Category: London Life

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Pre-University Summer School Students Explore London

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Last week our Pre-University Summer School students took to the streets of London on a number of class excursions. They used London as a classroom to enhance their studies in Medicine, Business Management, Law, Politics and Psychology.

Politics students were treated to a tour of the House of Commons, which is located only a short walk from both our Strand and Waterloo campuses, whilst our Law students visited the Royal Courts of Justice.

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Our Psychology class visited the IoPPN for their class trip and, according to Student Ambassador Deborah Ayodele, students ‘…had the opportunity to see a mock MRI and understand a bit more about what it entails. Many were surprised to hear of its cost, as we were told even the mock scanners were an expensive £1 million +. It was a very informative session about the additional diagnostic methods used.’

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Our Business Management students visited Shoreditch’s Silicon Roundabout. They learnt about the ‘flat white’ economy of the area whilst also discovering new and innovative ways of working. This included a visit to Ziferblat (a co-working space) and a glimpse at the Vice offices and the Google Campus. Students were also treated to a look at the exciting Box Park in Shoreditch, as well as the many walls of street art in the area.

Sadie Sweetland our Pre-University Coordinator said, ‘…students ended up really enjoying the tour and learnt a lot about how the area is growing due to an influx of new businesses. They also got to catch a lot of Pokémon which I think was an additional bonus for a lot of them!”

 

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London… As told by our Fulbright Institute students

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For three weeks this summer we welcomed four talented ladies to participate in the Fulbright-King’s College London Summer Institute. This three week cultural and academic programme gave Angel, Hannah, Miranda and Alaina the opportunity to experience life in London, whilst studying Children’s Literature at King’s.

During their time in London the students blogged about the opportunities that faced them whilst studying and living in the city. They were asked to also produce a multimedia project about how they would describe their experience at King’s and how they would choose to represent this. And this is what they come up with…

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Session One Instagram Competition Highlights

We hope you are all enjoying your time at the King’s College London Undergraduate Summer School. Or if you are a Pre-University student yet to join us we hope you’re getting excited. You may or may not know that this year we are running an Instagram competition. Our theme is ‘Summer at Kings’, so we want to see photos that represent your time at King’s. We want you to think outside the box with this and are excited to see what you come up with. Don’t forget to tag us in the photo and use this hashtag #SummeratKings.

And for a little inspiration here are some of the highlights so far…

Insta Comp Highlight

Happy snapping everyone and good luck.

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Undergraduate Summer School Week One In Photos

We can’t believe that one week has already passed for our Undergraduate Summer School students. And what a busy week it has been. We’ve had enrolment, a Thames Boat Party, a marshmallow competition at our Opening Social and a visit to the Warner Bros Studio Tour. And that’s on top of classes and module excursions. Our students have been very busy studying and enjoying the sights in London. So here are just a few photos of the Undergraduate Summer School so far…

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Throwback Thursday: King’s College London Undergraduate Summer School

Untitled designMy name is Chih-I. When I was a King’s College London Summer School student in 2010, I was only 19 years old. I decided to spend the summer at King’s for several reasons.

First, I intended to improve my English by fully immersing myself in an English-speaking country. Second, King’s was reported in the year to be one of the top 25 universities in the world. For a student like me who cares so much about the teaching quality and the academic environment, King’s immediately attracted my attention.

Moreover, the campus as well as the accommodation provided were just perfectly located in the city centre: close to Covent Garden, the Strand Campus was also three-minute walk from Temple Station; the accommodation on Stamford Street was next to Waterloo Station, one of the London underground hubs, which enabled me to reach anywhere in the shortest time. Finally, considering the diverse backgrounds of the student group at King’s Summer School, I knew that I would be able to meet people from all over the world, each one with different culture and life experience. This has definitely constituted an ‘added value’ for my King’s Summer School experience.

Although I majored in Law in my home university, I decided to study musicology at King’s Summer School. Studying musicology does not mean to learn to play an instrument, as opposed to what one may think. Musicology is the scholarly research on music, a branch of humanities. In the three-week course, we addressed various issues regarding the interaction among music/art genre/style, political environment, and urban development in London. Outside the course, we went to up to 5 or 6 concerts/shows/musicals in the evening. We then discussed some of the artistic elements in these performances with reference to what we had talked about in the seminars. As for my final essay, I explored the self-identity of different personas in Pucini’s opera ‘La Bohème’ in relation to the socio-economic context in Italy in the 19th century.

The summer school has exerted positive influence on my later life in different aspects. First, it allowed me to know better the higher education system in the UK, particularly in terms of types of supervision and support one student can receive from the professor. It was from that moment that I came up with the idea to come to the UK for my master studies. The experience of living in one of the biggest cities in the world was marvellous, needless to say.

However, the best part of the summer school, in my opinion, was that I have made friends from all over the world: France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and the US, to name only a few. I have been able to keep in touch with some of the friends since the end of the programme, and have managed to pay them a visit in their countries, despite the distance. Some of them even helped me enormously with my master thesis. The wonderful fruit of our friendship was something that I did not anticipate before starting the programme at King’s.

Six years later, when I recall the old college days, I cannot help but be amazed by how the Summer School has strung our life together. Thank you King’s for creating such a superb memory in my life!

By Chih-I CHANG
Current MPhil student in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics at the University of Cambridge

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Pre-Arrival Information: Getting From The Airport

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With the first day of the summer school getting closer and closer, we wanted to provide you with a little bit of information on how to get from the airport to King’s College London, using various types of transportation. Don’t worry you can also find this information on our website too. There are a number of airports in London that you may arrive into so please see information on how to travel from each of these…

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London Stansted

London Stansted is a little bit out of London, so is a little trickier to get to and from. From here you can take the Stansted Express straight to Liverpool Street Station, which roughly takes about 45 minutes. You are also able to take coaches from this airport. There are a number of different coach companies that you can book a ticket with, but please be aware that travel times will be longer than a train.

London Gatwick

There are plenty of different options to choose from when arriving into London from Gatwick airport. If you want a train that takes you directly to Victoria Station then the Gatwick Express is the option for you. You are also able to take a normal train (Southern or First Capital Connect) to either Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras. You can also take a coach from this airport and it is one of the cheapest options.

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London Heathrow

You can take the Piccadilly Line (Dark Blue) of the London Underground from Heathrow Airport all the way into central London. It takes around 45 minutes from and is the cheapest mode of transport from the airport. If you don’t fancy taking a tube you may also book a ticket for the Heathrow Express. It takes only 15 minutes and arrives into Paddington Station. Once here you can take public transport to your accommodation. Another cheap option would be to take a coach from the airport. National Express take you straight from Heathrow to Victoria Coach Station, which is in central London.

London City Airport

London City Airport is actually within London, which makes it very easy to get to King’s from here. You will need to take the DLR (Dockland Light Railway) from this airport into central London. To get to Waterloo from City Airport you will have to take the DLR to Canning Town. At this station swap to the Jubilee Line (Grey) and you will be able to take a tube straight to Waterloo station.

If you have any other questions about transportation from the airport please do contact us at summer@kcl.ac.uk. We look forward to seeing you soon.

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King’s College London Obstetrics and Gynaecology Summer School

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During the long summer holiday following second year, I had a lot of free time to work with and I wanted to make the most of it, so I applied to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Summer School. Part of this decision was that I wanted to start exploring what specialties I might consider pursuing later in my career but also because I was anxious about starting clinical medicine and wanted to face my fears head on. I’m glad I did because the programme was a gentle introduction to clinics. I really appreciated the chance to figure out how learn in the clinical environment without the pressure of assessment, sign offs and firm heads to answer to.

The best part of the programme by far was the student mentor I was assigned. Our student mentor was immensely helpful and went above and beyond to make sure we had a productive week. He was with us in clinics and surgeries, offered impromptu teaching sessions and when all these were saturated he even offered himself as a dummy to let us practise venepuncture. The words “role model” sound cliché but watching him confidently manoeuvre his way through the wards gave me the confidence to do the same and assert myself in the clinical environment. I think it’s really important to have role models in clinics and we often think of them as our consultants but the Summer School showed me I have just as much to learn from my near peers.

The course itself was intensive as it was just a week but pitched at just the right level for pre-clinical students. It covered a wide range of clinics; both nurse and consultant-led so we observed the roles played by every member of the team. It was also the first time I ever got to see surgery, which was really exciting. Most importantly, despite St Thomas being a big hospital, all the staff we met were friendly, approachable and eager to involve you wherever you went.

If I had to name just one thing I took away from this experience it is the gratitude I have to be a part of the medical profession. The summer school showed me that the trust patients place in their doctors and midwives is immense and I felt privileged to be present at moments as life changing as childbirth. The team at St Thomas’ were passionate and committed to every one of their patients, no matter how big or small the case. To that end, the Summer School has left me with lessons I will carry with me forever in both my professional and personal life.

 

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Undergraduate Summer School Social Programme

As summer is edging ever nearer we wanted to let you know all about our exciting social programme for students at the Undergraduate Summer School. The Summer Programmes team works with King’s College London Student Union to create a social programme that compliments the academic programme and gives you the chance to explore London and make new friends. Activities will take place on evenings and weekends, meaning once class is finished for the day, you are able to take part in some (or all) of these excellent events.

For each session there will be an ‘Official’ Opening Party and also a Thames Boat Party. Both are great opportunities to make new friends, spend time with your classmates and to chat to staff at KCLSU and the Summer Programmes team.

theatreshowsLondon is home to the West End and is a hub for musical and other theatrical performances. And for this years summer school, students will get the opportunity to see some of the best shows around. For both sessions there are tickets available to see The Lion King. In Session One you will also be able to see Wicked and in Session Two you will have the opportunity to purchase tickers to Aladdin. Tickets are limited so do book early to avoid disappointment!

We also have some brilliant day time activities. In both sessions students are able to spend the day exploring the historical towns of Oxford and Windsor– the Queen’s favourite holiday home. And for Session One only there will be a number of tickets available for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Here you will spend time admiring the sets featured in the movies, as well as sampling butter beer and riding a broomstick.

wtourWalking around London is by far the best way to see it. And this summer you’ll also be able to take part in a number of walking tours. In the first session students are able to explore the quirky Camden Market and the quaint Notting Hill and Portobello Market. And in the second session you’ll be able to visit the locations used in the Harry Potter movies, as well as a Theatre Land Tour of London.

If you are interested in any of the trips mentioned above and listed on the website please do book your tickets early. There are a limited amount of tickets for some events, so if you really do want to go book as soon as you can. Throughout these events we want to see how much of a great time you’re having, so please do like/follow us and share your pictures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

 

 

 

 

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Literature in the City

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It has been six months since studying at the King’s College London Undergraduate Summer School. However, every time I think of my fantastic experience my heart is still filled with pleasure. What I acquired there was not only the learning experience in class, but also living independently in a foreign country. Life in London taught me new ways to express myself, as well as gaining courage to turn my classmates into friends.

The course I studied in King’s was Literature in the City, which focused on reading and discussing the literary materials related to the city of London. In the Chinese-speaking culture I am used to, the tutor would directly and exactly tell students what the writer wants to claim in the literary pieces; however, things were totally different here. What you thought about the reading materials and how to share your own opinions to the classmates were important. We were divided into small groups, trying to reach mutual understandings, convincing our peers and being convinced.

Besides the discussions in the classroom, we had paid many visits to the spots where literary episodes were based on. Including the house Yeats lived in and the enclosed underground tunnels that people lived during Blitz. What’s more, we also took a boat  down to River Thames, the river that exists in almost every narrative of the city, and embracing history and innovation at the same moment. I still remember my tutor, George, a young and amiable scholar who was always analytical and calm in the classroom, became animated when we were travelling down the river.

I have some glorious and unique memories from my stay in King’s, forever printed in my mind: the sunny weekend in Hampstead Heath, loitering in the many museums and cathedrals. The most impressive was my encounter with an old considerate British gentleman in Royal Albert Hall, who helped me kindly with every detail so that I could enjoy a concert.

In the opening event of summer school, the speaker once told us that all of us had the equal chance to build connections with others and make our time during the summer school remarkable. Fortunately I had made the best use of my time during the summer and thankfully I seized the chance to join in with all of the activities, earning myself a brilliant time in London.

Yun Lin, Undergraduate Summer School 2015

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New Staff Member: Sage Fitzpatrick

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Hi everyone, I’m Sage and I’m the new Summer Programmes Officer for the Summer Programmes team.

Spending the summer studying at King’s College London is such an exciting opportunity and is an experience you definitely should be looking forward to. For some of you though it may be the first time you’ve ever travelled abroad and spent an extended time away from home. But don’t worry, I’ve been in your shoes before, so if you have any questions about the summer school, or just general questions about what it is like living in London, please let me know.

As I write the weather in London is being it’s traditionally un-predictable self, but even so I’ve been making the most of the campuses close proximity to Somerset House and central London and spending my lunch breaks exploring. Just a short walk across Waterloo Bridge- which offers stunning views of Big Ben, the London Eye and The Shard, is the Southbank. It has lots of things to see, including the colorful Southbank Skatepark and the Southbank Centre Book Market, which is one of the only outdoor second-hand and book markets in Southern England.

Whilst studying at King’s this summer you’ll use London as a classroom and will get to see the city from an entirely new perspective, which is great fun. And in your spare time you may also want to spend some time visiting some other areas too. I would definitely suggest Brick Lane, which is great for street art, curries and vintage clothing, as well as Camden, which has a number of great markets and lots of interesting places to eat, drink and shop.

If you want to keep up to date with the goings on in London I would recommend checking out the Time Out London website, as well as The Culture Trip. Both can give you some great ideas on things to do and places to visit whilst you are in London.

London really is a great place to live and study and you should all be super excited about the prospect of this. If you haven’t already applied good luck with your applications and for those who already have a confirmed place with us I look forward to meeting you all soon!