London is a large modern city built on thousands of years of history and is a vast cosmopolitan melting pot of people, ideas and energy. As an INSTEP-WFU London student you will live and take classes within central London to easily combine your studies with an all-round exploration and experience of this great city. The classes are taught by a distinguished British faculty and are designed to provide an intensive and scholarly European perspective on politics, law, international relations, media, and business[pi1] . As they are taught in small seminar groups you will be able to take the fullest advantage of each faculty member’s range of knowledge and academic experience. You can also take the opportunity to become a true Londoner by completing an internship at a London firm in addition to unique coursework in the spring semester only.
 
The opportunities in London are endless from museums, theatres, galleries, libraries, entertainment, food and nightlife. While London is a city of villages, each with its own culture and population, the city’s public transport will get you around the city quickly to experience everything that London has to offer. With fast trains and short flights to the whole of Europe, the United Kingdom and London is just the tip of the iceberg.

The INSTEP-WFU program is in one of Europe’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities. Its famous sites include Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly 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 Cambridge, Canterbury, Oxford, Bath, Dover, and other destinations (Scotland and Wales) via the excellent British railway system.

It is the student’s responsibility to speak to their major and minor advisor(s) regarding their abroad coursework and how (or if) it will count towards their degree plan.

The INSTEP-WFU London program emphasizes a close student-to-faculty teaching relationship which is underscored by small class sizes. Most courses are seminars where students are encouraged to engage in conversation and debate not only with other students but with the faculty as well. The program has two unique tracks for students to choose. The fall semester will focus primarily on politics with the opportunity to take courses also in communication and sociology.  The spring semester, in addition to the coursework, will offer an internship opportunity for students.  Courses are held in central London and are taught by specially selected professors, many of whom also teach at campuses of the University of London. 

Each semester will be divided into two teaching blocks. The first block of each semester will be five weeks, and the second block will be 10 weeks.

Wake Forest students can find their most recent course approvals here: WFU/London: INSTEP Course Approvals
Descriptions of available courses can be found here:
http://www.instep-programs.org/londonprograms.html

NOTE to Wake Forest Political Science students:
This program offers POL courses which will not count towards the in-residence (“at Wake Forest”) POL credit for Politics and International Affairs majors and minors.  For more details about taking POL courses on this program, students must consult the Department of Politics and International Affairs study abroad page or contact the department directly (wfupol@wfu.edu).

NOTE on Transcripts:
If you are applying for a fall program, you will need to upload your transcript showing your grades from the previous fall. If you are applying for a spring program, you will need to upload your transcript showing grades from the previous spring.

INSTEP-WFU are carefully selected local faculty, many of whom have teaching positions at one of the University of London campuses.

Housing in London is tailored to each particular group of students, but in all cases, it is centrally located in Zones 1 or 2 of the London Underground map.  Students have easy access to public transport which links to the INSTEP-WFU classrooms, administrative office, and the various entertainments and famous sights of the West End. Students can expect typical commute times of 30-40 minutes from student accommodations to INSTEP-WFU classrooms.

The housing itself consists of shared rooms (singles are rarely available) in self-catering apartments that include shared lounge, kitchen, and bathroom facilities. Kitchens are fully fitted, and bedroom linens are provided (students need only bring their own towels), and the apartments are cleaned regularly. These apartments are within town houses or apartment blocks, and are well appointed.

NOTE: All students participating in the WFU/London: INSTEP 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.

Students who participate on the INSTEP-WFU program have full access to all that London has to offer. Students are also temporary members of the University College London Students’ Union and the University of London’s main library, Senate House Library. In addition, the INSTEP London resident director arranges organized group activities, special receptions, and dinners.

Most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.0 and higher. If your GPA is lower than 3.0, you are still encouraged to apply and to discuss your application with a study abroad advisor. The admissions committee considers a number of factors in addition to your cumulative GPA. Most importantly, strong consideration will be given to your major GPA.

Wake Forest students will pay the same WFU tuition and housing fees as you would at the Reynolda campus. Students from affiliated home institutions should discuss cost with your home study abroad office.

Fee Includes:

• Tuition
• Pre-departure counseling and enrollment
• Permanent academic record and grade report issued directly to your home college or university
• Housing during the program dates
• Access to INSTEP-staffed offices in both the UK and US
• International health insurance
• Orientation program
• Organized Activities
• Membership in Student Central and Senate House Library

Fee does NOT include:

• Airfare
• Meals
• Personal expenses

Wake Forest students should contact the Center for Global Programs & Studies for information about WFU study abroad scholarships. Students from affiliated institutions should contact their home study abroad office.

Wake Forest Students:

Cody Ryberg
Assistant Director of Global Abroad Programs
Center for Global Programs and Studies
Phone: (336) 758 6194
E-mail: rybergcj@wfu.edu
 

Students from Affiliated Institutions:

Steve Seaworth
Executive Director – INSTEP
Phone: (970) 988 0808
E-mail: steve@instep-programs.net

Wake Forest University students:  Feel free to read through the current version of the program handbook for general program information.
WFU/INSTEP London Handbook

For more information about the program, visit the INSTEP website:  http://www.instep-programs.org/index.html