Faculty members from departments in the College of Arts and Science hosted two major study abroad programs over J-Term 2024 focused on London and Paris. Despite the two metropolises being just across the English Channel from each other, each provided a very different and immersive cultural experience.  

Students on the Introduction to Humanities Research in London trip were focused on rich cultural archives and historic collections. Learning the intricacies of the London transportation system gave them the opportunity to travel to various archives where they conducted historical research and took a deep dive into the city and all it has to offer.  Students on the Paris: Cultural Capital program explored French culture via numerous iconic art museums and other locations. Being housed directly in Paris allowed them to explore the city with ease. 

Introduction to Humanities Research in London

Kimberly Hamlin, a professor in the Department of History, arranged for her students to explore locations like the British Film Institute to form an individual research plan guided by workshops and faculty.  Their research was to be completed on the trip.  

Hamlin introduced students to various London institutions such as the London School of Economics and the Black Cultural Archives. This mixture of workshops and independent research opened her students’ eyes to a new world of archival research.

“Humanities majors do not typically have the opportunity to work in laboratories in the traditional sense,” Hamlin said. 

Archives, museums, and libraries were utilized as “Humanities Laboratories,” and London is home to some of the world’s largest. Students got the chance to hear from award-winning faculty and speakers such as Matthew Fitzwater ‘98, general counsel at Barclays, who after graduated from Miami with undergraduate degrees in Political Science and History. He spoke to students about how his humanities classes helped me succeed in law school, at Ohio State, and in his career.

Maddie Durham, a junior History and Global Intercultural Studies co-major, decided to join the London trip because it was a great opportunity to gain access to sources for her Honors college senior thesis. She did most of her research at the London School of Economics, but students had freedom to study at many different places.

“It was really great that we went to prestigious places to do our research,” Durham said.  “Also, just hanging around the city with other Miami students is really fun.”

Durham noted how inspired she was to learn from the archivists and researchers in London.  She also loved the city itself and wants to be able to go back to do more there since the program was only two weeks long.  

Lizzy Childers, a senior Zoology major, signed up for the London program because she was interested in the flexibility of conducting an independent study on the origins of natural history.  

“It’s helped supplement my understanding of where the information in my science class comes from,” Childers said. “I want to work with a museum or zoo one day, so it’s important to know about these institutions.”

Childers added that before the program, she did not know how to connect what she wanted to do as a job. Now, she is applying for grad schools in London to continue her research about the origins of natural history and zoos.

“The students not only conducted independent research in the world’s leading archives, they also learned how to navigate themselves around London and make lasting friendships with each other,” Hamlin said.

View photos of the London trip.

Paris: Cultural Capital

Elisabeth Hodges, professor and chair in the Department of French, Italian, and Classical Studies, joined forces with Katie Johnson, professor of English, to guide students through Paris. The immersive program started from their mutual love for Paris and grew into a rich program where students step into a thousand years of French history while also studying how Parisian culture shaped the “Lost Generation” of American writers in the 1920s as well as current artists like Beyoncé.

“The main objective for the trip was to have an academically meaningful and rigorous program that took the coursework during the day into the city,” Johnson said. “We wanted to treat Paris as a learning laboratory and have engaged learning on-site.”

Students on the trip took both an English class, ENG 163: Literature & Travel, and a French class, FRE 131: Masterpieces of French Culture in Paris. Each morning they spent over two hours in the classroom learning about French and transnational literature, art, and culture through a blend of discussion-based and lecture-style learning. The afternoons were designated for museum excursions or walking tours which brought their learning to life – whether through a hallway at the infamous Louvre museum or down an art-ridden street in Montmartre. 

Charles Ellis, a Biomedical Engineering major and Premedical and Pre-Health Studies co-major, signed up for the program to fulfill Miami Plan requirements. The English and French classes challenged skills that he said he doesn’t regularly have the opportunity to exercise. 

“It was nice to practice writing again,” Ellis said. “I am a premed student, and we have to be able to articulate words in a way that makes sense. I am really glad that I got to practice writing, because I would have never done so in my engineering classes.” 

Madeleine Ames, a Microbiology major with minors in Molecular Biology and French, said that the program opened her eyes to the world.

“It has expanded my perspective of things that I’m looking for,” Ames said. “Being a science major, I have always looked at things very scientifically and analytically. Now, all of the sudden, I am noticing and appreciating architecture and art.” 

View photos of the Paris trip.

Future plans

Whether students chose the London or Paris program, all of them experienced a new sense of appreciation for what each city has to offer. Through these programs, they not only created memories that will last a lifetime but also gained insight and guidance for their professional futures. 

“It changed everything,” Ellis said. “When you’re a premed student, there’s a specific track you follow; however, after going on this trip I realized there’s so much more to the world that I want to see.” 

Ellis added that he now plans on taking a two-year gap to live abroad. 

Students indicated that they gained a clearer vision for themselves on what they want to do after graduation from Miami.

“I feel like I learned so much about the art of the library and the collections that are lost on a lot of people now,” Childers said. “It opened an entire new world of research and things for me to learn about.”