the proposed research project, specifically explaining how two weeks of research in London at the end of the spring term will enhance the project. The description should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font and using 1-inch margins. No more than four pages should be submitted (excluding citations). Appendices and addendums are not allowed.
  • Write a one to two-page statement, addressing this prompt: As a London Field Studies participant, you will participate in a small community of scholars. What excites you about sharing your perspective with this community? How do you think conversations with your fellow participants will enrich your development as a thinker and an individual? Your statement should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font and using 1-inch margins.
  • Provide letter of support from faculty mentor by October 27, 2023. Faculty submit their letters by using the “Faculty Recommendation” feature found in the Global Experiences application.
  • Provide the name and phone number of a personal reference. A personal reference may be a current or former supervisor, an advisor, coach, or a resident assistant. A personal reference should not be a TA, family member, or friend.
  • Confirm that, in spring of 2024, you will not simultaneously hold any other spring research awards—for example OUR awards or grants or University Honors College fellowships.

Additionally, interested students are encouraged to register for a field studies information session to take place on either September 21 or 27. Although these events are not required to apply, they are strongly encouraged.

 

If your first thoughts of London are the Royal Family and Downton Abbey, prepare to be blown away. English history and culture are juxtaposed against streets lined with Indian restaurants and Chinese New Year celebrations. The birthplace of the English language is now home to speakers of more than 30 other languages – and that is not counting the variety of English accents you will hear. Skyscrapers tower over 17th-century buildings while Big Ben overlooks the River Thames. Study abroad in London and you find yourself constantly surprised by what you discover in one of the world’s most diverse and global cities.

Where You'll Live: 

Students will stay in a hotel. Hotel accommodations will be finalized later in the semester and address will be provided to students at orientation. You can expect the following with your accommodations:

  • Single-occupancy hotel rooms
  • En-Suite bathroom
  • Hotel reception area
  • Breakfast included daily
  • Wi-Fi

We do our best to provide the most accurate information about housing and amenities, but due to the nature of the locations in which we offer programs and limited availability, these items are subject to change.  Contact your program manager with any questions. 

 

What You'll Study: 

Each participant in the London Field Studies designs their own unique project, working closely with a faculty mentor. Recent participants have enhanced their research by accessing archival content, such as that available in the British Library and London Metropolitan Archives; by visiting museums and other cultural institutions; by conducting interviews with scholars, artists, and scientists based in the United Kingdom; and by visiting public health organizations, science labs, and non-profit organizations, amongst many other locations. Join us this May 2023 in London to pursue your research goals.
 

Students will be enrolled in 1 credit ARTSC 1450 course for the international research experience.

 

 

 

 

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts: 

Oksana Stalczynski

Privet! I'm Oksana Stalczynski and I'm an Assistant Director of Study Abroad at the Global Experiences Office. I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, was an exchange student and Russian Language Scholar at Reed College in Portland, OR and did a summer language program in Dresden, Germany. Global experiences broaden your horizon, grow your circle of friends and improve your career opportunities. That’s why I think everyone should do one!

Feel free to contact me to find out more about global experiences programs at Pitt, and/or to learn/practice some Russian.

 

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