Fordham Abroad - London Centre

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to study abroad in London during my college career. So when my first semester of junior year was finishing up and I still hadn’t done this, I had a minor freak out; how can I study abroad before I graduate?

“Have no fear,” Fordham’s International & Study Abroad Programs (lovingly known as ISAP) website seemed to tell me last November as I scrambled to find out what I could do. And then I discovered I could study in London before my senior year at Fordham for four weeks in the summer. Perfect!

Big Ben in typical London weather

And it truly was perfect. I was required to take one liberal arts course, and I chose Writing for Magazines. For a few days a week, my class met at Heythrop College, where Fordham London Centre is located. We got to do so many incredible things for the class, including seeing a play called “McQueen” and interviewing the show’s stars afterwards. We also got to meet up with Fordham alumni who are now living and working in London, and they gave us tours of their neighborhoods. We got to see a whole new side of London that most tourists don’t get to see.

Of course, I also partook in the traditional touristy London and English activities; I rode the London Eye, visited Windsor Castle, stopped at Stonehenge, saw a couple West End shows, and ate lots of delicious pub fare. It was everything I wanted out of my study abroad experience and more.

Stonehenge rocks!

Additionally, spending four weeks abroad turned out to be the perfect amount of time for me. A semester would have had me missing my family, friends, and Fordham, so four weeks gave me just the right amount of time away to get me acquainted with London without feeling so homesick.

Notting Hill's adorable houses

Even if you can't spare a semester to study abroad, Fordham's ISAP allow you to spend a short time in a foreign city that could fulfill all your study abroad dreams!

Fun with the Fordham Core

It's hard to believe that I am already a senior here at Fordham.  With this being my final year, I thought I'd share some of my favorite classes that I have taken so far.  I really enjoyed having the liberal arts core because even though I am a double major in computer science and math, I was able to take classes in a variety of subjects that were interesting to me.  Here's a description of some of the classes I choose to take to fulfill the core requirements:

Latin American History: We studied the history of Latin America starting from about the 16th century with the indigenous, ancient civilizations, and we worked all the way up to the Bolivian Water Wars of the 21st century.  I enjoyed that this class utilized not only text books, but primary sources, documentaries, and films to discuss the material. 

Keating Hall, in addition to being the home of our radio
station (WFUV) and deans' offices, is an academic
building where many of my core classes were held.

New Yorker Tales: I was excited when I saw that the only material required for this class was a subscription to The New Yorker.  Each week we were assigned a short story from the fiction section of an old New Yorker magazine, and then we would discuss, analyze, and critique the selection during class.

Capives, Cannibals, and Rebels: This was another literature class formatted in the seminar style where we would read books related to the topics from the course title and then we would spend the class time discussing the texts.  Some of our readings included: primary sources of Puritans who were taken captive by Indians in the 15th century, Robinson Crusoe, Typee, and Benito Cereno.    

Dealy Hall is another academic building where I had my
literature and sociology courses.

Physics of Light and Color:  I was not looking forward to having to take a physical science class here because the subject had never really interested me, but learning about how our vision works was actually very fascinating for me.  The professor enjoyed teaching and was very good at engaging us in the material.

Religion and Public Life: I am actually enrolled in this course now.  We sit around a large conference table and use readings to drive discussions and debate about the role religion plays in daily life.  I never thought I'd willingly take a religion class in college, but I had a great experience with this professor when I took him before for an "Intro to the New Testament" course that was a part of the core.  In that class we got to go on a field trip to The Cloisters.

  

For one of my religion classes, out class
took a field trip to The Cloisters.

Gender, Class, and Race: This class was the first sociology course I ever took, and I wish I had to take more.  We read academic articles and watched documentaries to explore these social constructs.  My professor also incorporated pop culture into many of our lessons so we could discuss the topics from another perspective.  

Urbanism: My first assignment for this class was to walk three miles in Manhattan, starting from the base of Central Park all the way down to Union Square.  As we walked we had to note how space was being used at particular locations.  In this class it was cool to learn how cities were structured for particular purposes depending on the time periods in which they evolved.

This picture was part of my first assignment
for my Urbanism class.

These are just a few of my favorite classes I have taken as part of the liberal arts core in Fordham College at Rose Hill.  Although I love taking major classes such as Data Mining and Differential Equations, I enjoyed having these other courses that allowed me to explore new and exciting topics.   

Undeclared

English, Math, Communications, Biology, Psychology, Anthropology…having the option of choosing from 60 liberal arts majors can almost make students feel the desire for less options for once! Freshman year can function as a time to test out different core classes and find your likes and dislikes when it comes to academics. But, sometimes not having a direct path can leave students feeling a bit lost. Here are tips for taking the edge off of the uncertainty of being “undeclared.”

1. The core: While sometimes daunting upon entering Fordham, the core can be an undeclared major’s best friend. The core offers students the chance to take classes they would not have necessarily chosen on their own. This can either help students find a new interest or simply confirm their previously held preferences.

