Study abroad with Penn State — in Scotland!
Fall 2024
The art and creative writing programs invite you to participate in Narrative Arts in Scotland, a course featuring collaboration on a multimodal story with colleagues at the University of Dundee in Scotland’s UNESCO City of Design.
See the faculty sites page for more information!
You will explore Scotland’s rich history and social concerns by participating in workshops with local artists and authors, visiting museums, and experiencing sites in the Highlands ranging from 20th century Arctic exploration vessels, to Medieval castles, to Neolithic stone circles.
Authors call it “multimodal,” designers tag it “transmedia,” artists are inspired by Will Eisner’s term “sequential,” but these all explore a common idea: conveying story through sequential, often multimedia, formats.
Though contemporary, their roots burrow surprisingly deep into other times and cultures, and they create immersive narrative experiences. For the audience, the allure lies in synthesizing elements into a whole.
For authors, the challenge is to develop elements in such a manner that the arc of the narrative universe may be experienced in a manner unique to the individual spectator.
Features
- Interdisciplinary collaboration between English and art
- International collaboration between Penn State Abington and the University of Dundee
- The creation of a narrative incorporating animation, video, web design, gamification, short story, web comic, and the graphic novel
Travel Itinerary (subject to change)
- Day 1 Evening departure for Edinburgh from Newark Liberty International Airport
- Day 2 Arrive in Edinburgh
- Travel to Dundee
- Welcome dinner and festivities at the University of Dundee
- Days 3 and 4 Creative work in the morning with colleagues
- Choice of afternoon explorations in Dundee region, including museums, publishers, a visit to Abertay University game design program, or villages in Fife
- Day 5 Creative work in the morning with colleagues, culminating in gala showcase as part of the nationwide Being Human Festival
- Day 6 Tour Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire, and a Neolithic Age stone circle
- Return to Edinburgh, ancient capital of Scotland
- Day 7 Explore city of Edinburgh, including evening underground ghost tour
- Day 8 Tour Scottish Highlands, including National Wallace Monument, castles, and Loch Katrine in the Trossachs
- Day 9 Focus on Royal Mile, from Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle
- Farewell dinner near Edinburgh Castle
- Day 10 Beannachd leibh, Alba! (Farewell, Scotland!)
Expenses
International program costs, estimated at $2,800–$3,800 (subject to change), will be applied to your bursar account upon enrollment in the course, and are charged in addition to tuition paid. Grants and scholarship monies may be retroactively available through Penn State. Underwriting for each program is provided by Penn State Abington to maximize opportunities for our students to study abroad. Program costs include round-trip airfare, local ground transportation, all lodging, and some meals.
Non-U.S. citizens may require a visa in addition to their passport. Non-U.S. citizens should consult their embassy for information and may ask the Office of Global Programs for guidance
About Embedded Courses
Traditionally, “study abroad” meant that students spent a semester in another country and attended classes at an accredited university. Short-term, faculty-led courses with an international travel component are viable alternatives as they offer solid academic international experiences at a reasonable cost with a reduced time commitment.
Students who are enrolled in a course within a faculty-led embedded course are taking an internationally focused class that includes a ten-day travel component. These study abroad programs are anchored on Penn State Abington’s campus with travel occurring over fall or spring break. Course material and lectures prepare students both academically and culturally for the short international excursion to the country of focus in the program.
Penn State Abington is committed to providing meaningful opportunities to study abroad. Exposure to other cultures is a vital step toward becoming a global citizen.
The goal of the courses with an international travel component is to embed the students into the life and culture of the university and the country they visit. Therefore, including international faculty and students at the host institution in academic and cultural activities is a highly regarded and critical component of all of Abington’s faculty-led programs.