Category: King’s College London

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My Summer School experience: Anton Kryvoshlykov

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‘My remarkable journey with King’s College started in November 2010, when I was a foundation student in Queen Mary University of London. I attended a University Fair and came across the King’s College London Summer School prospectus. Upon finishing my IFP programme, I accepted an offer from the Law School in Southampton University. I had little knowledge of the peculiarities of the English legal system and of what common law is in general, consequently, I have decided to get some background before engaging into actual law studies, and by that time it was clear to me that King’s is the place to be if you want to do Law. I applied for two sessions: An Introduction to English Legal System and European Union Law, the latter being a compulsory module for all the major UK universities. As it turned out this decision was one of the most crucial in my life.

The first thing to strike me was obviously the position of the campus, centered at the heart of London, surrounded by major political and legal institutions such as Westminster, Royal Court of Justice and Inns of Court, the location truly provides the spirit of vibrant political and academic community with fundamental constitutional cases decided just across the street. Moreover, living in King’s accommodation in Stamford Street, while having classes in the Strand Building, I enjoyed the picturesque walk across the Waterloo Bridge every day.

Fleet Street in London. Picture: Ingrid Raussman.
Fleet Street in London. Picture: Ingrid Raussman.

King’s College is well known for its academic excellence and I was fortunate enough to experience it first-hand. The first session, An Introduction to English Legal System, provided me with the much-needed explanation of the basic concepts of English law, and legal systems in general. The programme successfully combines the academic analysis of the law as well as its practical side (so it’s not just dry discussions all day long) with visits to all main legal institutions including the Supreme Court, Royal Court of Justice and Old Bailey. I would like to highlight the admirable devotion of the course leader, Dr. Thomas McManus, who offered an unparalleled guidance and insight into the legal profession, being a practitioner, himself. The course denoted to the Study of the EU law was an important experience as well, providing a valuable overview of the differences in approaches to the law-making between the UK and the European Union. This programme also included lively discussions on a large variety of topics ranging from the specific EU Directives to the more abstract issues such as the position of human rights within the Community Law. Generally the both sessions were more than useful experience for my future studies in Law.

The knowledge I have acquired in Summer School gave me a sufficient head start in the Southampton Law School, where I proved myself as a strong LLB student. However I was so fascinated by the manner of teaching in King’s that I have decided to reapply for the first year again. I cannot possibly describe my feelings when I have received a UCAS update stating that King’s College of London had given me an Unconditional Offer. So in 2013 I entered the main hall of Strand Building as a proud King’s student.

My journey continues, and this summer I am planning to once again join the ranks of the Summer School Students, undertaking the session in Secrets and Spies: Modern Espionage and Intelligence, hoping that it will provide the necessary introduction to the subject to study as a MA student (Intelligence & International Security).

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Applying to our Summer School: hints and tips

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Applying to an academic course can sometimes feel like an intimidating process, but the reality is far from that. Applying to our Summer School is a really simple process that takes just a few steps.

You can read a guide on how to apply for our Summer School on our website, but below are some of the most common questions we get asked in the office.

Why do I need to make a first and second choice when picking my course? Can I only pick one?

Of course we wish all the courses that we offer to our students would run each summer. However all courses need to attract a minimum number of students in order to run, and this combined with last minute events can cause courses to be cancelled. When you apply to our Summer School you are always asked to chose a first and second choice course, in case your first choice does not run.This means that when you are accepted by the admission panel, you are accepted onto the Summer School itself and not a particular course.

We confirm all courses running by the end of May, and if your first choice course does not run, you will automatically be allocated your second choice. You will have a period to make a decision on whether you want to leave the programme and be refunded – full details and dates are in our Terms and Conditions – or continue on with your second choice.

Why do I need an English language certificate? 

If your first language is not English and you do not attend an English speaking university, you will need to provide us with proof of your language ability. All our courses are intensive and taught in English, and are not designed to act as substituent English language classes.  The certificates we accept can be found here on our website. If you have another English language certificate that you feel proves your ability, please get in contact with us.

What kind of transcript do you expect?

Your most recent available transcript. You should speak to your home university about providing you with this. If the most recent transcript you have dates from the previous academic year then that is fine. If you are at all worried, we recommend attaching your high school grades if possible.

What should I write in my motivational statement?

Your motivational statement does not need to be very long. We are looking for the reasons why you are applying, what you think you will bring to the course and what you wish to get out of the experience. Please also include any other information you feel is important for us to know.

 What else should I know?

Once you submit your application you need to pay a nonrefundable application fee. You can pay your fee using a credit or debit card. Once you make the payment, please don’t click away from the page or refresh as this can block the payment. If you do experience any issue with the payment, contact your bank to confirm they are allowing the payment before contacting us.

You will receive an answer regarding your application within 7 working days of submitting your application.

Don’t be tempted to apply without all your documents. Applications missing documents won’t be processed.

If your file is too large to upload, please try resizing it before attaching. Alternatively you can email this to us.

And finally remember if you have any questions, we are always here to help!

 

 

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My Summer School experience: Hafezah

Hafezah
Hafezah

After another wonderful summer, our students are back at their home institutions. Hafezah from Brunei, who was one of our my #kingssummer winners, shares her experiences with us:

“I’ve always wanted to go to King’s College London as the university is very well-known for its academic excellence and its perfectly convenient location – at the heart of London! I planned on continuing my post-graduate at KCL so last Autumn when I was browsing through KCL’s website looking at the available courses the university offered, I came across a section about the ‘Summer School’. I was intrigued but what really caught my attention was the fact that the summer school offered a short Shakespeare course, a course that I’ve always wanted to study again but couldn’t because of my current degree. I simply couldn’t pass on that opportunity so when the application to the Summer School opened, I applied right away without hesitation! I can now say that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

When the 30th of June came, I arrived at the Stamford Apartment, one of the student accommodations for students attending the KCL Summer School, without any idea of what to expect. My doubts were cleared when I entered the Franklin-Wilkins building the following day, along with other students, for the registration and orientation. Shortly after the lunch break, the first class started and this was when I got to meet my classmates for the first time. My class consisted of 14 other girls so initially I thought the small size could be beneficial to my learning experience as class discussions could be made easier.

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One of Hafezah’s entries for the my #kingssummer competition.

Walking to class was one of the highlights of my summer school! Let me explain – because I lived at the Stamford Apartment, every morning from Monday to Thursday I had to cross the Waterloo Bridge to get to class. From the bridge, if I were to look to my right I could see some of London’s landmarks like the London Eye as well as the House of Parliament, and to my left, I could see the National Theatre among other tall buildings along the South Bank. This isn’t something I could do everyday so that to me was phenomenal; the view was simply breathtaking and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my day. Covent Garden, a popular shopping and tourist location, is only less than 10 minutes away from the Strand Campus too!

As a student of the Shakespeare in London course, aside from the walking tours around places near the Strand Campus and visiting near-by museums, I loved the fact that we got to watch Shakespeare’s plays being performed live on stage. Out of the three plays we’ve watched (Macbeth, the Taming of the Shrews, and Romeo and Juliet), my favorite would most definitely be watching Macbeth at the Shakespeare’s Globe.

What was unique and ‘special’ about this particular play was that we had to stand throughout the entire play. Although having to stand for over 2 hours out in the open may sound tiring, it was the fact that we got a sense and feeling of how the audiences back then might have felt when they watch plays being performed; it was interesting and exciting at the same time! In addition to that, the characters’ performances, the way they delivered their lines, the music and the way they attracted with the audience – it was all incredible.

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One of Hafezah’s entries for the my #kingssummer competition.

