Location:

London, United Kingdom; York, United Kingdom

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

Arrive Date: 6/22/2013 End Date: 7/20/2013

Britain is steeped in history--it's the ultimate museum without walls and a record of over one thousand years of influential architecture and design. Starting in the Northern English city of York, this program will travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, and cumulate in the capitol city of London. These three very different cities are equidistant from each other and represent a cultural and historical "design slice" through the heart of the British Isles. The program will follow two main track tracks: (1) the design of products and multi-sensory experiences for cultural, commercial and public spaces, called "narrative design," and (2) the history and evolution of modern British design expression, from the iconic Mini Cooper and the mini skirt, to the graphic identity for the London Underground.

"Explore your creativity in a U.K. design studio. Experience over 1,000 years of trend setting British architecture and design. York is a city so steeped in history it’s the ultimate museum without walls." --Tim McNeil, Instructor.

COURSES
Design 187: Narrative Environments (4 units)
Design of narrative environments and multi-sensory experiences for cultural, commercial, entertainment and public spaces. Interpretive planning and design for specific exhibit audiences. The manipulation of objects and the communication of complex ideas in the exhibition environment. Prerequisite: Design 185 or 186 or consent of instructor.
AND
Design 198: Directed Group Study (4 units). P/NP grading only.


The program will be based for the first two and a half weeks in the northern English city of York. We will work at a university's design center, and collaborate closely with York Museums Trust. York is easy to navigate and has some of the finest museums in Britain including the National Railway Museum, and superb examples of Roman, Norman, Medieval and Georgian architecture and design. From York we will take day trips to Leeds, famous for its Victorian architecture, and the former industrial center of Newcastle with its new contemporary buildings. There will also be opportunities to visit other local design classics such as Castle Howard, or the vibrant cities of Liverpool and Manchester on the weekends.

During the third week we will travel to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, one of the most architecturally unique and picturesque cities in the world. We will visit the National Museum of Scotland and the design firm Studio MB, and take a day trip to Glasgow, home of the Glasgow School of Art and the designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Our last destination will be London, capitol of British style. Here we will spend five days, stay in a converted prison, experience some of the best contemporary British design and architecture, and visit behind-the-scenes of world class museums including the British Museum, the V&A, the Design Museum, and the Tate Modern.

Upper-division units (open to freshmen through graduates). Taught in English. UC Davis courses taught by University of California, Davis faculty.

Please contact UC Davis Summer Abroad for the most up-to-date information concerning program costs. Programs start around $4,000.

All students enrolled in a Summer Abroad program (Davis and Non-Davis) will have the opportunity to apply for a Travel Award ($500 - $1,500.) Travel award deadline: March 5, 2013. Enrollment deadline is April 5, 2013.

Setting Description:

While in York, you will stay at a university dormitory in single occupancy rooms with breakfast included. Residences are arranged in small blocks around lawned gardens in the center of the main campus, in its attractive setting next to the city walls and York Minster, just minutes from the city center. All rooms are single with a washbasin, and bathrooms are shared. WiFi facilities are available in this accommodation. All residents have access to kitchen areas that are equipped with kettle/water boilers, fridges and microwaves. Bed linens and towels are provided.

On overnight field trips to London and Edinburgh, you will stay in shared multi-bed rooms in youth hostels (4 to 6 beds per room). No meals are provided at the accommodations; however, there will be some group meals organized by the instructor as part of the program.

About York
According the following Lonely Planet description, York is the kind of place that makes you wish – if only for an instant – that the Indust