BIO 101(D): Biology and the Human Condition (4hrs)

Summer Session II
July 10 – August 8, 2026

Classes will meet Monday through Thursday, with three-day weekends reserved for students to explore London or travel at their leisure. Most days will consist of a morning lecture and an afternoon excursion to one of several “living laboratories” in London, including a walking tour of plague sites in London, the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, the Natural History Museum of London, and visits to some of London’s remaining wild landscapes. The course will culminate with a week of independent study in the archives of the Wellcome Library, where students will explore the intersection of their own academic interests with biology and health.

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.

BIO 101(D): Biology and the Human Condition (4hrs)
This course will introduce students to basic principles in biology through the unique lens of London’s wild spaces, streets, and museums. Students will explore how microbes, plants, and animals impact the ethical, social, political, and economic aspects of the human experience.

Classes will meet Monday through Thursday, with three-day weekends reserved for students to explore London or travel at their leisure. Most days will consist of a morning lecture and an afternoon excursion to one of several “living laboratories” in London, including a walking tour of plague sites in London, the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, the Natural History Museum of London, and visits to some of London’s remaining wild landscapes. The course will culminate with a week of independent study in the archives of the Wellcome Library, where students will explore the intersection of their own academic interests with biology and health.

Andrew St. James, Ph.D
Assistant Teaching Professor
Department of Biology
Phone: (336) 758-3704
Email: stjamea@wfu.edu

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.

The tentative list of excursions includes several walking tours of London; exploration of several gardens: English Gardens at Regent’s Park, the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and the Chelsea Physic Garden; trips to Sea Life Aquarium London, Walthamstow Wetlands, the London Zoo and the Natural History Museum of London.

These excursions will complement our conventional classroom work and provide us with an array of opportunities for discussion, engagement, and “hand on” activities. Because we have a full schedule, we will hold classroom activities Mondays through Thursdays (with exceptions for welcome and farewell dinners).

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 2025 is $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  – TBD
Tuition ($4 hrs) – $3,800
                           +
Personal costs (will fluctuate per student):
Airfare (estimated) – TBD
Personal Expenses (estimated) – TBD

Estimated total cost – TBD

Estimated total cost will be finalized in March 2026 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.

Andrew St. James, Ph.D
Assistant Teaching Professor
Department of Biology
Phone: (336) 758-3704
Email: stjamea@wfu.edu

Claire Tynan 
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
Phone: (336) 758-4072
Email: tynanc@wfu.edu

Dr. Mary Dalton
Director of Worrell House and Professor of Communication
Phone: (336) 758-6120
E-mail: dalton@wfu.edu

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