Overall, attending the Summer School has exposed me more to different cultures and different landscapes while gaining new skills – such as knowledge and research skills. I also learned how to think critically and deeply through the course. I found the teaching to be of a very high standard – Sarah, my tutor, and the other guest lecturers she invited to class were always ready to lend a helping hand. I felt that spending a part of my summer break studying abroad has helped me grow as a person and broaden my horizons; I got to travel and had a more complete cultural immersion experience at the same time. What I loved about being a part of the summer school programme was that I felt like I got to experience the real ‘London’ in just a short amount of time; from crossing the Waterloo Bridge almost every morning to getting coffee at Cafe Nero or Starbucks before class started, as well as making our way through the crowd and busy London streets to get to the tube stations for our class trips.

Most importantly, any Bruneian student who is able to put on their CV that they have studied abroad in a prestigious university like KCL is at a great advantage in terms of impressing the people working with Brunei’s Ministry of Education as well as future employers. KCL’s Summer School has taught me to become more independent; living in London and being an alumni of KCL with the Summer School programme was no doubt an opportunity of a life time – it was incredible how much a place and the people can have an impact on me.”

Thank you so much for letting me write a little about my summer school experience!

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My Summer School experience: Vhairi

Studying at our Summer School can be your gateway into studying full-time at King’s. That is exactly what happened Vhairi Motherwell. Read more below…

Vhairi Motherwell chats about her time at King’s

‘The King’s College London Summer School made my summer of 2011 one of the best summer’s of my life. I originally chose to attend the London in Film course to experience studying at King’s as I wanted to study there full time. I have now completed my first year of BA Film Studies, and I know that my experiences at the Summer School played a major part in me wanting to stay for 3 more years.

The London in Film course addressed the history of film in London in three sections: ‘Victorian London’, ‘London at War’ and ‘Modern London’. As it was a three-week course, we studied each topic for a week and progressed in a linear fashion, making it easier to understand the change the city went through.

In the ‘Victorian London’ week, we were shown one-minute long street scenes of Westminster and Blackfriars Bridge, while studying early cinema techniques in magic lantern slides and zoetropes. We also saw films that were set in Victorian London but made later. These films included well-know characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Sweeney Todd, as well as Jack the Ripper – I think this was my favourite week! ‘London at War’ brought propaganda and the Blitz into view, as well as films released after 1945 that still commented (in some way) on the war itself. The last week, ‘Modern London’, concerned the “swinging sixties”, allowing us to watch Alfie (Lewis Gilbert, 1966) and revel in the sexual awakening of the city. In each week we watched at least one documentary (or street scene) that was able to put the fictional films into perspective. Watching films made outwith the period we were examining, also allowed us to see the difference between the reality of the time and how it was represented in later years.

London in Film, not only taught me about major stages in London’s cinematic and social history, but also allowed me to experience a London beyond simple tourism. As well as trips to the British Museum, Imperial War Museum and the Museum of London to put the films into context, we also went for walks around relevant parts of the city. For ‘Victorian London’ we took a stroll down Fleet Street, (the fictional location of Sweeney Todd’s Pie Shop) and wandered into the picturesque area of Temple. The next week we visited St. Bride’s Church, another hidden beauty, further along Fleet Street. These “hidden gems” are ones that I would never have seen or found on my own, and they remain some of my favourite parts of London.

Aside from the course, the Summer School itself had a lot to offer, including a bus tour when I first arrived, pub quiz at the end and various parties and events in between. The Strand Campus is so central that everything seems close, so after class is finished it is easy to saunter into Covent Garden and make the most of being in London. I made friends from all over the world and, honestly, I could not have had a better summer.’

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Join our exciting social programme! Explore London, Edinburgh and Paris this summer!

Every year the Summer School likes to offer its students a lively and varied social programme to complement the academic courses. Some events are free; others may require purchase of tickets, but whatever we offer we always strive to provide value for money for our students. This year we are especially delighted to be offering for the first time ever weekend trips outside of London, which offer our students a chance to explore Europe while knowing they will be enjoying their time with friends, led by experienced guides, and knowing you are guaranteed value for money.

