Program Details
Location
Glasgow,
United Kingdom
Term
Summer Session
Housing
Dormitory
Languages Taught In
English
Program Eligibility
Student Type
UofM Students
Student Year
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
GPA
3.0
Photos
About
Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, is a lively place to live and study. There is excellent shopping, nightlife, museums, parks and galleries. Glasgow is a friendly and welcoming multicultural city, recently voted "politest city in the UK."
Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow consistently ranks as one of the UK's most highly-rated schools. The university is host to more than 20,000 students from over 100 countries and offers an exceptional breadth of academic choice across the physical and life sciences, social sciences and the humanities.
Started in 2014, the University of Glasgow's International Summer School offers a wide range of classes, and hosts dozens of US and international students each June and July.
Program Model
Housing & Meals
For the summer program, you are housed in university flats. Accommodation in your own room is included. Rooms are part of self-contained flats including well-equipped kitchen and laundry facilities. Normally 4–5 other students will share the flat.
The flats are located in the University’s Student accommodation, which is within easy walking distance of both the main campus where classes will take place, and of the renowned West End of Glasgow.
Excursions
In addition to some summer modules containing built-in excursions, the University of Glasgow arranges a number of social activities during the summer program.
Accessibility
If you have a disability and plan to study abroad, visit our Accessibility Abroad page to learn about considerations, answer questions, and request accommodations before you go abroad.
Learning Outcomes
Studying at the University of Glasgow will:
- augment your cross-cultural understanding through interaction with British and international students and community members;
- gain appreciation of the academic culture of the UK and differences between the British and US educational systems through direct enrollment;
- gain awareness and appreciation of British culture through dorm-style placements with British students, as well as access to a wide range of student organizations and clubs;
- become more self-reliant through the experience of obtaining enrollment, housing, catering, and transportation independently;
- become more effective at navigating differences by spending 4–10 months of full integration in a foreign academic, cultural, and political climate;
- and experience British and international perspectives on academic disciplines through direct enrollment at the British host university.
Faculty & Staff
Faculty and staff at the University of Glasgow are some of the best in the UK. The university is a member of the Russell Group—an academic honor reserved for only the top British universities, and International Office staff assist students with all questions related to immigration, housing, academic registration, and campus life.
Program Structure
Program Level
3000 level courses
Courseload
4–8 credits
Note: it is not possible to do a Summer course and a research project concurrently due to how time intensive the research projects are.
Most classes are based at the University of Glasgow's main campus in the west end of the city, and most feature academic excursions to various parts of Scotland.
For complete information on modules available, excursions and activities, dates and credits, visit the University of Glasgow's main International Summer School page.
Coursework
The International Summer School at the University of Glasgow offers a number of different academic modules and credit-bearing research placements to choose from.
The University of Glasgow International Summer School uses the Scottish credit scheme. The University of Minnesota converts Scottish credits at a 4:1 ratio (ex: 10 Scottish cr = 2.5 UofM cr).
Research Track
Be placed in a research project overseen by faculty researchers at the University of Glasgow. Available placements for this 6 credit 6-week program are in the following subject areas:
Global Identity
Global Identity: Connecting Your International Experience with Your Future is an optional 1-credit online course that helps you process your international experience and apply what you've learned upon your return. Global Identity gives you the opportunity to work individually with a trained cultural mentor, helping you articulate your newly acquired skills and differentiating you from your peers.
To access more information about the course, visit the Global Identity Course Information page.
Research Track
You should expect to be in lab-conducted research-related activities and independent study, Monday–Friday, 8 hours per day. There will be a weekly interdisciplinary research seminar. All projects will offer substantial opportunity for independent investigation. All research projects are awarded 6 credits. Review eligibility for each research area at the links to the University of Glasgow's International Summer School Research Program below.
- Archaeology
- Celtic & Gaelic
- Chemistry
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- History
- Information Studies
- Life Sciences
- Philosophy
- Psychology
Research track students are eligible and encouraged to apply for the I-UROP Scholarship.
Full Course list
Fantastic Texts and Where to Find Them: Approaching Fantasy Literature
Terms
-
Summer I
3.75 Credits
This course will introduce you to fantasy and the fantastic, often defined as the "literature of the impossible". We will survey key texts across different media (e.g. by J.R.R. Tolkien and Ursula K. Le Guin, as well as cinematic and TV fantasy), while exploring critical approaches and recent theoretical debates. You will also have an opportunity to try your hand at writing fantasy in a Creative Writing workshop.
Language Taught In
- English
Fulfills Liberal Education Requirement
-
Literature
Forensic Psychology
Terms
-
Summer I
2.5 Credits
Forensic psychology applies psychological theory to understanding crime, policing, criminal justice, and rehabilitation. In this two-week course, you will explore the origins of forensic psychology within the context of psychology as a whole, as well as learn about key theories and methodologies within the field. You will also have the opportunity to take part in practical activities in class, such as detecting deception and criminal profiling.
As part of the course assessment, you will complete a case study report on a serial killer as well as complete a short essay discussing variable methodologies used in forensic psychology.
Language Taught In
- English
History of Christianity in Scotland
Terms
-
Summer II
3.75 Credits
Christianity has played a pivotal role in shaping Scotland from its arrival. This course explores these enigmatic origins and charts the history of Christianity in Scotland, the role of Medieval Catholicism in shaping and consolidating the medieval state, and the transformation of society through the Scottish Reformation and its role in shaping national identity. We will also study the diversification of Protestant traditions, the role of Scottish Christianity in British imperialism, the development of deeply rooted sectarianism, and the rapid and significant secularization of Scotland in the last fifty years.
