LONDON

PARIS

VIENNA

VENICE

ROME

University of Mary Washington

Summer European Study Program

“European Capitals”

Yesterday and Today

A twenty-six-day, six-credit, study abroad offering in Europe

The Departments of History and American Studies and Political Science and International Affairs regularly sponsor a six-credit course that takes a limited number of students to Europe for a twenty-six day period each summer.  Participants can experience the Europe of yesterday, today, and tomorrow by visiting London, Paris, Vienna, Venice and Rome.

Between mid-May and mid-June, participants visit various cultural, political and historical sites in or near the five cities listed above.  The group also attends a number of artistic performances (either theatrical or musical) during the trip.  There are also a number of one-day excursions to sites in the outlying suburbs or within an hour train or bus ride.

Course Requirements and Faculty

The unique nature of this educational experience, with its emphasis on “experiential” learning outside the formal classroom setting, makes inappropriate the utilization of such traditional measures of student achievement as tests and term papers.  Instead, a student’s final grade in the course is determined by the quality of their performance in class participation, the compilation of a course journal, and their knowledge of assigned course readings.  Participants not taking “European Capitals” for credit are, nevertheless, be required to participate as if they were.

The faculty teaching European Capitals have a wide range of expertise in modern European history and politics and extensive experience in European travel.  John Kramer, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, is Mary Washington’s resident expert on modern European politics, with an emphasis on the former Soviet Union and Eastern European.  Porter Blakemore, Associate Professor of History, is also a modern Europeanist whose teaching and research fields include diplomatic, military, German and contemporary history.  Both Mr. Kramer and Mr. Blakemore have traveled widely throughout Europe and have taken student groups abroad on more than fifteen earlier occasions.  

For Information Contact:

Professor John M. Kramer

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5358

(540) 654-1495;  E-mail:  jkramer@umw.edu

or

Professor Porter R. Blakemore

Department of History and American Studies

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5358

(540) 654-1588;  E-mail:  pblakemo@umw.edu