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UU in the UK

Students in front of a dragon at Cardiff Castle
Cameron and Big Ben

Department Study Tour: CommArts & Biology

UU in the UK

UU in the UK is an immersive, 2-week study abroad opportunity in England in May 2027, co-sponsored by the Biology and Communication Arts departments. With a wide variety of course offerings — from general core to specific major courses — students from various areas of study can join in a lifetime opportunity to visit and study in the UK.

A summer study abroad opportunity, UU in the UK is a unique hybrid approach that starts on Union’s campus in the Spring semester, then in May we fly from Nashville to London’s Heathrow airport, where they will begin their adventures in the UK. Students experience a residential lifestyle, traveling through London by bus, on the Underground (also known as the Tube), and traveling across the UK by train.

We stay for 9 days in the heart of London, taking a wide variety of excursions across the city to see sites such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben, as well as go on day excursions into the surrounding area, including Windsor, Oxford, and Leavesden (Home of the Harry Potter Studio Tour). We also spend time outside of London and travel to the Cotswolds and Cardiff in Wales.*

The study abroad dates and costs will be finalized soon. For an estimate, the 2025 UU in the UK cost $4,195 plus tuition costs. We will have a UU in the UK 2027 Interest Meeting in Fall 2026. Contact Dr. Chris Blair at cblair@uu.edu for more details.

*Schedules are tentative based on the availability of excursions. Check this page for updates.

Courses Offered

COM 235 Interpersonal Communication

A group of 16 people stands together in front of an ornate black and gold gate on a sunny day in the UK. Most are smiling and wearing casual clothing, with some holding sunglasses or water bottles. Brick buildings are visible in the background.

Instructor: Ashley Fitch Blair, Communication Arts
General Core requirement/BA Core elective

Interpersonal Communication discusses communication in interpersonal relationships including ethical communication, self-disclosure, perception, interviewing, conflict management, verbal and nonverbal communication.This course uses British films to explore the theories, verbal, and nonverbal elements affecting human interaction with a special emphasis on cultural influences found in peer, family, and professional relationships. COM 235 plans to visit Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Churchill War Rooms, the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, and London Transport Museum.

BIO 397 Biotechnology in the UK

BIO 397

Instructor: Mark Bolyard, Biology
Upper level elective for Biology majors/minors

Biotechnology in the UK focuses on the basics of and trends in biotechnology, followed by visits to biotechnology sites during our time in the UK. Biotechnology in the UK plans to visit Science Animated, Astra Zeneca in Cambridge, Oxford Protein Production Facility, London Biotechnology Innovation Centre, and the Francis Crick Institute, John Innes Center in Norwich as well as Kew Gardens in London.

COM 359 International Media

A group of people pose in front of the entrance to The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour in London, UK, flanked by large stone statues and a wall displaying the tour name.

Instructor: Chris Blair, Communication Arts
BA Core elective/COM major elective

International Media looks into the differences and similarities of media across the world including film, television and social media. Focus will be placed on British media as a case study to better understand the diversity of global media. COM 359 plans to visit BBC Wales Cymru in Cardiff, Science Animated, the Museum of Brands and the Design Museum in London, and the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden.