Film in Britain

Summer 2009 closed

July 4 - August 15, 2009

Sponsored by the Department of English and the Film Studies Thematic Program in the College of Arts & Letters

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

Full of scenic venues and humane people, London lends itself to being the background and setting for innumerable kinds of creative expression.  For the first time in the history of the English Department’s Study Abroad Programs, the Film program will be run by two senior professors with expertise not only in film (film production, film theory and film criticism) but also in film script writing, play and dialogue writing, as well as dramatic performance, and the telling of stories.

Also unlike any other film programs in London, 2009 will be arranged differently.  Students will not take individual classes but rather each take twelve credits in one large class (under several different course numbers tailored to each student’s individual needs and program—e.g., one student might enroll in 4 credits of film criticism, 4 credits of film theory, and 4 credits of playwriting, but another student might enroll in fiction writing, playwriting, and film theory).

Accepted students will meet with Professor Penn during finals week of spring term, discussing proposals, ideas, and possibilities.  These meetings will occur with the intention of getting students started imagining what their films are about and how they might go about writing the screenplays and filming them (imagining venues that might work best for their projects).  Students will then be able to work on shooting scripts as play scenes needing a camera, and will arrive in London ready to spend several hours a week in workshops with Professor Penn, and in field trips around London examining and discussing the ramifications of different venues, from pubs to parks, and palaces to political government.  They will all meet as one group with Professor Penn, in structured morning classes in the same classroom in London, and take required “field trips” to different areas and neighborhoods in London, including Camden Lock, Seven Dials, Hampstead Heath, Hyde and St. James Park, Trafalgar Square and the British Museum, the Southbank and the areas around the Globe Theater, Nottinghill, St. Paul’s, London Bridge, and beyond.  During these weeks, students will revise their shooting scripts in workshop, while selecting settings by traveling around London, preparing in groups of four or five to “perform” their scripts and film them. During those three weeks, students will be expected to revise and polish their shooting scripts.

The second three weeks will focus on film criticism and studies in Ethnic Cinema in the classroom while students begin to film their productions under the direction of Professor Roof.  Her aim will be to expand students’ views and understanding of film in general, but of their own films in particular.  Professor Roof will bring in guest lecturers to talk about film, and she will assign readings that should further student awareness and understanding both of scripts and of the work a camera may do.  At the end of the program, grades will be assigned according to the results of the short films produced, as well as on the mutual evaluation of student effort, growth, and imaginative endeavor.

Because of this organization, enrollment will be limited, to keep the number and size of groups manageable, maximizing student contact with the professors both in the classroom and out and about in London.

What can I study?

Students must enroll in twelve credits, choosing from below:

ENG 327	Introduction to Playwriting	3 cr.
ENG 331	Film Criticism	4 cr.
ENG 334	Screenwriting	4 cr.
ENG 427	Advanced Playwriting	3 cr.
ENG 428	Advanced Fiction Writing	3 cr.
ENG 431A	Studies in Ethnic Film	4 cr.
ENG 490	Independent Study	1-3 cr.

Course prerequisites may apply; see Course Descriptions (on the MSU Website) or program leader for details.

Completion of ENG 230 is highly recommended. 

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Where will I live?

Students will live in dormitories convenient to our classrooms.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Judith Roof
Department of English
119C Morrill Hall
Phone: (517) 432-2462

Judith Roof is Professor of English and Film Studies at Michigan State University. She is the author of books and essays on film, narrative theory, drama, literature, and culture.  She is also a film maker and Managing Director of SteinSemble Performance Group.

W. S. Penn
Department of English
206A Morrill Hall
Phone: (517) 353-9820

W.S. Penn is a story and essay writer who has collaborated on a full length film script with Judith Roof.  The former director of Creative Writing, he has published seven books and has won several national, international, and regional awards for his writing.

Do I need a passport or visa?

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport both to enter other countries and to return to the United States.  If you already have a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after your return date.  If you must apply for or renew a passport, APPLY EARLY, since a minimum of eight to ten weeks is usually required for processing.  During peak travel seasons, more processing time is required.  Passport forms are available at many federal and state courts, probate courts, some county/municipal offices and some post offices.  They can also be downloaded from the Web.

For more information about passports visit the web page.

A visa is official permission granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or travel that allows you to enter and remain in that country for a specific purpose.  The visa itself is frequently a stamp in your passport, not a separate document. You will need a passport before applying for a visa and the passport plus visa process may take several months, so start early.  It is your responsibility to inquire about visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad; this includes countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program.  If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements.

Are there special health issues?

As part of your acceptance you will complete a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization. It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; inquire whether there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety.

For further health information and recommendations visit the "Health Issues" section of the Student Handbook.

How much does it cost?

The program fee is $4,299 and includes the following:

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need to budget include:

Excluding tuition and fees*, these additional costs are estimated at $4,200 for 2009.  Students may request a cost sheet which lists both the program fee and an estimate of additional expenses by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

*Check Student Accounts for current tuition, fees and taxes. MSU students pay the same amount they would pay to study at MSU; non-MSU students pay the Lifelong Education rate.

Approximately two months before the program’s departure date, students will receive an e-bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the study abroad program fee.  Students will also be e-billed for tuition and fees, based on the number of credits taken, once they have enrolled in courses.  (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

How can I get help to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available to students who make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) and MSU’s Office of Financial Aid. 

If you are an MSU student and indicate on your application that you plan to use financial aid to pay for your study abroad experience, OSA will forward an estimated cost sheet to the MSU Office of Financial Aid for processing.  This form will include all anticipated costs associated with the program, including airfare.

If you are a non-MSU student, please request financial aid from your home university.  If your university is unable to award you financial aid, contact the MSU Office of Study Abroad to apply for loans only and you will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.

For further information about financial aid, visit the Web page.

Additionally, MSU students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for OSA scholarships.   Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need.  Requirements are listed in the scholarship application.  The deadlines to apply for these scholarships are February 1st for spring break programs, March 1st for summer, academic year and fall semester programs, and October 15th for winter break and spring semester programs.  

A generous endowment from the MSU Federal Credit Union, as well as additional resources provided through the Forest Akers Endowment, MSU Alumni Association, the Australia-Pacific Council, Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr., Brigitte and Thomas Huff, the Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund, the Kellogg Foundation, Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo, and contributors to the Overseas Study Endowment provide funding for these OSA scholarships.

For even more MSU scholarship opportunities through individual colleges or external scholarship possibilities (including funding for Multicultural students) visit the web page.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form.

Applications must be received in the Office of Study Abroad by March 1st for summer programs.  We strongly recommend that you apply early as this program may fill to capacity prior to this deadline.

Selection of applicants is done on a rolling admission basis - that is, applications are accepted and students are evaluated and considered for admission throughout the academic year.  Please remember that applying early and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.

A $100 application fee is required.  Students will receive an e-bill for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student has accepted admission into the program.  Students who have accepted admission may also be billed for a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit, also applied to the cost of the program.

Students who wish to withdraw their application are required to notify the Office of Study Abroad, in writing, that they no longer intend to participate.

Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on a faculty review of your transcript and a review of the Judicial Affairs Office records (MSU students) or Dean of Students Reference (non-MSU students).

Details about the admissions process, pre-departure information, what to know while you’re abroad, and information about returning home can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook that will be sent to you with your acceptance letter.

What's next?
Come to a study abroad fair
Talk with a Peer Adviser
Read program evaluations
Attend an info meeting
Apply online
Additional Resources...
Office of Financial Aid	252 Student Services http://www.finaid.msu.edu
MSU Travel Clinic	East Circle Drive http://travelclinic.msu.edu
Academic Advisers	http://www.msu.edu/common/academic/units.html
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities	120 Bessey Hall http://www.rcpd.msu.edu
Area Studies Centers	International Center http://www.isp.msu.edu
MSU Global Access	Information about the world -- its regions and peoples and important international issues International Center http://www.msuglobalaccess.net/
OSA contact info:	Office of Study Abroad Michigan State University 109 International Center East Lansing, MI 48824-1035 Phone: (517) 353-8920 Fax: (517) 432-2082 Email: studyabroad@osa.msu.edu