British Life & Cultures
2010 Spring Semester - Partner Institution

Accreditation

Foundation for International Education is accredited by the British Accreditation Council

Transcripts provided by St. Norbert’s College

Foundation for International Education

Founded in 1998, the Foundation for International Education has study centers in London; Dublin in Ireland; and Madrid in Spain. FIE is an independent, non-profit educational organization that works with university partners to develop and deliver educational experiences appropriate to US study abroad students. FIE’s primary study center, Foundation House, is centrally located on Cromwell Road, one of London’s main arteries leading into the heart of the city.

In addition to accreditation by the British Accreditation Council, FIE also has a number of quality assurance mechanisms, such as partner specific evaluation and an extensive review by the Forum on Education Abroad. In fact, FIE is the only UK program to date to participate in the Forum’s pilot standards project.

FIE is founded and operates on the belief that interaction between diverse peoples is the basis on which international empathy is built. FIE is guided by and is fully committed to the ideal that education broadens horizons and gives perspective on the world outside one’s own immediate, individual experience. As such, all FIE courses feature co-curricular field trips, guest lectures by London-based specialists, site visits and other program activities, giving students the opportunity to expand their learning beyond the classroom into the thriving, multi-cultural city of London.

FIE offers a variety of services to CEA students including wireless internet in all facilities; unlimited 24/7 student computer lab access; a Zones one and two tube pass; membership to Imperial College Student Union with access to clubs, societies and opportunities for interaction with British and other international students; access to Birkbeck College Library and Kensington Public Library; access to a variety of extra-curricular events; and weekend homestay opportunities.

Classroom Information

• Faculty from the Foundation for International Education will teach your courses.
• Periodic exams, homework assignments and final exams will be administered.
• Attendance in all classes is mandatory and monitored by each professor.
• Although teaching styles in British institutions of higher learning can be very different from those found in the US or Canada, FIE faculty understand American students' typical experiences in the classroom and take that into consideration as much as possible.
• Class size ranges between 10 and 25 students, depending on whether it is a lecture or seminar. You will be in class with CEA participants and other US students participating in FIE programs.

Grading

Testing of knowledge is very similar to what you are used to in the United States and will include forms of assessment such as exams, presentations, and research papers. Methods of grading and instruction will be made clear to you at the beginning of each class. Grades will be given in letter format according to St. Norbert’s College grading scale.