About the Program
This 3 credit study-abroad course will focus on the people, places, and policies that shaped the development of the British Empire, the single largest trans-cultural phenomenon in the world since 1500. During visits to political and cultural sites in London, you will examine how ideology, migration, technology and resistance shaped the expansion and eventual retrenchment of British imperial power in the Atlantic world and the Indian sub-continent. With the nation’s capital as our classroom, you will explore the complex workings and legacies of the British Empire from the perspective of its nerve center.
The curriculum will illuminate the experience of the empire for subjects both in the colonies and the metropole and will pay particular attention to the maritime origins of empire, the lives of black Britons and the abolition of slavery, and the rise and fall of the British in India. Site visits will be accompanied by student presentations and class exercises. Final course grades will include substantial weighting for class participation.
Eligibility
You must be in good academic and judicial standing and you must not have any registration blocks to participate in this program. The minimum GPA for this program is listed above.
UMD and non-UMD freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply.
If you are interested in this program but do not meet the eligibility requirements, reach out to the program director below to discuss your interest in the program.
Contacts
Prof. Richard Bell is a veteran Education Abroad Faculty Leader. He teaches early American and Atlantic world history at the University of Maryland. British by birth, accent, and sense of humor, he loves working with Maryland students in London, the most exciting city in the world.
For course, itinerary or in-country information, please contact the Program Leader. For general questions or assistance with applying, contact EA Short-term Programs.
