This summer, Walla Walla University’s biennial United Kingdom Study Tour took 20 students to historic landscapes, cathedrals, museums, and more. For three-weeks, the group was physically immersed in the very history and gothic literature they had been studying in textbooks, bringing their reading to life.
The tour was led by department chair and professor of history Greg Dodds and associate professor of English Kellie Bond. Both professors expertly guided students through the various important events and literary movements related to each location. Emma Dodds, a junior humanities major, was happy to join this year’s UK Study Tour: she said, “Combining traveling and learning is so valuable. I was able to gain new perspectives and new appreciation for what I studied with the United Kingdom as my classroom.”
Throughout the tour, the group stayed at universities like Queen’s College at the University of Oxford where many prominent, historic writers studied to further their own literary knowledge. Lectures were given at various significant landmarks and cities to better relate assigned material to the students’ experiences as they visited places like the Canterbury Cathedral, Hampton Court, St. Andrews, the Cotswolds, Stirling Castle, and so many others.
Each student also had access to their own train pass so they could continue to explore the beauty of the UK in their free time. Emma Dodds said, “My favorite part of the trip was our time in London—particularly visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral, which you can climb to the top of for an incredible view of the city, and watching Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ live in the Globe Theatre.”
WWU’s UK Study Tour occurs every other summer, alternating with the Bible Lands Study Tour. The UK tour offers students up to 8 credit hours of both upper- and lower- division English and history courses that count towards their general studies requirements.
For more information about the tour, visit zb-fc.com/uk-study-tour.
Posted Aug. 28, 2024
