Arcadia in London: Internship Program

All Messiah approved semester-long, off-campus programs are approved and designed to meet the requirements for the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI). To learn more about the process, please explore the ELI Off-Campus Study Information Page.

FAITH INTEGRATION

It is important for Messiah University students to grow in their faith while studying abroad. Since the London Internship Program does not have a faith component, students will do the following as part of the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) requirements in partnership with their ELI Advisor:

• Prior to their experience, students will submit a 1-2-page plan outlining the prominent faith traditions of the country they will be studying in and outlining their plan for integrating and exploring their faith during their semester abroad.
• While abroad, students will electronically submit (in Terra Dotta) at least six journal entries (minimum two paragraphs each) on their personal faith journey in their cross-cultural context, which could include a comparative reflection on cultural practices of Christianity in the new culture (or absence of religious practices) versus their home culture. (ex. syncretism through cultural lenses; cultural views of Christ in wealth versus poverty; insights of faith drawn from another cultural point of view, etc.)
• Students who do not complete the above components will be placed on chapel probation the semester after they return.

Note; This is effective starting fall 2017.

• Students will complete all of the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) requirements that are a part of this program.
• Junior or seniors
• 2.8 GPA or higher
• The completion of three courses in an academic area that relates to the internship are required before participating in the program.

• Since studying off-campus for a semester is a privilege, please note the following implications of being place on probation at Messiah University:

  Chapel Probation: A student currently on chapel probation for the first time (or with an impending chapel probation for the upcoming semester) will be required to communicate or meet with the Director of the Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement to determine the potential impact on the student’s upcoming semester off-campus.  If a student has been placed on chapel probation more than once during their time at Messiah, they will not be eligible to study off-campus for a semester.

  Academic Probation or Low GPA: A student on academic probation or whose GPA drops below 2.75 will be not be eligible to study off-campus.

  Disciplinary Probation: A student who has been placed on disciplinary probation at any time during the off-campus study application / acceptance process will be required to meet with the Director of the Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement to determine the potential impact on the student’s upcoming semester off-campus.

Courses may be applied toward Major, Minor, or General Education requirements. 

Courses will transfer in to Messiah as credits and letter grades.

Students under the Quest GenEd will receive credit toward their third language requirement, and students under the 24GenEd will receive credit to meet the Intercultural Perspective - Global requirement. 

*Students studying abroad with a minor in the language, must have completed CHIN 202 or SPAN/FREN/GERM 206 prior to departure. This ensures they are prepared for the 300-level language course required abroad.

Pass/Fail Option

During their university careers, students may take a maximum of four courses on a pass/fail (P/F) basis with these conditions: 

• Such a course must be from a discipline other than those required for the student's major or minor.
• Courses fulfilling requirements for a major, minor, or general education may not be used.
• Students may declare their intention to take a course under the Pass/Fail option when they register or through the first calendar week of classes at the beginning of the new term. Students may also select to return to the letter grade system during this same time period. The selection cannot be changed after the first calendar week of classes.
• The cut-off point to obtain a P is C–.
• The instructor will submit only conventional letter grades to the Registrar's Office. This office will then convert the grade to P or F. (An instructor does not know which students are taking a course on a pass/fail basis.

The first FIVE DAYS of your classes are critical:

Recognizing that courses change while abroad, a student is required to communicate to the Registrar’s Office within the first FIVE DAYS of classes if their Off-Campus Course Approval Form in Terra Dotta has changed since the original submission/approval. Specifically, if a student desires to change a course to a pass/fail instead of a letter grade, this must be approved by Messiah University Registrar’s Office within the first FIVE DAYS of classes at the host partner program.

Auditing

Students are required to take no fewer than 12 credits towards their overall degree requirements and no more than 18 credits. These 12-18 credits include courses taken as pass/fail and letter grades. However, in addition to those 12-18 degree credits, students who would like to audit an academic course for no credit are permitted to do so for up to one 4 credit hour course for the sake of learning, cultural immersion or personal interest at no additional charge. This audited course will not appear on the Messiah University student’s transcript.

Off-Campus study is a time of challenge and change. The following are some things you should understand about this program before you participate:

• Availability of healthcare, especially mental healthcare, in public system is limited; students will use private healthcare which is widely available
• If students anticipate mental health care needs before they arrive, they should contact Arcadia in advance to put those plans in place
• ADA laws are similar to the US, but accessibility is more limited than the US
• Most medications that are prescribed in the US are available, but not always the same strengths There are some restrictions’ on what medication students can bring into the UK: check this link for more information: https://www.gov.uk/travelling-controlled-drugs
• Crime rate is low; but students can expect to take the same precautions to guard against for street crime (pick pocketing for instance) as they would in any urban city
• There have been recent terrorist attacks in Western Europe and specifically in London.

What do you pay?

TOTAL COSTS = Messiah tuition + Messiah room + Student services fee + $1,910 off-campus study fee

Explore possible scholarships for this program. 

These Costs Include:

• tuition, housing - meals are not included
• educational excursions
• pre-departure, and re-entry orientation
• international travel insurance
• student services fee
  • Student Services fee includes access to various services available to all students through, including internet access to, the Learning & Writing Centers, Career Services, Academic Accessibility Office, Library, Department of Safety, Agapé Center for Local and Global Engagement, and other campus offices that provide services to students both on and off campus.

Note: additional fees students may encounter include (but are not limited to) transportation, visas, passports, immunizations, and course fees.

STUDENTS WHO WISH TO TAKE COURSES AT UNIVERSITIES OTHER THAN ARCADIA WILL BE ASSESSED SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL FEES THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THEIR MESSIAH BILL AFTER THE PROGRAM BEGINS WHEN MESSIAH IS INVOICED BY ARCADIA.

Credit Limit Policy for Semester-Long, Off-Campus Program

Typically when students study off-campus in Messiah-approved, semester-long programs, students earn between 13 and 18 credits. All students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits.

The tuition/fees charged for Messiah’s approved study abroad programs permits a student to complete 12-18 credits.  Messiah University will process up to 18 credits.  If a student completes more than 18 credits and would like the additional credits applied to their transcript, additional tuition will be charged for credits over 18 and would be assessed after the official transcript is received/processed by Messiah.

Messiah Pre-Approval Deadlines

• Fall - November 1
• Spring - March 1

London Internship Program Deadline

• Fall - April 1
• Spring - October 1

Program Information

• London Internship Program

Travel Resources

• • Centers for Disease Control: England
  • State Department: England
  • State Department: Students Abroad
  • UK Visa Information

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