Lancaster University is located in the northern English town of Lancaster, England, one half hour south of the Lake District and three hours north of London. Lancaster is ranked as one of the top ten research institutions in Great Britain. Students are enrolled as Visiting Students at Lancaster and attend the regular class offerings of the university. There are around 10,000 students enrolled at Lancaster University with about 250 of those being students from the US. Please visit Lancaster University's website for more information.
ACADEMICS
SJU students are admitted to Lancaster University as Visiting Students. Visiting students are admitted for a period of one semester or one year. Please keep in mind that a Visiting Student is not being admitted to a program leading to a degree, diploma or any other award from Lancaster.
As a visiting student you are not set apart and given special courses. Your workload will correspond as closely as possible with that of regular second or third (final) year British students.
The academic calendar and class structure is a bit different from a semester at Saint Joseph's University. Most formal teaching takes place during the Michaelmas (October-December) and Lent (January-March) terms, but 100-level courses continue until halfway through the Summer (April-June) term and, especially in the sciences, 200-level courses may continue throughout the Summer term. As is usual in British universities, many Lancaster courses are taught continuously across two or three terms. Study abroad students in the Fall are encouraged to enroll in Lancaster 's Pre-Sessional Programme which is a 4 credit course offered from mid-August to mid-September; before the regular Fall (Michaelmas) term begins. The number of courses one can take during a term varies depending on the number of credits. Most students can only take 3 or possibly 4 course per term. Please consult the Lancaster Course Catalog on file in the Center for International Programs for more course information.
Since students can only take 4 courses on this program, students are able to use the SJU 4 Course Policy. This policy allows students to either 1) have a free elective waived or 2) take an overload and not be charged for it. For a full explanation of the 4 course policy please click here.
Courses in the Faculties of Applied Sciences, Environmental and Natural Sciences, Humanities, Management and Social Sciences are offered on either a yearlong or term (semester) basis. A wide range of courses are offered in the following disciplines in those Faculties:
APPLIED SCIENCES: Computing, Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics and Psychology.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES: Biological Sciences, including Biochemistry and Chemistry (Organic and Inorganic), Ecology, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology and Physics.
HUMANITIES: American Studies, Art, Creative Writing, European Languages and Cultures, History, Music and Theatre Studies
MANAGEMENT: Accounting and Finance, Economics, Management, Management Science (MIS) and Marketing.
SOCIAL SCIENCES: Applied Social Science, Law, Linguistics and Modern English Language, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, Religious Studies, Sociology (including Culture, Media and Communication)
Students in the Natural and Environmental Sciences are strongly encouraged to apply, as the University has a large number of science courses on a term (semester) basis.
Course Selection: It is important to remember, that any course a student wishes to enroll in at Lancaster University , must be approved by the appropriate department at SJU. If a course is not presently on our Academic Value Sheet, please get it approved prior to your departure.
For more information on courses in disciplines listed above, please visit Lancaster University 's study abroad handbook.
HOUSING
Study abroad students are equally integrated into Lancaster 's residences, social life and extra-curricular activities. Most feel quickly at home here, and find it easy to meet other students and participate fully in the life of the University.
All US Study Abroad students are normally guaranteed on-campus accommodation and are randomly assigned to the various colleges. In each college there is a mix of British undergraduates (mostly first-year and third-year students, majoring in a variety of different disciplines) and foreign students who come from most parts of the world. Most rooms are single with washbasins. All are grouped around communal lounge and kitchen areas where students gather and most prepare snacks and meals. Telephones are available in all student rooms. For more information on Lancaster's residential "colleges" visit their website.
REQUIREMENTS
- GPA Requirement: 3.0
- Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing,
- Students should be junior year students; second semester sophomores will also be considered
COST
Students will remain registered at SJU and pay SJU tuition for the semester or year they will be studying abroad plus a Continuing Registration Fee of $100. Tuition rates are assessed to a student based on the student's primary matriculation at Saint Joseph 's University as determined by the academic policies of the University.
Saint Joseph's University will then pay Lancaster University for the tuition portion of the program. Students will be responsible for all non-tuition fees associated with this program. To request a copy of the Financial Information Sheet which outlines additional estimated costs for this program, please send an email request to: cip@sju.edu
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Students are required to submit all of the following application documents to CIP before the deadline:
1. SJU Study Abroad Application
2. Lancaster University Application
3. Two Academic References - use Lancaster's Academic reference form
4. CIP will obtain a copy of your official transcript and forward it to Lancaster University on your behalf ONLY after we receive your completed application materials and your application is approved by our office.
Applications that have been approved by our office will be forwarded to Lancaster University for their review and final approval. Approval by the Center for International Programs does not guarantee admission into the program.
A passport is required for this program. If you do not already have a passport, go to the following site to apply for a passport: http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html
If you already have a passport check the validity dates. Your passport will need to be valid for 6 months after the END of your program.