London 2024: Monsters & Magic

Students from East Carolina University will soon wing their way to London, England, for 3 weeks of studying the literature, theatre, culture, and folklore of one of the most vibrant, culturally-rich cities/countries in the world. If you’re interested in traveling to London, seeing the sights, and earning 6 undergraduate or graduate credits, you do not want to miss this opportunity.

Interested students earn 6 credits (undergraduate or graduate) by participating in a cohesive program team-taught by 2 faculty from the ECU English department. In addition to coursework, students will spend time exploring the bustling streets and picturesque parks of London proper, and may choose to spend weekends in nearby Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, or elsewhere in Europe.

Dates: June 14 – July 7, 2024
Cost: $3,990 + airfare (includes travel to and from the airport in London; 3-4 shows at the Globe, the National, and West-End theatres; a 3-week travel card for the Tube and the bus; and a day trip to Oxford or Cambridge)
Accommodations: Student apartments in Central London, convenient to subway stops, parks, shopping, and international cuisine
Professors: Will Banks & Andrea Kitta

Additional Information

Our annual trip to London is an exciting experience for all involved.  This program has taken students to London for over 30 years, and the faculty who lead it have many years of experience in London and throughout the UK and Europe.  If you have questions about London, we’d love to talk to you! And if you or your family is anxious about your traveling abroad, you couldn’t be in safer or more experienced hands. Dr. Banks (children’s lit, theatre & culture) and Dr. Kitta (folklore/the supernatural) make a powerhouse team of award-winning scholar-teachers who love to explore London and who enjoy the exciting ways the city changes each year. You don’t want to miss out on the chance to study with these two in one of their favorite cities!

Early on, as you make a commitment to the trip, you will sign up for two classes and pay your deposit to ECU Continuing Studies: Summer Study Abroad. You can find more information on our trip at PiratesAbroad. These classes move very quickly in London, as we’re there only three weeks.  Each summer, we work hard to keep the time we spend “in class” in our flats down so that you can have time to explore the city during the afternoon and evenings.

A Word about Costs
The cost of the London trip is one of the lowest of the ECU Study Abroad programs.  The faculty work hard to keep the cost low so that it’s affordable to students.  The base price ($3,990) covers 6 undergraduate or graduate credits (2 classes), transportation to and from the airport, 4 theatre trips, travel around the city on the Underground and/or buses, and the cost of housing for the three weeks in London. Airfare is a separate cost.  In previous years, we’ve booked our flights in late February / early March and found prices between $1,800 – $2,000. You will be contacted when we have found the right flight for our trip and you’ll be encouraged to book your own flight on the common itinerary.  You may fly separately from the group, of course, but you may want to make arrangements to meet us at the airport, as we have booked a coach (tour bus) to take us and our luggage to the flats — trust us, this is much easier than trying to do it with the train/Tube!

Undoubtedly, London is an expensive city, as are most large cities around the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself while there and not spend too much money.  Because we have flats (apartments) with kitchens, you can easily live on cereal, Raman noodles, and PB&J sandwiches, and still enjoy some meals out and around London. You’ll find some of the very best Thai, Indian/Bangladeshi, Chinese, and Lebanese food in the world scattered around London, as well as some great fish and chips, sticky-toffee pudding, and farm-to-fork pubs with delicious British food.  Some of the best you’ll find will be in some of the pubs near our flats!

A Word about Accommodations
We have a great relationship with Anglo American Educational Services in London, and they provide us with excellent accommodations each year.  In previous years, we have stayed at the Royal Mint apartments, located in the Tower Hill area of London, two blocks from the very recognizable Tower of London and Tower Bridge, and Ability Towers in Islington. These two locations give you a sense of where we typically stay, what the apartments look like, and what you can expect from the surrounding area.

The apartments are not luxurious, but they are sufficient for three weeks abroad.  You can expect to have a flat with two or three bedrooms, and each bedroom will hold two or three students in single beds.  Each flat also has a common area (dining room/living room combo) and a kitchen, which includes a washer/dryer combo.  Most flats also have two bathrooms.

Lodging 2024 (Forthcoming)
We have not received word on our lodging for London 2024, but our lodging for London in summer 2023 was at the Royal Mint apartments in Tower Hill. This wonderful set of flats is located in one of the most touristed areas of London and offers wonderful options for walking along the Thames or up through East London’s vibrant Brick Lane area.  Our nearest Tube stops were Tower Hill and Aldgate East, but we were located just off a main road, so there were constant buses going by to pick us up and take us to the Tube stops or wherever else we wanted to go.

You can use the following address to find Royal Mint on GPS or Google Maps:

Royal Mint Gardens
85 Royal Mint Street
London, UK
E1 8SQ