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Study Abroad

Current Programs

UA in Oxford: English, History, Honors

For over four decades, faculty and students from English, History, and Honors have joined each summer to form an altogether special study abroad experience at the University of Oxford. Housed in the stunning medieval college of Worcester, the campus’s orchard, lake, and cricket pitch make for a remarkable place to study for a summer.

The UA in Oxford program offers a curated package of five courses in English and History at the 200, 300, and 400 levels. Taught by a mixture of UA and Oxford faculty, most classes are available at both the Honors and non-Honors levels and are small, with cohorts of 12 to 14 each. A highlight is the one-of-a-kind UH 200-level course, which details the rich cultural, artistic, and literary history of Oxford itself. 

Students who enroll in UA in Oxford also gain access to the University’s library system, including the Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera libraries. The city itself is vibrant and cosmopolitan, overflowing with some of the world’s best art collections and natural history museums. With ready rail access to major centers across the United Kingdom and western Europe, Oxford is an ideal launchpad from which to explore the world.

Visit the UA in Oxford website for more information.

UA in New Zealand

Students will be based in Wellington, New Zealand’s cosmopolitan capital, named by Lonely Planet as “the coolest little capital in the world” and the world’s 4th best city to visit. It’s also home to Peter Jackson’s film studios. In addition to class time, students on past trips had the opportunity to attend a Lord of the Rings day tour, a live session of New Zealand’s parliament, and a Super 15 rugby match at Westpac Stadium (subject to home game availability); spend a day at the Kapiti Island bird sanctuary; visit New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa; and attend professional live theatre at one of Wellington’s three professional theatre companies.

During the middle of the program, the program will fly to Queenstown, in the heart of the South Island and spend five nights in the world’s outdoor adventure capital. In Queenstown students will have a two-day break from class and have the opportunity to take day trips to the South Island fjords (Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound), go skiing (subject to snow), and enjoy other outdoor activities.

Students participating in the University of Alabama in New Zealand program will have the option of taking two of the following three classes:

  • EN 311/UH 300/ BUI 301:
    The Final Cut: Exploring Philosophies of Content in Tolkien’s (and Jackson’s!) Lord of the Rings, a study of Peter Jackson’s adaptations of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as his current work on The Hobbit.
  • EN 408 / JN 491 / EN 455 / BUI 301 / UH 300:
    Travel Writing, a class on the theories and practices of travel writing whilst studying abroad. Students will write and respond creatively to class readings including producing a lengthy final critical or creative essay.
  • EN 208 / WL 208 / EN 329 (independent study):
    A survey class on World Literature from the Enlightenment to the present day, including such writers as Moliere, Voltaire, Dostoevsky, Rilke, Baudelaire, Ichiyo, Pirandello, among others. Contact Nathan Parker for more information.