Details of how to book social events is available to Summer School students as part of the welcome information you receive after you have paid fees. Some of the ticketed events offered in 2013 will include:

Weekend trip to Edinburgh and The Trossachs

This is a truly once in a life time chance to explore not only one of Great Britain’s most beautiful cities, but also the dreamy surrounding areas of The Trossachs, which inspired so many of the great writers and poets. The trip, offered in Session One, includes a stunning train ride from London to Edinburgh, accommodation, and excursions in and around the city. Don’t miss this chance to discover ‘the Athens of the North’.

Weekend trip to Paris

What better way to discover the city of light then with your new Summer School friends? Offered in Session Two, this two night trip includes Eurostar to Paris, accommodation, a three hour scenic tour of Paris, and much more. You will also have plenty of time to explore the city on your own, getting lost in markets and pick up trinkets for friends and family back home. A trip not to be missed.

Day trip to Windsor and Oxford

Visit two of England’s most striking and historic locations as part of a guided day trip. The tour will take you west to Windsor to skirmish with its 900 year old castle where the queen calls home.

You will explore Windsor Castle’s extraordinary history within the walls and it includes a visit to the St George’s Chapel. Here kings and queens are buried. Henry VIII, despite a spectacular mishap en route from London, lies in the royal vault alongside his favourite wife.   This afternoon will take students to Oxford with a walk that goes by many of the principal university buildings such as the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera and Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre where degrees ceremonies take place.  The highlight will be a visit to New College – dating from 1379.

Boat trip down the Thames

The Thames boat trip is a chance to get to know your fellow Summer School students and see the sights of London from the river Thames, from the Strand Campus down, under Tower Bridge to maritime Greenwich before returning to Camden.

Canal boat trip

Explore London’s backwaters on this Canal tour from Little Venice to Camden, along The Regent’s Canal through Regent’s Park, London Zoo to Camden Lock ending in Camden, famous for alternative music, great food and a buzzing atmosphere.

Walking tours

This year we are planning several walking tours in London, from tours of local street art in East London to literary pub crawls. Tours are still being decided but if you would like to suggest any tours, please send us an email with suggestions!

 

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Our courses – Business and Management

Studying business is not just for those planning a career in the corporate world. Nowadays almost every career out there requires one to possess some business acumen in order to succeed.  However, finding the time to study the theories of business and put them into practice is not always easy.

That is why taking a Business and Management course at the King’s Summer School could be the way forward for you. Always popular, our courses cover a range of business and management topics, from Strategic Management to E-Business. Studying business and management at King’s is a truly unique opportunity for a myriad of reasons. Not only does the university have a reputation as a world academic leader, its location, in the heart of London a stone’s throw from leading international business headquarters and companies, means that all our Business and Management courses are academically rigorous, challenging and rewarding.

‘It was a great experience. It was the best three weeks of my life and I had a wonderful time. Thanks KCL.’ Pritam Chowdhury India, E-business – The Online Entrepreneur, 2012

With two session spread out over six-weeks, there is a Business and Management course to suit everyone’s needs at the King’s Summer School. Those interested in expanding their knowledge of the E-Business world can take ‘E-Business – The Online Entrepreneur’, which helps students of all ages get to grips with doing business online with success, and how to make the most of the digital world for your business.

‘Tutor and the course are really excellent, and I will recommend the course to my friends’ Camille Martin, UK, Art of Leadership 2012

Students interested in more theoretical study can take the popular International Business or International Marketing courses, both of which cover introductory business and marketing theory, combined with trips to thriving local businesses.

 

‘I liked the objectivity and accuracy of content.’

Nuno Filipe Machado Reis, Portuguese, EU Law 2012

Students attracted to putting into practice sensible business knowledge will be interested in taking The Art of Leadership or Launch your International Business Career.

Whichever course you choose, you will guaranteed a fantastic experience in a world leading institution, taught by passionate tutors.

