Duke in London-Drama
A 6-Week Summer Drama & Performance Program
Program Alert
Duke in London - Drama is on hiatus while the Global Education Office revises the program. We will not be accepting applications for this program at this time. If you are interested in studying the arts in London, please visit our new program Duke in London - Arts which is scheduled to run in 2022.
Study Drama and Performance in the Theater Capital of the World
Apply NowExperience and study 15-20 productions in London
Over the six-week period, you'll experience intensive study of drama and performance through coursework, live performances, expert-facilitated discussions, and participatory scene work. You'll live in a residence hall at University College London (UCL) in central London and take courses taught in collaboration with a distinguished group of British theater practitioners and scholars.
There is no prerequisite except the desire to learn more about drama and theater and the commitment to actively participate. The program welcomes undergraduate students from all disciplines – engineers as much as English majors, pre-meds as much as future performers – who have a lively interest in theater.
Program Fast Facts
Location: London, United Kingdom
Term: Summer
Dates: June 27, 2020 - August 8, 2020
Application Deadline: February 1st
Academic Theme(s): English, Theater Studies
Credit Type: Duke Credit
Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for this program. Non-Duke students are welcome to apply.
Duke Affiliation: Co-sponsored by the Duke Department of Theater Studies and the Duke English Department
Housing: Residence Hall
GEO Advisor: Carolyn Covalt
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Abbey Road
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Globe Theater
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London
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Regent's Park
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Shakespeare's house
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Duke in London-Drama
ACADEMICS
You’ll enroll in two courses, each offering one Duke credit. No pass/fail option or auditing is permitted for either course. Both courses may be used to count toward the major requirements in the English Department or the Department of Theater Studies.
- COURSES
- GUEST SPEAKERS
- SCENE WORK
COURSES
ENGLISH 383AS / THEATRST 239AS
Theater in London: Text
(DS2, DS3, or DS4; ALP, CCI) 1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: None
A survey of drama from the Elizabethan period to the present based on performances offered by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre, and other theaters in London and Stratford-upon-Avon. Twenty plays will be seen and studied. Text fulfills one course of the Reading Drama requirement of the Theater Studies major.
ENGLISH 384AS / THEATRST 240AS
Theater in London: Performance
(ALP, CCI) 1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: None
Understanding the growth of a play from the script to final production, with focus on shows playing in London. Includes backstage theater tours, scene work, observations, audition workshops with theater practitioners, and supervised projects. Performance serves as an elective toward the Theater Studies major.
Schedule
Classes generally meet weekdays from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Performances are generally weekday evenings and matinees, with an occasional weekend performance.
GUEST SPEAKERS
A select group of distinguished actors, writers, directors, and designers involved with the productions you'll see will visit the class when possible. Past guests have included:
Actors
- Lynn Redgrave
- Samuel West
- Juliet Stevenson
- Roger Rees
- Alex Jennings
- Toby Stephens
- Linus Roache
- Daniel Evans
- Sophie Thompson
Directors
- Marianne Elliott
- John Caird
- Matthew Warchus
- Phyllida Lloyd
- Peter Gill
- Deborah Warner
Playwrights
- Lee Hall
- Samuel Adamson
- Martin Sherman
Theater Composers
- Gary Yershon
The program usually includes excursions to the Chichester Theatre Festival, Hampton Court Palace, Hatfield House, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
SCENE WORK
So that every student understands drama from an actor’s or director’s point of view, you'll be required to participate in two scenes coached and evaluated by a noted British actor.
In recent years, acting workshops and scene work have been supervised by Rory Kinnear and Paul Ready, leading actors with the National Theatre of Great Britain, and William Houston, leading actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Students are not graded on acting ability, but on the ideas and effort they bring to their scene work.
Students in musical theater are offered the opportunity to participate in a master class in musical performance led by Michael England, Musical Director of Spamalot and a leading musical theater performer (recently this has been Olivier Award winner Daniel Evans, star of Sunday in the Park with George, and Gavin Creel, currently starring on Broadway in Godspell).
HOUSING & MEALS
You will be housed in single-occupancy rooms in a residence hall of the University College London (UCL), centrally located near Russell Square and King’s Cross. It’s also near the British Museum and convenient to the underground and Theatre District. There are kitchen facilities in the residence hall and many inexpensive restaurants nearby.
COSTS
Estimates are based on previous years’ programs and the current exchange rate. All costs are subject to change.
Summer 2020
| Duke Students | Non-Duke Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $7,158 | $7,158 |
| Program Fee | $3,300 | $3,300 |
| Transcript Fee | N/A | $120 |
| Other Costs | Other Costs | Other Costs |
| TOTAL (Estimated): | $17,308 | $17,428 |
Explanation of Costs
The program fee for this program includes:
- Accommodations
- International SOS coverage
- Program-sponsored activities and excursions
- Orientation program
What is not included?
Use the following list to assist with budgeting for expenses outside the program fee. This list contains common examples but should not be considered exhaustive.
- Airfare
- Airport transportation to/from program site
- Meals
- Required local transportation within London
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses
- On-site accident and health insurance policy
- Visa and/or residency permit (if needed)
- Passport
- Immunizations
- Mobile phone
- Laundry
- Independent travel and entertainment
- Items of a personal nature
- Incidentals
- Access to educational facilities at host university
- Textbooks and class materials
- Internet usage
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for this program. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need a visa. Please be sure to research the cost of obtaining a UK visa, including any required travel to a consulate or embassy.
