Two semesters (Spring on campus & Summer abroad), 31 days, 7 cities

Why participate?

The much-debated and highly publicized June 2016 “Brexit” referendum, in which a narrow majority of British citizens voted to leave the European Union, made newly apparent what has, in fact, been a centuries-old dynamic between the British Isles (England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales) and the European continent. This messy divorce, now in its sixth year and counting, has also revealed tensions within the UK itself, such as the uneasy question of Scottish independence from England, and anxiety over Northern Ireland’s position in the UK. All along, the Republic of Ireland has maintained its independence from the UK, and if anything, become more closely aligned with the EU—exacerbating tensions between it and Northern Ireland. Other divisions abound too, typified by “Megxit” and the near breakup of the beloved English Premier League in 2021. Add into the mix racial, class and religious tensions; a weakened Labour Party; and concern about the vaunted, beloved National Health Service (NHS) in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic: everywhere you look, divisive challenge abounds. Can the United Kingdom hold itself together? And wither Ireland, unbounded yet tied to the UK?

Honors College students enrolling in the Honors UK 2024 program will have the opportunity to answer this question first-hand. In the spring semester, in IDH 4007, we will emphasize coherence and unity, as we study British history, culture, religion, literature and art, and advances in science, technology, medicine and engineering from the pre-Roman and Roman eras, through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Restoration and Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, Victorian and Edwardian ages, the World Wars of the last century, and right up to the present.

What is England, how did it develop, what are its gifts to the world? Comparable questions will pervade our studies, as regards Scotland and the North, and too, the construct of the United Kingdom. This learning about “Great Britain” will then be tested and extended in situ, as participants travel in the summer, under the IDH 4008 rubric, observing first-hand, in London and the southwestern part of the UK, and the North and Scotland too, if despair and dismay over Brexit and “Megxit” is real, or not. Scotland is, arguably, the perfect test case: it is better set up to leave the UK and rejoin the EU than anywhere else in the British Isles—do they wish to do so, and do they have the will? “United we stand. Divided we fall”: does Churchill’s famous formulation, spoken in June 1941, still apply when speaking of the UK today?  

Course focus

• British (and Scottish) history, culture, religion, literature and art
• Advances in science, technology, medicine and engineering from the pre-Roman and Roman eras, through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Restoration and Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, Victorian and Edwardian ages, the World Wars of the last century, and right up to the present
• COURSE SYLLABUS: 2024 Syllabus

Program information

• Spring 2024 (on campus): IDH 4007 (3 credits) - MMC, Thursdays, 9:30AM-12:15PM
• Summer C 2024 (abroad): IDH 4008 (3 credits) - May 26-June 25, 2024

Program highlights

• Exploring Westminster Abbey
• Seeing Matilda, Hamilton, & Six live at the West End
• Punting on the River Cam in Cambridge
• Walking through Edinburgh Castle
• Visiting the National Football Museum

What is included

• London Oyster card
• BritRail Flexi Passes
• 30 nights in handpicked accommodations
• 15 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 3 dinners, 1 afternoon tea
• Expert Program Director
• 24/7 support from Program Director
• Multiple walking tours with local guides
• 1 bus tour
• Admission to Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Old Trafford (Manchester United stadium), and so much more

What is not included

• Roundtrip international airfare
• $195.00 Education Abroad administrative fee (OEA Fee)
• FIU in-state tuition (6 credits, $205.57 per credit)
• Passport, visa, and other necessary documents
• Personal expenses

Key:

(#) = number of nights; squiggle line = boat