 ‘I enjoyed the diversified culture and interactive teaching style’ Student from China, E- Business – The Online Entrepreneur, 2012

More information on the courses available can be found here. Also do remember to check out our videos for even more information on courses!

‘Everyone was so friendly and helpful (including the tutor). The class became very close after three weeks.’ Student from the USA, International Business, 2012

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My Summer School experience: Danny Persia

In the summer of 2012, Danny Persia spent three weeks in London as a Fulbright Scholar on the King’s Summer School. Below he speaks about his experiences…

”Will competition overshadow the transformation of a community?  What will be left out when the Olympic experience is “translated” by the media to nations across the globe?’  These were two central questions I had when applying to a US-UK Fulbright Summer Institute at King’s College London, focused on the 2012 Olympic Games.  I was drawn to the Summer School because of how King’s College works across “traditional disciplinary boundaries” and holds research to an “international standard.” Motivated to learn more about the UK, and to see how a country that shares a language approaches meaning in its own way, I soon set out for three of the most incredible weeks of my life.

Where to begin! Living in the Stamford Street apartments, I walked with my classmates to King’s every morning across the Waterloo Bridge.  We lived in Central London, near Parliament and the London Eye, in the heart of the city, with a stunning view by night.  We ventured out to Brixton Market, to Camden and even to Oxford and Stonehenge, embracing the culture of not only London, but of the entire UK.

As the Olympics progressed, I became more and more intrigued by the regeneration of London’s East End and the Olympic ambition to “Inspire a Generation.” I think the King’s Summer School embraces that very mission.  Enrolled in Jason Luger’s course, “The Olympic City: Global Games, Local Impact,” I was taught to analyze the Olympic bid and the transformation of London through a critical lens.  Studying alongside students from around the world, I was able to use London as a living laboratory, blending in-class discussions with my own experiences on the streets.

The Opening Ceremony showcased a country proud of its culture—Mr. Bean, James
Bond parachuting with the Queen from a helicopter, and thousands of people singing “Hey Jude,” not to mention the Parade of Nations, which marked the diversity of the Games. Watching the ceremony with King’s students from nearby Victoria Park, with fireworks overhead, was certainly a highlight of our trip.

Sometimes the unexpected moments stay with us the longest.  I remember walking through Piccadilly Circus one night with the other Fulbright students, not knowing where we were going, just listening to the city, finding the hidden side streets and stumbling upon our first British pub.  I remember the afternoon when I struck up a conversation with a woman from Germany.  We started sharing our stories of how we had arrived at the Olympics, and she offered me a ticket to the Olympic Stadium for Athletics the following day.  And I remember sitting in the German fan section that next day, admiring the Olympic flame, cheering for the UK, the US, and Germany!

Reflecting back on my experience, it’s incredible how much London has impacted me.  The city, the people, King’s College and the US-UK Fulbright Commission—all have left a mark on how I listen to stories and how I see our world as I continue to travel, ask questions and learn about different cultures.

I’m proud to say that I’m a King’s Summer School alumnus.  And as I continue to pursue my undergraduate degree at Denison University in the coming months, I will certainly hold my experience at King’s, and with Fulbright, near.’

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My Summer School experience: Polina

Hi! My name is Polina and I’m going to tell you about my experience in King’s Summer School, British Monarchy course.

My first impression was the hall of residence – Stamford Street apartments. I really enjoyed staying there – close to the campus, close to the library, and close to the underground. The whole building was really tidy, and I was particularly touched by tea and sugar, available in the kitchen (I arrived late at night).

The course itself was fantastic. We visited several museums and Buckingham Palace. I am really grateful to Mr. Luke Blaxill – our tutor – for creating a friendly atmosphere in class and for encouraging us to analyze all the information we received and to express our ideas freely.

I made a lot of new friends during my three-week stay. It was great to study together with so many nice people. I started to miss them already in Heathrow on my way back home.
What struck me with particular amazement was the Maughan Library. I found there a lot of very useful materials for my essay. No wonder, actually, it is so large that I sometimes I had to use a map.