If you receive financial aid, and need assistance with travel costs, please contact your financial aid counselor.
Personal expenses can fluctuate greatly depending upon habits and preferences of the individual. It’s also wise to budget for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. You can use a cost-of-living comparison tool to get an idea of what daily life costs in the program host location.
Step 1: Upon acceptance to the program, you must submit the Summer Participation Agreement found in your MyGlobalEd application to confirm your enrollment. A parent/guardian’s co-signature is required. This form takes the place of a deposit.
NOTE: If you withdraw after March 15, you will be charged a cancellation fee for voluntary withdrawal. Fees range from $1,500-2,000.
Step 2: Summer invoices will be sent via email to your Duke email address and home email address. Remit payment to the Bursar per due date and address indicated on your online statement. Consult the Duke Bursar's office billing schedule for payment due dates.
Financial Aid
Duke students receiving financial aid are eligible for aid for this program (work-study funds must be converted to loans). Students are individually responsible for making the necessary arrangements with the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Supportand the Duke Bursar’s Office.
Non-Duke students are not eligible to receive financial aid at Duke and should contact their home institutions for financial aid information.
Scholarships
This program offers the following scholarship opportunities:
DATES
Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.
- Arrival: June 27, 2020
- Departure: August 8, 2020
Flights
You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date above, which means departing the U.S. the day prior. You may depart the program site at any point on the departure date. Once you have a flight itinerary, log in to MyGlobalEd to update your travel registry.
Housing Before/After
You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.
VISA & PASSPORT
VISA
No visa is required of U.S. citizens to participate in this program. Non-U.S. citizens should pay special attention to the visa requirements for their specific citizenship by contacting the country embassy to find out if any visa restrictions are in effect.
PASSPORT
All participants must have a valid passport. Make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond the program end date to avoid unintended disruptions. For instructions on obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit passports.state.gov.
International Student Identity Card
An International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is optional. ISIC is the only internationally recognized form of student ID, endorsed by UNESCO. If purchased in the U.S., the card also carries with it a supplemental insurance policy, which can prove to be very helpful in the event of serious injury. You may purchase this card through www.myisic.com. Processing of the card takes between 4-15 days.
PROGRAM FACULTY & STAFF
Leadership of the program will rotate between professors Sarah Beckwith, Bradley Rogers, and Jeff Storer. The program faculty director(s) can assist with questions related to program academics, admissions, on-site needs, etc. The faculty director for 2020 is Jeff Storer. For all other inquiries, please contact the GEO representative listed.
ADMISSIONS
Deadline: February 1st
This program has rolling admission. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program fills; after that, qualified students are added to a waitlist and notified of openings. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered. Application opens November 1.
Priority: Priority is given to applicants who apply early.
Minimum GPA: There is no minimum GPA.
Non-Duke students: Non-Duke students are welcome to apply for this program. In the past our roster has included students from Yale, William and Mary, University of Michigan, Michigan State, Emory, Wesleyan, Wake Forest, and Point Pleasant.
You must be a degree-seeking student in good standing at an accredited college or university. Consult your university’s registrar and/or study away advisor for assistance with transfer credit. Students who are not matriculated at a college or university are not eligible to participate in Duke’s study away programs.
*Special Note for First Year Applicants: Program acceptance cannot be determined until after Dean’s Checks are completed in January.
GEO policy for graduating seniors who wish to apply for a Duke summer study abroad/away program:
Students must be active, matriculated students in order to participate in any Duke-in summer programs, including Duke’s domestic summer programs. All program courses must be taken for graded credit. If seniors plan to graduate in May of the year they plan to study abroad in the summer, they will not be eligible to participate on any of our summer programs unless they receive approval from their academic dean at Duke to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended.
Non-Duke students planning to graduate in May in the year they plan to study abroad in the summer must provide approval to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended from the appropriate official at their home institution. Such approval must be furnished in writing to GEO before the student will be allowed to participate in the summer program. This approval may be sent via email to the appropriate program assistant at GEO.
Duke students who defer their graduation to participate in study abroad should consult with their financial aid advisor in the Duke Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to determine whether they are eligible for a summer aid package and/or a GEO summer scholarship.
APPLY
Start your application early to ensure that it is complete by the deadline! Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the program directors for consideration.
Submit the following items using MyGlobalEd:
- Online application
- Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended. First-year students should wait for fall semester grades to be posted before submitting their transcript.
- Personal statement, no longer than one page, explaining why you would like to participate
- Academic letter of recommendation (one)
STUDENT STORIES
This program further enhanced my range of theatrical experiences and developed my critical/analytical eye.”
"Theatre is a medium that exists both as words on a page and in real time as a performance, and through the guidance of the director can be imagined and reimagined countless times, which we saw over the course of the program in two very different productions of “King Lear.” This perspective will influence how I look at literature in the future."
–Krista Kowalczyk
Meet with a GEO Advisor
Not sure where to start? Prefer to talk to someone? Schedule an appointment with a GEO advisor to get personalized recommendations and answers to your questions.