WFU/London: Worrell House – Sociology Across the Pond (Summer Session II)

Summer Session II
Dates: July 15 – August 7, 2027
Course: SOC 151 (D) – Principles of Sociology

Join us abroad in a classroom without walls! In this course, we transform the city of London into our own social laboratory, applying sociology to its culture, people, and sites to bring our learning to life. You’ll develop your sociological imagination by exploring the everyday experiences that make up life in London. Rather than learning sociology only from a textbook, you’ll put sociological ideas to work in the world around you.

We will explore London in weekly excursions to neighborhoods, museums, iconic sites, and the arts. Through these excursions, you’ll gain hands-on experience in applying sociological methods to the world around you. We will learn to see the familiar, the foreign, and everything in between through a new lens.

You’ll be introduced to major sociological theories, concepts, and methods while developing the skills sociologists use to make sense of the social world. Most importantly, you will develop a sociological curiosity in the world around you and be more aware of the social forces that shape it. London isn’t just where we will study sociology. It is where we will *do* sociology.

London is one of Europe’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities. Its famous sites include Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, and Westminster Abbey. With a multitude of art galleries, museums, and pubs, London is endlessly interesting. The underground rail “tube” system provides easy access to all parts of the city. Students may conveniently visit Canterbury, Oxford, Bath, Dover, and other destinations (Scotland and Wales) via the excellent British railway system.

In 1977, Wake Forest purchased a large brick house in Hampstead for its London program. The house, a gift from Eugene and Ann Worrell, was named in their honor. Formerly known as Morven House, the building served as the home and studio of landscape painter Charles Edward Johnson.

Worrell House has four stories and is situated on Steele’s Road (named for essayist Sir Richard Steele) in a sector of suburban London known as Hampstead. Hampstead is primarily a residential neighborhood and home to Hampstead Heath, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, and the Keats Cottage. Two underground tube stops are within a 5-10 minute walk.

SOC 151 (D): Principles of Sociology
3 credit hours

SOC 151: Principles of Sociology fulfills divisional requirements in Division IV for Social Sciences.

This course will get you out of the classroom and into London. Our typical week will include meeting Monday through Thursday, in a combination of class sessions and excursions each week. In class, we’ll explore sociological concepts and perspectives that will give you new ways to analyze the world. Then we’ll take those ideas into London and put them to work.

Our excursions will give you opportunities to experience London while thinking like a sociologist. We will explore British culture at the Tate Modern or Victoria and Albert Museum, experience the performing arts through a play in the West End or at Shakespeare’s Globe, investigate the social meanings of the British monarchy by visiting iconic royal sites, and venture beyond London for a day at Stonehenge. Each experience will invite you to ask: What can this space tell us about society and the individual?

For your course project, you’ll create a photo essay exploring an aspect of English culture that captures your curiosity. You’ll use concepts from class to move beyond simply describing what you see and develop an analysis of what your photographs reveal about English culture and society.

Dr. Michael Ramirez
Associate Professor of Sociology
(336) 758-5444

Dr. Michael Ramirez is associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at WFU. Currently in his “junior year” (his third year as faculty) at Wake, he appreciates everything about campus from the buildings to the weather to the students, of course.

Dr. Ramirez loves teaching SOC 151 and introducing students to the world of sociology. He believes sociology has something to offer everyone, regardless of their major or career paths, because it helps us better understand the people, cultures, and social forces that shape our everyday lives. He likes to think of sociology as a light switch you can’t turn off: once you learn to see the world through a sociological lens, you can never quite see it the way you did before. He looks forward to helping students turn that switch on and seeing what they discover along the way.

Go Deacs!

Worrell House accommodates fourteen students. There are five student bedrooms, four bathrooms, a large kitchen, a student lounge, a living room, two libraries, and a seminar room. Modern kitchen facilities are available, and students often prefer to cook their meals together in the house. The house is wired for Internet access and students should bring their laptop computers. The living room, called the Churchill Room, was named in honor of the former prime minister and statesman. His daughter, Sarah Churchill, unveiled a bust of Churchill at the 1977 dedication of the house. A beautiful English garden is located behind the house. There is a ground floor apartment (flat) for the Resident Professor consisting of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen.

NOTE: All students participating in the Summer London Worrell House program are required to live in program-provided housing. Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.

Tentative excursions on the program could include some from the list below:

Tower of London
Buckingham Palace
Tate Modern Art Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
Shakespeare’s Globe
The West End
Stonehenge

The faculty director is responsible for selecting each group based on the following criteria:
* Academic suitability
* Social and emotional maturity
* Seriousness of the student in pursuing the academic and cultural aims of the program
* Applicability of the program to the student’s interests and studies

Majors in all disciplines are eligible and encourage to apply.

The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories:
Program Fee – Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program.
Tuition – Students on WFU summer programs pay WFU summer school tuition per credit hour. The summer rate for 2026 was $950/per credit hour. 
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses (estimated) – These will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.

Billed by Wake Forest:
Program Fee  – $3,200
Tuition – $2,850
                           +
Personal costs (will fluctuate per student):
Airfare (estimated) – $1,400
Personal Expenses (estimated) – $1,575

Estimated total cost – $9,025

Estimated total cost will be finalized in March and may fluctuate depending on number of students and changes made to the program.

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Scholarship deadline for Global Programs and Studies is February 1st.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

2027 Summer Session II Faculty Leader:
Dr. Michael Ramirez
Associate Professor of Sociology
(336) 758-5444

Claire Tynan 
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
(336) 758-4072

Dr. Mary Dalton
Director of Worrell House and Professor of Communication
(336) 758-6120

House Address
Worrell House
36 Steele’s Road
Hampstead
London NW3 4RG
England
Phone: 011-44-207-722-9892
Fax: 011-44-207-722-2496