Academics Abroad

Faculty are trained to integrate high-impact practices into study abroad as a holistic part of the student educational experience. Courses incorporate collaborative assignments and projects, global diversity, common intellectual experiences, and community-based learning, seamlessly blending in-class experiences, site visits, and co-curricular activities. Our commitment to academic excellence and student-centered instruction is demonstrated in our thoughtful and deliberate approach.

The program provides students with a wide range of course options that align with Oxford College's foundational and interdisciplinary goals. Students will register for 5 courses, totaling 15-16 credits for the term. Two of their courses are taught by Oxford faculty, including the Discovery Seminar Course and one course also taught by Oxford College faculty on-site which fulfills the General Education Curriculum requirement.

Oxford College Faculty and Courses

Drs. Leyla Eghbalzad and Anouar El Younssi will be the Oxford College faculty in London with you for the fall semester.  They will each teach their Discovery Seminar Course and an additional course which is part of the General Education curriculum at Oxford College.  Please see the linked faculty bios as well as a brief description of the courses they will be teaching.  Students will select their preference for their Discovery Seminar and additional Oxford faculty taught course by July 1.  Please refer to the Emory Canvas site for additional information.

Discovery Seminars:

" Mind the Gap: Understanding Trauma and Resilience from A Global Perspective"

Taught by Dr. Eghbalzad, students will step onto London’s Underground, metaphorically and intellectually, as we explore the layered world of trauma and healing. This course examines how psychological and neurobiological wounds are shaped by culture, community, and history, and why trauma and resilience appear differently across societies. London serves as our living archive, from museums and memorials to immigrant neighborhoods and public-health records. By the end, students will understand trauma from a global perspective and recognize the diverse strategies individuals and communities use to survive, adapt, and heal.

“Understanding Arab/Muslim Societies through Literature and Film”

Taught by Dr. El Younssi, this Discovery Seminar explores how literature and film from the Arab/Muslim world address questions of social justice and human rights. The course considers how literary and cinematic works from the diverse territories of the Arab/Muslim world and from the diaspora show a wide range of responses to these critical questions. In so doing, the course examines how literature and film reflect, respond to, and have the power to influence politics and society at large.

General Education courses

Introduction to Psychology (PSYC111)

This course introduces the scientific study of behavior and mental processes while using London as an active site for inquiry. Students will investigate core psychological questions: “how do we make decisions”, “why individuals differ”, and “what shapes emotion and stress”, through empirical research and scientific reasoning. London’s urban landscape enriches this work: navigating the Tube offers firsthand insight into attention, perception, and social behavior, while visits to the Freud Museum and the Wellcome Collection prompt discussion on psychological history, mental health, and culture. Through experiential learning and site-based observation, students will sharpen their analytical skills and connect psychological concepts to cross-cultural experiences.

Arabic Literature: East-West Encounters via London”

 IES Courses

In addition to the two course students will take from Oxford Faculty in London, students select three of the following courses taught by IES credentialed faculty. The selection of these courses is:

• Designing the Sustainable City
• Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 101)
• The Architecture of London 1600-Present
• British Youth and Culture from 1950-Present
• Visiting Europe in Cinema
• International and European Health and Human Rights

 Descriptions of these courses will be available in the IES Abroad Portal during the summer.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Oxford Launch: London extends beyond the classroom, including cultural events and excursions. Examples of typical excursions:

Edinburgh, Scotland: Discover the city's history on a guided walking tour, visit Edinburgh Castle, and take a day trip to a wildlife reserve in the Highlands.

Bath and Stonehenge: Vistit Bath, a stunning Georgian city known for its Roman baths and elegant architecture, lies near Stonehenge, the iconic prehistoric monument shrouded in mystery and rich in ancient history.

Oxford: Tour this historic university town, its picturesque colleges, and enjoy a gondola punt on the river.

Canterbury & Dover: Visit Canterbury Cathedral and Dover Castle, then hike along the White Cliffs of Dover.

More information and a schedule of excursions will be available during the summer.

Academic Support

Advising Support Center (ASC)

In addition to your assigned Discovery Seminar faculty advisor, all students participating in our London Launch experience will be assigned to a professional academic advisor with Oxford’s Advising Support Center. The Advising Support Center (ASC) supports Oxford students throughout their two-year experience. This includes course planning and registration, degree progress, major pathway exploration, understanding academic policies, and preparation for approaching Atlanta (also known as ATL Bound). You will learn more about scheduling appointments with your assigned ASC advisor in the summer.

Library Support

While in London you will have robust support and access to resources from both the Oxford College Library and resources in London.

The Oxford College Library is excited to support our London Launch students with various virtual research services. Our dedicated library staff are available to help refine research topics, craft search strategies, find scholarly articles, evaluate sources, and offer citation guidance. Please book a virtual appointment with a librarian anytime between 2pm-10pm London time (9am-5pm US Eastern).

For quick questions, our live chat service is available during library hours via their website. For after-hours assistance, submit a question, and we'll respond the next day. For more information, visit https://oxford.library.emory.edu

Additionally, the IES Abroad London Center has a small reference library with required books for IES Abroad courses, accessible on request. Resources cannot be removed from the library.

You also have borrowing privileges at Senate House, the University of London Library. IES covers membership costs, but students will be charged for unreturned books. Library cards must be renewed monthly.