2. You can change you mind…and change it again: Nothing is set in stone. After experiencing a year away from home, in a new environment, with new people, a student is bound to have some changes in opinion or perspective. With these changes, the Gabelli School of Business could become much more appealing then your originally intended pre-health path. In addition, you may have not known a program existed until the end of your freshman or even the beginning of your sophomore year.

3. You have time: Valentine’s day (The unofficial day for major declaration) sophomore year may seem a while away as a first or second semester freshman…because it is! The core allows for you to have plenty of time to test out different subjects that could lead to a possible major before the time to declare a major comes around.

4. You should feel blessed, not cursed: Even if by the time you have taken your second science course the only thing you have learned is that science is not for you, you are actually getting much more out of it than that. Fordham’s liberal arts core allows you to take a variety of classes that fulfill requirements ensuring that credits (and $) are hardly ever wasted. If you felt that you were passionate about Communications and realized the opposite after taking Comm 1010, you would still have fulfilled a Social Science credit without falling behind.

5. Talk it out: Every student on campus either is looking into a major or has already gone through the process. Talking with upper classman and your peers alike can help relieve the stress of figuring out the future by ensuring you that it does eventually work out, and you are not alone. Also, Career Services’ councilors as well as department assistant chairs are readily available to help decide which majors can lead you to your dream job.

I am a former Business Administration major, who decided to think about Sociology instead and is now a thoroughly confident and satisfied Communications major. Looking back on my days of living “undeclared,” I regret feeling like not knowing what I wanted to do at Fordham meant I was lost in life. This time in college is meant exactly for that! Figuring out what you want to do so that one day you can go out do it!

Major Spotlight: International Political Economy

A major reason why I chose Fordham four years ago was the wide variety of majors it offers to students.  As a liberal arts school, Fordham gives students the opportunity to study subjects beyond the basic humanities and sciences, offering many interdisciplinary majors that are not offered at every university.  An example is my major, International Political Economy (IPE).  The International Political Economy major is meant to teach students about the politics and economics that affect how nations and their economies interact with and rely on one another.  It’s very interesting to learn how interdependent our world is becoming, and it’s an area of study that is very practical and useful in everyday life.

The requirements for the major are based in the Political Science and Economics Departments: I’ve had to take Intro to International Politics, International Political Economy, Basic Macroeconomics, Basic Microeconomics, International Economic Policy, and Statistics I and II.  In addition, we are required to take Comparative Cultures, an anthropology course.  The last four courses are electives, which we can choose based on our track.  There are three tracks within the IPE major: Foreign Language Elective Track, Global Business Track, and the General Elective Track.  If you are following the Foreign Language Elective Track, you must take four courses in the same foreign language.  The Global Business Track requires students to take Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting and two other International Economics Courses.  The General Elective Track (which I am on) requires any four international courses within anthropology, economics, history, modern foreign languages, political science, or sociology.  As my electives, I’ve taken Crime and Punishment in Europe, British Politics, Intermediate Spanish II, and Spanish Language and Literature.

The IPE major makes it very easy to minor in Modern Foreign Languages or Business Administration.  I am minoring in Business and three of the seven minor requirements overlap with requirements for my major.  Having completed all of the requirements for my IPE major, I feel well rounded and as if I know more about what is going on in the world around me.  It has prepared me for a career in almost any field, such as law, public policy, or working for a non-profit organization.  I think my major is one of my favorite aspects of Fordham, and I think it’s a great example of the strong academic tradition and cosmopolitan education that Fordham has to offer its students.

The Benefits of Liberal Arts: Language Edition

Granada and the Sierra Nevadas

Without Fordham’s liberal arts core, I never would have dared to study abroad in Granada. Sure, I always wanted to go abroad, but Fordham’s emphasis on cura personalis and core curriculum made me realize that I could survive (and possibly thrive!) in a non-English-speaking country.

The core curriculum is a hallmark of Fordham’s liberal arts education. It requires all students to take courses in certain areas to expand their horizons, challenge them, and prepare them for life after Fordham. From speaking with high school juniors and seniors who are thinking about Fordham, I know this can seem intimidating. Heck, it was intimidating for me, too. But not only has my liberal arts education opened my eyes to interests that I never knew I had, a liberal arts education is also one of the most popular with employers.

At the Puente de San Martin in Toledo, just a bus ride away!

If I had not needed to fulfill my language requirement, it is entirely possible that I would never have considered studying Spanish after high school. I certainly wouldn’t be a Spanish major living in the most beautiful city in southern Spain. You may dislike foreign languages. You may be absolutely certain that you do not ever want to major in a foreign language. But how much do you know about urbanism or ethics? Have you ever thought of studying either of those subjects? They are two optional courses in the core curriculum, and you’ll never discover why that park is where it is or answer those burning ethical conundrums unless you try them out. And at some point or another, you are going to need those answers. At Fordham, you’ll find them, te prometo. ¡Hasta luego!