Richmond University
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Richmond-The American International University in London is an internationally recognised institution in Richmond upon Thames, a suburb of London.
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[edit] Campus
The university is split between two campuses, both in the Greater London Area: the Richmond campus, located near the crest of Richmond Hill and approximately 1.5 miles from Richmond tube station, and the Kensington campus, located at a point equidistant between Kensington High Street and Cromwell Road, and easily reachable from either High Street Kensington tube station or Gloucester Road tube station. The Richmond campus is the primary residence of undergraduate students, especially freshers who have just enrolled at the university; its iconic facade is a major symbol of the school and appears on almost all promotional literature. The school's headquarters and admissions department are also located here. The Kensington campus, in reality, is a closely grouped set of buildings rather than a campus. It is where many of the upper-level undergraduate students reside.
Both campuses enjoy reasonable connectivity with the London Underground, as mentioned above; the Richmond campus is additionally served by the London Buses 371 route, currently operated by London United. Access to the town of Kingston can be made using this route. The Richmond campus is located in a genteel suburban region of Richmond; the area is well-known for the number of celebrities and other notables residing nearby. The Kensington campus is located in an upper-class inner-city region of the borough, and is also somewhat genteel, though less quiet than the Richmond campus. Both are well-positioned for access to natural parks; the Richmond campus is within short walking distance of Richmond Park, while the Kensington campus is within moderate walking distance of Kensington Gardens and Holland Park.
[edit] Degrees of Study
The university is unique in offering undergraduate degrees that are accredited by both the U.S. and UK higher-education certification bodies; this means that the degree is equally valid in both countries, and by extension, valid throughout much of the Western and Eastern world [1]. The primary curriculums available for study at Richmond are:
- Business and Economics [2]
- Communication and Fine Arts [3]
- Computing, Mathematics and Science [4]
- Humanities and Social Sciences [5]
Lower-division courses are primarily taught at the Richmond campus; upper-division courses are unevenly split, with all of the CMS courses and some of the business, finance and humanities courses taught at the Richmond campus; the remainder of the courses are taught at the Kensington campus. Both campuses are supported by the university library; the Richmond campus has benefited from the construction of a new library, classroom and office complex in 2000, providing new facilities for faculty and for students. [6]
[edit] Student Body
Richmond University is characterized by its international student body which is generally comprised of students from more than 100 different countries despite the relatively low total number of students enrolled at the university (less than 2,000); it is commonly said that no individual cultural or social group has a majority in the student body. Some students studying at Richmond are part of the school's study abroad program.
The multicultural diversity of the student body is very much a part of the school's mission, and it actively encourages students from all nations to enroll here. This diversity is celebrated with an event occurring every semester called "International Night", where the student body stages a performance highlighting the various cultures and ethnicities of the Richmond populace.
Among the student body however, is a gentle rivalry between the degree students and study abroads. Many degree students feel study abroad students are given preferential treatment by the faculty and staff for reasons such as the marketing and promotion of the University, as well as the cash flow that this group represents. Also, degree students resent the perceived party attitude many study abroad students appear to bring with them. (Largely due to the British legal drinking age of eighteen in contrast to the United States's legal drinking age of twenty-one). In turn, study abroad students find their reputation undeserving as it was earned before their arrival.
[edit] International Study Centers
Richmond students have the opportunity to complement their studies in London with a semester, year or summer at one of Richmond’s two international study centers. The centers are in Florence and Rome, Italy. Although each center has a specific academic focus, they both offer intensive study of Italian language and culture and a curriculum that is integrated with the degree requirements in London.
Florence Study Center
The Florence Study Center specializes in the study of studio and fine arts. Social science and business majors would also benefit from this outstanding educational opportunity. Situated in a major Renaissance city with a wealth of cultural resources, it is an ideal location for the intensive study of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and art history. Each participant’s first semester begins with an intensive three-week Italian language course at the Scuola di Lingua e Cultura Italiana per Stranieri in the historic town of Siena. This is followed by eleven weeks of study in Florence. With the exception of Italian language, most courses are taught in English.
Rome Study Center
The Rome Study Center offers a program that emphasizes the study of Italian language and culture, art history, economics and political science. Situated in one of the world’s great capital cities which, as the home of the Vatican, also holds a unique position in the Christian world, Rome is the ideal location to experience the classical and cultural heritage of the Roman world. The semester program begins with an intensive three-week Italian language and orientation course in Florence. This is followed by eleven weeks of study in Rome where the study of Italian continues as one course in the student’s program of four or five courses. With the exception of Italian language, most courses are taught in English.
[edit] Student Life
Student life at Richmond is quite different from life at any large American institution. Students find themselves at the gateway of the entire world. Over 100 countries are represented in the student population, which allows students to learn just as much about international culture outside of the classroom as they do in the classroom. Also, popular European destinations such as Paris are close by and make for very intresting weekend getaways. Class sizes tend to average between 10 to 15 students, with the lower-level classes tending to be much larger than the higher level ones.
[edit] External link
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