Summer: Rutgers- Constitutions and the Founding of the American Republic
The Program
What does the Constitution actually do? Find out in Oxford, UK.
How does the American Constitution work? What role to state constitutions play in the daily lives of American citizens? Why does the U.S. have a written constitution at all?
In this program you'll learn about that with Rutgers and Oxford faculty in lively discussions and lectures. Students will visit the U.K. Parliament in London, Blenheim Palace nearby Oxford, and see a Shakespeare play in Stratford with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Stay and study at Pembroke College this summer while learning about the foundations of American democracy.
Read an article about the program: RU-N Students Attend "Constitution Summer Camp” at Oxford University
Program Locations
England
Oxford
Oxford, a city in central southern England, revolves around its prestigious university, established in the 12th century. The architecture of its 38 colleges in the city’s medieval center led poet Matthew Arnold to nickname it the 'City of Dreaming Spires'.
Academics
In this course, students will study the founding of the American republic and work to document the 1947 New Jersey state constitutional convention on the Quill Project—an interactive digital platform created at Pembroke College to illustrate how constitutions and treaties are negotiated and crafted. Students will share their discoveries with Quill Project students and faculty during lectures and workshops, research their own individual projects at the Bodleian Library, and tour sites of significance to the themes of the course.
Note for Law students interested in taking this course: Per Law School's Academic rules, Law students may receive 3 credits of interdisciplinary credit for this course. They cannot receive the additional 1 general elective Study Abroad credit as it is not coded as a graduate level course. Law students may only register and receive credit for interdisciplinary courses if approved by the office of Academic Affairs prior to enrollment. Please check with the Dean of Academic Affairs' office before submitting your deposit.
Housing and Meals
Accommodations will be at Pembroke College and meals will be at the Pembroke College Hall pictured above. There will be a group pub meal in Oxford, a welcoming and closing reception, and one formal closing banquet. Almost all meals are included except for our day trips to Stratford and London.
Financial Information
Program Costs
| NJ Resident | non-NJ Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Undergrad | $5,810 | $6,170 |
| Grad | $6,030 | $6,370 |
Program Cost includes:
- Tuition
- Housing
- Most meals
- Excursions
- Administrative Fees
- Emergency Medical Access Abroad
Out-of-Pocket Costs
| Flight | $1,000 |
| Meals | $100 |
| Personal Expenses | $100 |
| Total | $1,200.00 |
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:
The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.
Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket, while some of these expenses, such as personal expenses, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.
Scholarships
Faculty Leaders
Born in Paterson, Professor Murphy studied at Haverford College and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Before joining Rutgers in 2016 he previously taught at Baruch College, where he won a Whiting Fellowship for excellence in teaching and was a member of the faculty of the Macaulay Honors College at the City University of New York.
Professor Murphy is the author of Building the Empire State: Political Economy in Early America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015), which shared the James A. Broussard Best First Book Prize from the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic.