England

This experiential learning program, in partnership with Performing Arts Abroad, brings you to the heart of London. Explore the iconic arts scene through masterclasses with theatre professionals, and courses taught by distinguished faculty at the University of Roehampton, or study dance at the highest-ranked university dance program in the United Kingdom.

Program Highlights:

  • Designed to provide real-world, practical experience and training for performing arts majors at both the West End and Globe
  • "Dance Semester in London" classes are offered in a variety of styles and levels by renowned dancers from all over the world, including an official partnership with the Royal Ballet
  • "Industry Immersion Semester in the London Theatre" students have a choice of three distinct tracks: Musical Theatre, Acting, or Technical Theatre and Theatre Studies
  • Learn what it means to call London a home, while also taking cultural and educational excursions to Bath and/or Statford-upon-Avon (depending on the program)

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Prerequisites
  • GPA Requirement: 3.0
  • Musical Theatre and Theatre: Fall of Junior year
  • Strong academic performance and ability to work independently
Costs

Students pay Nazareth University tuition and retain their full Nazareth financial aid packages.

Please note the following additions to your bill. 

  • A $1,500 non-refundable deposit is due directly to PAA at time of application. Please note that this deposit does not reduce your future tuition bill.
  • Single room with ensuite bathroom (board will not be charged as students will be entirely responsible for all meals)
  • Students enrolled in THA400, Shakespeare's Globe, will be charged a $1,000 program fee. 

Out-of-pocket costs include:

  • Round trip airfare (to and from Heathrow Airport - London)
  • City transportation
  • All meals
  • Miscellaneous personal items and personal weekend and fall break travel.
  • Voice lessons payable directly to London voice coach
  • Optional certification in stage combat through the British Academy of Dramatic Combat (BADC)
Arrival & Overview

This program runs every fall semester from mid-September through mid-December. Students must arrive at Heathrow Airport - London (LHR) before 12:00pm on arrival day. A PAA Roehampton representative will be waiting at a pre-arranged meeting point, and you will be directed to a bus that will take you to campus. Students who wish to stay or travel after the end of the semester must make their own arrangements.

ON ARRIVAL:

Upon arrival on campus you will meet our site director who will give you a welcome packet and help your find your room. Your first afternoon will be a chance to unpack, settle in, meet other students, and join a Roehampton welcome dinner. The following day, Roehampton will lead several on-site orientation activities so that you will be prepared for your experience in London and can begin to get to know other students. The next day you will finalize your registration and class enrollment. PAA’s site director will take you out for a Welcome Meal and an additional orientation. This orientation will include important information about the city, an overview of British culture, information about the performing arts scene in London, food, transportation, and other need-to-knows. The following day, you will join additional university orientation activities, such as a “Photo Frenzy Day”, which is an epic photo scavenger hunt that will take you into central London for a chance to win a prize!

A TYPICAL DAY:

The following few days will include additional pre-class activities, and classes will begin shortly thereafter. For the rest of the program, you will be living on campus going to class and exploring the city on your own as a student in London. We will provide excursions and cultural activities throughout your semester, and several day trips included in the cost of the program.

Living Accommodations

About the Location

London’s energy is contagious and will have you hooked the moment you arrive. In addition to the vibrant theatre scene, you will have the opportunity to explore the cultural, historical, and political landmarks of the city with other students. From Big Ben to the London Bridge, learn what it means to call London home. The abundance of theaters and artistic organizations, and the reasonable price of theatre tickets (especially compared to everything else in the city!) makes this a worthwhile destination for even a short visit, and even better for a full semester.

Housing

Spend the semester immersed in the life of a British student by living in student accommodation right on campus. You will have a single room with an ensuite bathroom in a dormitory building shared by other international and British students. Your floor will have a spacious common area as well as a full kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. Classroom buildings, the student center, and restaurants are all nearby. Enjoy the independence of living on your own while still creating lasting relationships with other students.

Academic Structure

Music Theatre majors – Train with London theatre professionals in iconic West End venues such as Pineapple Dance Studios, Danceworks, and studios housed within some of the largest theatre spaces in the world, with academic credit issued by Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. These are the same studios where West End musicals hold auditions and rehearse productions. Masterclasses and workshops include acting, singing, stage combat, puppetry, jazz, hip hop, ballet, mock auditions with casting directors, question and answer sessions with notable directors, and more. You will workshop musicals such as Wicked, Les Misérables, Waitress, Hairspray, Mama Mia, Mary Poppins, Matilda, and more with current cast members who you will see on stage doing the same choreography and staging you have been learning together in the classes.

Supplement your time in the studio with an exploratory Introduction to the London Stage course taught by the distinguished professors of Roehampton University where you will see at least one theatrical production each week, ranging from the large West End theatres to the National Theatre to intimate pub theatres. 

Study with actors and directors at Shakespeare’s Globe and perform in final scenes on the stage of the Globe itself, with academic credit issued by Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. Attend masterclasses in movement, voice and speech, stage combat, Elizabethan dress, textual analysis, performance practice, and more. Explore every inch of the Globe Theatre in a unique “Heaven to Hell” private tour beginning in the rafters far above the stage and ending underneath the stage peering up through the Elizabethan-era trapdoor.

Technical Theatre and Theatre Studies majors – Study technical theatre, dramatic theory, performance studies, theatre history, and more in the city where modern theatre began. You’ll take diverse courses from prominent faculty at the University of Roehampton, one of London’s most prestigious universities. Acquire international theatre knowledge and skills, and become immersed in the culture and surroundings that inspired Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Similar to music theatre majors, technical theatre and theatre studies majors have a similar opportunity to study with actors and directors at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Course Mapping for Musical Theater Students

Introduction to the London Stage (5 credits)

Course Equivalencies:

Option 1

Choose ONE of the following PEQ's

  • PEQ :History (HIS.PEQ) 3 Credits
  • PEQ: Literature (LIT.PEQ) 3 Credits

Plus ONE Integrated Studies (IS) course and  (LST331) 2 Credits

OR

Option 2

  • Two IS courses (LST330) 3 credits and (LST331) 2 Credits

London Globe: Performing Shakespeare THA400 (5 credits)

Course Equivalencies:

THL Lab (1 credit)

THA341 Acting in Shakespeare OR THA340 Dramatic Styles OR THA220 Movement for the Stage (3 credits)

MTHA103 Page to Stage AND THA105 Ensemble (0.5 credits each for 1 credit total

 

London West End MTHA400 (6 credits)

Course Equivalencies:

Option 1:

MTHA 420 Musical Theater Workshop (3 credits)

MTHA/MUP 1A  Applied Lesson (1 credit)

MTHA 213/313/413 (1 Credit)

MTHA Dance Elective (1 credit)

Option 2:

MTHA420 Musical Theater Workshop (3 credits)

MTHA/MUP 1A Applied Lesson (1 credit)

DAN 213 (2 credits)

Travel & Documents

Students will be responsible for arranging and paying for their round trip airfare. Nazareth University will advise all students of the best flight connections for timely arrival at the study site. Questions about travel are amply covered at orientation meetings on the Nazareth Campus or to visiting students through advisement by telephone or email. All students will be met at Heathrow Airport - London by a PAA representative.

All students will need a valid passport that continues to be valid at least six months after the conclusion of the semester program in England.

It is mandatory to take a valid student ID from the home campus, and is recommended that you travel with a second form of official ID, such as a Driver's License, in the event a Passport is lost. You must also bring proof of health insurance.

Welcome to London: The Life of a Naz MT on the West End

Welcome to London: The Life of a Naz MT on the West End

Andrew Wicklum '24 studied abroad in London during the Fall 2022 semester. Read about his experience here.

Study in London!

    At A Glance:

    Term: Fall

    Program Level: Undergraduate

    Program Type: Academic

    Major(s): Tailored for Musical Theater and Theatre majors, as well as Dance majors & minors

    Language Requirement: None

    Minimum GPA Requirement: 3.0

    When in London . . .

    When in London . . .

    Read about Hannah Decker's '24 semester abroad here.