You can find a lot of study abroad opportunities at McDaniel, and this evening, I had the chance to find out more about one of them.
The Honors Program here at McDaniel is in a partnership with the University of Glasgow in Scotland that allows McDaniel honors students to be automatically accepted to study abroad there.
The idea of studying abroad in Glasgow through this partnership has interested me since I was a prospective student. I’ve always wanted to study abroad somewhere, and as an English major, it’s a pretty good idea for me to go study somewhere in the UK. I had actually intended on going to Glasgow this semester, but as the deadline to apply for it got closer, the timing for me to go there just didn’t seem right. I was living with really wonderful people, I had an increased sense of belonging here at McDaniel, and my family had gotten a new puppy in August.
However, I’m hoping that I’ll be able to pry myself away from campus next spring to experience the awesomeness that a semester in Glasgow has to offer, and I hoped that attending the info session tonight would help me take that first step.
International students at the University of Glasgow can take whatever classes they want as long as they meet the requirements for those classes. This is in contrast to degree-seeking students of the University, who are pretty much confined to classes within their chosen majors. Honors students who study at Glasgow through the Principia Consortium (the partnership with the University that McDaniel is a part of) are required to take a course called The Scottish Enlightenment, which is a history course that takes a look at a variety of disciplines. In addition to this course, honors students who study there will take two or perhaps three more courses. One of the most popular options for students studying abroad at Glasgow is a bagpiping course–that’s right, a course in which you can learn to play the bagpipes!
Tonight I learned a few new things about studying abroad at Glasgow that I hadn’t known before. I didn’t realize that the University has an organization for international students that plans trips both in Scotland and throughout Europe. This excites me, since it would take a lot of the hassle out of planning trips, and it would probably help me find the resources to get to Germany during what would be my spring break. (I went to Germany as an exchange student before my senior year of high school, and I loved it! It’s beautiful and I want to go back!)
I also learned a bit more about the housing options in Glasgow. Most of the rooms at the University are singles located in halls or apartments. (This makes me very happy!!!) The Glasgow representative who came to talk to our group of honors students recommended that we choose to room in singles, since this allows students studying abroad to meet more people.
I was glad to have attended tonight’s info session. It was fun and informative, and there was also pizza. A McDaniel student who went to Glasgow last semester even came to talk to us about her experiences.
The processes involved in studying abroad can be daunting, but I know without a doubt that the experience of going abroad is rewarding. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I’ll muster up the courage to restart the process of going to Glasgow.
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