The course represents a traditional Church History approach, shaped by recent developments in cultural and social history. For those interested in the history of Christianity in Scotland and its global significance, this three-week intensive summer school will provide a rich and broad overview.
Language Taught In
- English
Fulfills Liberal Education Requirement
-
Global Perspectives
-
Historical Perspectives
Writing the City: A Creative Writing Workshop on Urban Landscapes and the Literary Flâneur/Flâneuse
Terms
-
Summer I
2.5 Credits
In this course, we will contextualize the writer in the city by examining such concepts as the literary flâneuse as urban explorer and the poetics of place, as well as exploring some of the narratives of the built environment and the ways in which the wild takes root in the city. It is a chance to learn about the wider context of urban and experimental writing through seminars, workshops and the production of literary non-fiction, fiction, poetry, or hybrid work.
Glasgow is a vibrant creative city with a thriving artistic scene that embraces numerous forms and disciplines – especially writing. It is also a city with incredible built heritage, including medieval houses from the 15th century, an atmospheric Victorian necropolis, enough parks to earn it the literary nickname ‘the dear green place’, hidden murals by Alasdair Gray, and the stunning Gothic university at which this course is based. The Creative Writing program at University of Glasgow is the oldest and most prestigious in Scotland, with a strong ethos of encouraging a supportive community of writers and an openness to form and genre.
Language Taught In
- English
Fulfills Liberal Education Requirement
-
Global Perspectives
-
Writing Intensive
Program Dates
Submit the online application and complete the assigned application checklist according to the appropriate deadline:
| Term | Program Dates | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2026 Course Track | June 18–mid July; exact dates vary by course* | Apr 1, 2026 |
| Summer 2026 Research Track | June 18–July 31 | March 1, 2026 |
*For precise program dates, visit University of Glasgow's Summer School website.
Program dates are subject to change. Contact the LAC for verification of dates before purchasing your airfare.
Orientation Dates & Locations
The Learning Abroad Center provides pre-departure orientation in preparation for your time abroad. It is your responsibility to know the information shared at these orientations.
Orientation consists of several sessions, all of which are created to support your preparation to go abroad:
- Online Health & Safety Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory.
- LAC Program Orientation: Program-specific and important UofM registration information will be covered (academic registration, finances, arrival, housing etc.). Details will be sent to you via email.
The Learning Abroad Center also offers 2 optional orientations:
Fees
Summer 2025 Cost of Participation
University of Minnesota participants pay the program fee instead of on-campus tuition and fees for the term they are abroad.
If you do not see a budget estimate for the term you intend to go abroad, the fee has not yet been finalized. We strive to post fees for this program at least 30 days prior to the application deadline. The Learning Abroad Center will delay the posting of some fees until enrollments, inflation, and exchange rates are determined. Note the average increase in fees will be 3–10%. Program fees are based on estimates and may change depending on international economic factors.
Fees or tuition from home institutions may be added to or differ from the University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center fees listed on this page.
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
Bridging Loan
Bridging Loan, a no-interest/no-fees loan that funds the confirmation deposit and/or flights cost, is available for this program for eligible students going abroad during an eligible term.
Cancellation Policy
Before you apply to or confirm your participation on this program, review the Learning Abroad Center's Cancellation Policy to inform yourself of the timeline and financial obligations for canceling.
Summer 2025
Session I
| Session I | Billed Cost (deposit, tuition, international insurance) | Estimated Non-Billed Costs (flight, passport, housing, meals, etc) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing in the City | $2,705 | $3,400* |
| Fantastic Texts and Where to Find Them | $4,100 | $3,810* |
| Forensic Psychology | $4,100 | $3,810* |
| Transforming Lives Through Education | $4,100 | $3,810* |
| History of Christianity in Scotland | $6,310 | $4,625* |
| Theatre in Scotland | $6,310 | $4,625* |
Summer Research
| Summer Research | Billed Cost (deposit, tuition, international insurance) | Estimated Non-Billed Costs (flight, passport, housing, meals, etc) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, Chemistry, or History | $6,850 | $5,440* |
*Lodging is paid directly to the University of Glasgow and out-of-pocket estimates are made based on roughly $150 per week (meals & spending money), $2,000 airfare, and an additional $750 per term for incidental expenses and $165 for passport services.
Reach out to Molly Green at [email protected] for more information regarding program costs.
Prepare
Complete pre-application advising.
Apply
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
Upon submitting the online application, you will be assigned an application checklist that includes:
Submit to University of Glasgow:
- University of Glasgow Application
Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.
After You Apply
Before your program begins, review these resources.
Health & Safety
Learn more about staying healthy and safe abroad, including mental health and wellness, international travel insurance, and safety precautions.
Power of Attorney
Consider designating someone as your power of attorney to act as your legal representative while you’re abroad.
Student Identity
Consult our resources on student identities as you prepare for your abroad experience.
Travel Resources
Ready to go abroad? Our travel resources will help you pack and learn what to expect.
Program Contact
For further information or questions about this program, send an email to
Molly Green at [email protected],
or call at
612.625.6076.
Contact Program Alum
Below is a list of additional students who participated in past program sessions. They are ready and willing to answer your questions about this program. Feel free to contact them during your decision-making process or anytime during your pre-departure preparation to get a student perspective.
Summer 2024
- Ashley M.—History major