SCOTLAND
EDINBURGH, HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS, SCOTLAND

June 5 - 25, 2012

Total Program Fee: $4,870

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Academics and Courses    Application, Cost and Important Details

Program Location:

Edinburgh, Scotland is located on the rugged east coast of Great Britain, and situated on the Firth of Forth, a gigantic bay opening to the North Sea. Edinburgh is a city rich in history and culture with the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Castle near the center on an ancient volcanic peak overlooking the city, the port and a 650 acre wilderness park stretching into the heart of the city. It has hosted the Edinburgh International Film Festival continuously since the end of World War II. Each summer, the city swells with people from all over the world who attend art events celebrating the flowering of the human spirit through a collection of festivals of film, classical music, opera, dance and the arts. Stately homes, dramatic castles and medieval chapels all provide a sense of Scotland’s impressive history.

Program Description:

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site but also designated a City of Literature. Students in all classes will benefit from living and learning in this world-class city. Exploring other cultures and civilizations is intellectually and spiritually enriching and we will also experience film media of the highest caliber from around the world at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. There is an opportunity to visit the film archives and see rare Walt Disney slides. Students in previous years have been able to meet movie stars who are attending the Festival as well as attending directors’ workshops.

Students will have free time to explore Edinburgh for themselves, and may decide to hike to the top of Arthur’s Seat; take a ghost tour around the haunts of the infamous body snatchers Burke & Hare or the split personality of Jekyll & Hyde; attend concerts and plays; visit Rosslyn Chapel, with its Da Vinci Code connection; have a snack in the café where J. K. Rowlings wrote Harry Potter; or shop on famous Princes Street.

Please note: Prospective students should be aware that study abroad programs require a great deal of walking. You should be prepared to walk at least 2 or 3 miles each day. You may also walk over uneven, possibly slippery or rocky terrain, even in cities. In Edinburgh, there is a bus service and taxis available if your personal budget allows for transport.

Excursions: While in the city, there will be a tour of one of the famous whisky distilleries of Scotland and, of course, Edinburgh Castle. As well as living in a Scottish city for the duration of the Film Festival, students will experience life in the beautiful highlands on a road trip that includes Stirling Castle, with its William Wallace & Braveheart connection. We will overnight in Oban and have the opportunity to learn Scottish dancing, accompanied by bagpipes at a ceilidh. The next day, we will take a short sea voyage by ferry boat to the islands of Mull and Iona, birthplace of the Book of Kells and of Celtic Christianity.

Back on the mainland and heading even further north, with grouse and deer on the heather covered moors, we’ll see a remarkable geological feature--the Great Glen, a vast rift valley which splits Scotland in two: its three deep lochs (including Loch Ness) are connected by the Caledonian Canal. This landscape is littered with relics of Iron Age forts and Bronze Age burial grounds such as the impressive stone cairns at Clava, ringed with a group of standing stones. We’ll visit (and be invited to compete) in the Strathmore Highland games at Glamis Castle (home of the late Queen Mother, and reputed castle of Macbeth). And, of course, we will visit St. Andrews, legendary home of golf as well as the university where Prince William met Kate Middleton, before returning to Edinburgh.

Classes: Classes will be held for around 40 hours in total. Days and hours will vary, depending on individual teachers.

Accommodations: Student accommodation is in group apartments at the University of Edinburgh, near the city center—with private bedrooms and kitchen and laundry facilities. Wireless internet is available. On the highlands and islands road trip (approximately 4 days), students will share same-sex dorms in youth hostels.

Academics:

All TnCIS programs are academic in nature and course work that takes advantage of the program location will be the central focus. TnCIS program courses are for credit only. In Scotland, students will enroll in ONE of the following courses:

ENGLISH: Themes in Literature and Culture (Prerequisites: English 1010 & 1020)
Come study detective fiction and graphic novels related to crime studies in Edinburgh, the beautiful and historic capital of Scotland! Edinburgh has been home to some of the world’s most notorious criminals, both real and fictional. If you like Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, X-Men, and television shows like CSI, this course is for you! We will trace Edinburgh’s connection to Sherlock Holmes, walk the streets that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and explore the history of surgery and crime solving through Scotland’s unique and exciting history. Crime, comics, and cinema await you in bonny Scotland. Taking advantage of the Film Festival, the class in Scotland offers the unique opportunity to study significant literary techniques as they relate to visual literacy in prose, the graphic novel, and film formats. See course syllabus. 