Last but not least. I’m not a native speaker, and I’m usually afraid to miss something important. So my favourite activity was to approach different people asking questions, usually the same one for several times. I’m really grateful to all people working in Strand Campus, Maughan Library and Stamford Street apartments for being so helpful and so patient.

And I really miss my walks around London! 🙂

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My Summer School experience: Melissa

Every few weeks our blog will hear from former students who came to our Summer School. This week is Melissa, who attended Summer School not once but twice! Read what she has to say below…

‘The Summer School at King’s College London is the opportunity of a lifetime.  King’s reputation is second to none, complemented with the perfect location in central London. I was fortunate enough to participate in King’s Summer School for two summers, and both were amazing.

The first summer I took Shakespeare in London.  Coming from the United States, I was interested in seeing how different studying Shakespeare was in a city that had so many resources available to supplement the course. Visiting museums and theatres to watch a number of plays exceeded my expectations and brought an element to the study of Shakespeare that is not available anywhere else; it truly brought the content to life much more than sitting in a classroom and reading the plays from a book.

I returned the following summer to King’s Summer School to study Introduction to Human Resource Management.  Once again, King’s added a practical element, taking field trips to Harrods and Abercrombie & Fitch, which are quite distinct from stores in the United States.  I really enjoyed learning the theory in the classroom and then going out and seeing a practical application.

While spending time and learning in the classroom is important, the outside learning really sets King’s apart from other academic programmes.  Getting to meet people from so many different countries and learning about so many cultures that were different from mine was very interesting.  We also had Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off from class, giving us time to explore London and other parts of Europe.  I loved taking tours to Stonehenge, Canterbury, Dover, and Paris over the weekends.

Whether you’re looking to get university credit at one of the top institutions in the world, meet people from all over the globe, or just simply live in one of the best cities in the world, King’s Summer School is definitely the place to be for an unforgettable summer!’

And you can watch a video of Melissa talking about her experiences here.

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Welcome to the King’s Summer School blog!

Welcome to the new King’s Summer School blog. We hope that the blog will be a great place for you to learn more about the Summer School, the courses we offer, and the university that we are part of. We also plan to tell you loads about life in London and how to make the most out of your time here if you decide to study with us this summer.

Each week the blog will have a new post, new tutors telling us more about their courses, Summer School alumni reminiscing on their time in London and King’s, and news and advice directly from the Summer School team. remember you can always find us on our website, Twitter and Facebook.

But why attend a Summer School in the first place? 

Attending a Summer School is a fantastic way to broaden your academic outlook, learn in a new environment and gain credit towards your university study. The Summer School at King’s offers all these things and more, and also gives you the chance to study in a world-leading university in the one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Not only to our Summer School students benefit from learning from leading academics, they also form friendships and contacts for life. Why not listen to Summer School alumni Melissa’s student profile to see why she decided to study with us.

Why should I choose King’s?

The King’s College London Summer School is a high quality and intensive academic programme open to students from around the world. We offer university-level summer courses which use a fresh approach to the study of traditional academic subjects.

Located in the very heart of London, accommodation and classes are next to many of the great cultural, social and entertainment attractions which London  has to offer. We even offer a lively social programme to complement the academic programme with events offered both on and off campus, including boat trips along the Thames, trips to Bath and Oxford, and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour to experience some Harry Potter magic! All this helps our students make the most of their time in London, both academically and culturally.

How can I learn more? 

Well this blog is a great way to start! For information on what courses are scheduled to run this Summer, details on fees, accommodation and our social programme, can all be found on our website. Please note that as we get closer to the summer, more and more details will be confirmed, so make sure to check back regularly! We also have our Facebook and Twitter pages, and if you have a particular question that cannot be answered, please email us at summerschool@kcl.ac.uk.

Until next week!

Summer School team x