Psychology at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England (United Kingdom)

Spring Semester

12 to 18 weeks (January 13 - June 18, 2010)

Sponsored by the Department of Psychology in the College of Social Science

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

This program is a direct-enrollment program at the University of Kent in Canterbury (UKC) offered during spring semester.  While targeted primarily at MSU psychology majors, students from any MSU major may participate in the program. Besides taking psychology courses at UKC, participants will also be able to complete an ISS course by taking the UKC SP636 course (equivalent to ISS 305), which is taught at both schools by Professor N. Kerr, the program’s lead MSU faculty member.  There are also non-psychology elective courses of interest. Students taking modules outside of Psychology may have to take an exam during the summer (from mid-May through mid-June). 

Where does it take place?

The program will be at the University of Kent in Canterbury, a location well positioned to help meet study abroad learning goals. Canterbury has a fascinating and significant history that students may explore in its cathedral, museums, and libraries. The city is a short (~90 minute) and convenient train ride from London, where students can sample a dazzling variety of intellectual, cultural, and recreational riches. From London, the rest of the UK is easily accessible by excellent train and domestic air service. Moreover, students can explore continental Europe and beyond via convenient (and, with some careful shopping, relatively inexpensive) air service from London airports or via the EuroStar train from London to Paris and Brussels (which has a stop in Ashford, only a short, half-hour bus or train ride from Canterbury). 

Kent is justifiably famed as “the garden of England.” UKC has a beautiful and park-like 300-acre campus overlooking the ancient cathedral city of Canterbury.  From UKC one may readily explore the Kentish countryside and its classic villages, castles, walking/cycling trails, orchards and vineyards, as well as the English Channel coast, the Thames estuary, the Normandy coast (via a short Chunnel train ride from Folkestone), and beyond.

What can I study?

The program is targeted primarily at MSU psychology majors. The bulk of the psychology coursework will be drawn from two areas in UKC’s Department of Psychology:

Stage 2 courses are roughly equivalent to 200-level survey courses offered at MSU (e.g., PSY 200, Cognitive Psychology: PSY 236, Personality Psychology).

Stage 3 courses are more equivalent to 300- and 400-level MSU courses (e.g., PSY 330, Personality from a Psychoanalytic Perspective; PSY 424, Child and Family Psychopathology; PSY 441, Interpersonal Behavior and Groups).

A complete list of UKC Psychology courses can be found on their Web site. The UKC Psychology courses available to students in this study abroad program are listed here.

Psychology majors participating in the program may also take elective courses outside of UKC’s psychology program.

The program is not restricted to psychology majors; students from any MSU major may participate in the program and take spring semester courses at UKC.  In particular, students who need or want to fulfill an ISS requirement will also be able to do so by taking SP636, the UKC equivalent of MSU’s ISS 305.

This is a co-sponsored program. Credit may be awarded for certain courses as regular MSU credit rather than transfer credit.  These courses will be listed on your official MSU transcript and will include the title of the course abroad, the number of credits and the grade earned. For further details see co-sponsored programs.

To find out what courses other students have taken on the program and what MSU courses they might replace, visit Transfer MSU and Office of the Registrar - Co-Sponsored Study Abroad Programs. Courses listed may not be offered every semester, and additional courses may be available during the semester you plan to participate.

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

What are the requirements?

This program is open to MSU students only.  While intended for psychology majors, students from any academic major are eligible to apply.

All students must be in good academic standing, and have completed the first half of their sophomore year with a grade point average of at least 2.75 at the time of application.  Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission.

Students must also have demonstrated a proficiency in spoken and written English. (NOTE: For students who are non-native English speakers applying to do international study at UKC in the spring of 2009, this was demonstrable with an average of 6.5 on IELTS, with 6.0 in Reading and 6.0 in Writing, or TOEFL paper-based 580/computer based 237/internet-based 85.)

Additionally, students must submit an essay with their application stating why they wish to participate in this program.

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?

On campus accommodation is offered to all short-term students at UKC, although off-campus apartments are also an option. On-campus accommodation is either a room in one of the colleges, or in self-catering flats or houses with several bedrooms in each. Nearly one third of the accommodations are en suite. The deadline for housing applications for the Spring Term is November 30 of the prior year.

College rooms: Housing is limited at the University, so college rooms are allocated primarily to first-year and overseas students. The rooms are singles, with a bed, two chairs, desk, closet and (usually) a sink. There are shared shower, bath, and toilet facilities on each corridor. Breakfast is included in the cost of the room, but you pay separately for all other meals (typically at one of the student cafeterias). Blankets and pillows and maid service are included in the housing fee, but sheets and towels are not. Rental refrigerators are not permitted. All rooms have internet access (which opens up internet phone service options, e.g., Skype; Magic-Jack). College rooms must be vacated during vacation periods.

On-campus student apartments: These self-catering accommodations, called Park Wood Courts and Darwin Houses, are on campus and fully furnished. Each modern, terraced, two-story house consists of five bedrooms with shared kitchen and shower facilities. Self-catering apartments are attractive because you can prepare your own food there, while also keeping the option of eating in any college cafeteria.  Rooms do not have to be vacated during vacations. There is one telephone (for campus calls only) available per house of five students.

The University provides a range of catering facilities from traditional dining halls to bistros, and other shops and snack machines across campus. There is a considerable variety of food available, from sandwiches to roast dinners, including national and international cuisines. Basic groceries and other incidentals may be purchased at one of the campus shops, located near the Student Union in the center of campus. There are also large groceries (e.g., Tesco; Waitrose) nearby off campus for more bulk shopping.

For more detailed information, see UKC student housing and food catering options.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Professor Norbert L. Kerr
Department of Psychology
254 Psychology Building
Phone: (517) 355-6645 or (517) 256-8460

Click here to visit Professor Kerr's Program Website

Sarah Handspike
Coordinator of Advisors and Undergraduate Services
100 Psychology Building
Phone: (517) 353-0753

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. If you will be staying in Europe for longer than 90 days, you will need to contact the consulate(s) of your host country(ies) for advice on visas.

For more information about visas visit the web page.

If you will be staying in Europe for longer than 90 days, you will need to contact the consulate(s) of your host country(ies) for advice on visas.

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 $362* (Spring 2010) and includes the following:

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

Excluding MSU tuition and fees, an estimated total for these costs is $26,064 (SS '10) per semester.

*Students only taking Psychology courses will be charged a program fee of $290 (SS '10). For those students, additional costs not included in the program fee are estimated at $20,064 (SS '10).

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.

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 deadline to apply for these scholarships is October 15th for 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 October 15th for spring semester 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.

Return to the Study Abroad Home Page