ENGLISH: British Literature II (Prerequisite English 1020)
This course is a study of the development of British Literature from three periods: Romantic, Victorian, and the Twentieth Century. In Scotland, the course will focus on the literature of the Scottish Enlightenment which revived interest in the history, heroes and cultural heritage of the Scottish people. Three of the most recognizable authors are Robert Burns (author of “Auld Lang Syne” and “Tam O’Shanter”), Sir Walter Scott (author of Ivanhoe and Rob Roy), and Robert Louis Stevenson (who created Long John Silvers in Treasure Island). Academic content will be enhanced by walking tours of landmarks in the city of Edinburgh. See course syllabus

HUMANITIES: Introduction to Film Studies/Introduction to Film Appreciation (No prerequisites)
Love films? Interested in film-making? Looking for a painless way to enter into the world of literature? Receive three credit hours for the study of film as a legitimate literary genre. The Edinburgh International Film Festival presents a mix of new features and shorts, animated flicks and factual programming, retrospectives and revivals. Short films, experimental novelties and animations feature prominently. Alongside the screenings are a range of talks and discussions featuring cast, crew and critics.

Together, we will take a look at film history and terminology to better enhance students’ viewing of selected screenings at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, after which we will discuss techniques developed by filmmakers to convey meaning, shape audience response, and influence viewers' values. Although there will be some formal class situations, much of the educational content will be delivered through film screenings and related excursions.  See course syllabus

VIDEO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY: Budgeted Production (No Prerequisite)  See course syllabus

VIDEO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY: Independent Production Project (No Prerequisite) See course syllabus

VIDEO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY: Documentary Production (No Prerequisite) See course syllabus
Students can choose one of the above courses in Video Production Technology. Scotland and The Edinburgh Film Festival is one of the premiere destinations for every student who is interested in working in the film, television, and video industry. With its rich history and beautiful landscapes, Scotland provides students the perfect backdrop for producing top quality programming for all media avenues. Because of the time spent traveling and exploring the different areas of Scotland, students will have the opportunity to choose one of the many historical museums, castles, cathedrals, or another prominent location, event, or person as the subject for their production. While attending the Edinburgh International Film Festival, students will have the rare opportunity to attend world premieres, interact with the directors, producers, and actors and talk about the filmmaking craft. Before students begin the trip, all research will be conducted, interviews will be setup, and special permissions will be obtained so the student may spend their time on the production. Please look at the syllabus for each course for more information.

VIDEO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY: Script Writing for Mass Media (Prerequisite English 1010)
Scriptwriting is the foundation for all productions and Scriptwriting for Mass Media offers the student an overview of the different types of writing found in the film, television, and video industry. Students will write visually oriented scripts for the following: commercials, training programs, communications, PSA’s and promos using the many wonderful historical museums, castles, cathedrals, or another prominent Scotland location, event, or person as the subject for their scripts. Emphases are placed on the interdependence between the visual and auditory portions of the script. The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the backdrop for studying script formats. Before students begin the trip, research will be conducted, interviews will be setup, and special permissions will be obtained so the student may spend their time meeting and working with author from Scotland.  See course syllabus 

WOMEN’S STUDIES: Women in Film (No prerequisites)
Are you interested in female characters, actors, and directors in films? Some say that the voice of women in film is at best, marginalized, but we will form our own opinions. The Bechdel test asks: Are there two or more female characters with names? If women characters talk to each other, do they talk about something other than a man? Attending the Edinburgh International Film Festival will give us a unique opportunity to discuss this assertion as we analyze the role of women in film and in society. Students will meet with professors and film-makers from diverse cultures and backgrounds and have the opportunity to discuss concerns about gender, class, and race. In 2010, one of the Festival participants was Kim Cattrall, Sex and the City. This class is discussion-oriented and the primary texts are the films that students view. See course syllabus

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