Quench your thirst for knowledge by studying at one of the world’s most famous universities while you experience Oxford as a student. This two-week lifelong education abroad program takes you on a rare adventure to Oxford, England – “City of Dreaming Spires” – and to the University of Oxford, famous as a great center of learning since the 12th century.
Two Weeks of Lifelong Education Abroad University of Oxford, England
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AUGUST 18 - 31, 2024
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Imagine yourself in a world where whispers of great thinkers envelop you. Imagine learning from tutors in an intimate classroom setting. Imagine being a part of an exclusive group who experience the magic of a storied English university first hand.
This is the MSU Alumni Office Odyssey to Oxford experience.
From Aug. 18 – 31, 2024 we’ll host our most popular lifelong education abroad program, now in it’s 39th year, and I invite you to be a part of it. Immersing yourself in the majesty of England while expanding your mind is something that every Spartan should experience. This year, we again have some outstanding programming – we’ll trace the development of the gothic novel and consider why we remain fascinated with the forbidden; examine why the political history of Great Britain is intimately connected to its monarchy by looking at both individual rulers and the institution of monarchy; delve into the life of one of the most powerful and influential men in England, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey; and explore the world of the 18th century country house through its architecture, interior decoration and people who designed and lived in them. I hope you’ll consider joining us in Oxford for what promises to be another incredible year. Don’t wait too long to decide, though, as this program fills quickly. The application opens Feb. 15, 2024 and you’ll find details regarding it in this brochure.
With regards,
Elizabeth Wheeler Director of Alumni Events and Programs
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Odyssey to Oxford
Odyssey to Oxford is a two-week lifelong education abroad program that takes you on a rare adventure to Oxford — “City of Dreaming Spires” — and to the University of Oxford, famous as a great center of learning since the 12th century. This is truly a unique educational opportunity. Participants enroll in one noncredit course of study taught by an Oxford tutor and enjoy the relaxed but intellectually stimulating atmosphere of small courses and course-related excursions. A typical day’s schedule includes classes in the morning with free time or excursions in the afternoon. The course-related excursions are planned by the program tutors to enhance the curriculum and are available only to those enrolled in the course — participants cannot attend another course of study’s course excursion. Additionally, there are several group excursions planned for all participants. We’ll travel to Stratford-upon-Avon. More than 800 years old and steeped in culture and history, it’s the birthplace of William Shakespeare. We’ll enjoy dinner and a performance of one of Shakespeare’s plays at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. A second group excursion takes us to Warwickshire. We’ll visit Charlecote Park, a grand 16th-century country house on the river Avon and surrounded by its own deer park. The Lucy family has owned the land since 1247 and Charlecote Park was originally built in 1558 in the Tudor style. The lands immediately adjoining the house were further landscaped by Capability Brown in about 1760, which resulted in Charlecote becoming a hostelry destination for notable tourists, including Washington Irving,
Sir Walter Scott and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The house interior is largely Victorian, the vision of the George Hammond Lucy and his wife, the formidable Mary Elizabeth, who extended their home and filled it with treasures from their European travels. Visitors can also go “below stairs” to see what life was like for the servants who kept Charlecote running. On our way back from Charlecote, we’ll stop at Hook Norton Brewery. Founded in 1849, the brewing plant is a traditional Victorian “tower” brewery in which all the stages of the brewing process flow logically from floor to floor. We take a brewery tour and conclude with a tutored tasting. There is also an optional tour to the Oxford Artisan Distillery, which is the first certified organic “grain-to-glass” distillery in the U.K. Hear how a chance encounter with an Oxford-based archaeobotanist led to this distillery being the only one in the world to use sustainably-farmed populations of ancient heritage grains to produce their full range of spirts. During a behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll learn how their award-winning vodka, gin and rye whisky is made and have the opportunity to taste some spirits. Even if you’re a teetotaler, you’ll likely appreciate the story of this local Oxford business.
A highlight of our second week is a reception and dinner at Corpus Christi College. Corpus was founded in 1517 by Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester and a trusted diplomatic and political advisor to kings Henry VII and Henry VIII. Although located in the center of Oxford, it’s tucked away from the hustle and noise of the city’s main streets, overlooking Christ Church Meadow towards the river Isis. Fellows include religious reformer John Keble and art critic John Ruskin, but perhaps the most famous feature of Corpus Christi is the gilded statue of a “pelican in piety.” Additionally, each of the program tutors presents an open lecture. Evenings after dinner permit you time on your own to explore Oxford. Or you might choose to partake in impromptu trivia nights and movie nights with other participants. The city of Oxford is rich with cultural and leisure activities, offering a variety of museums, bookstores, theaters, restaurants, pubs, shops and natural settings to visit. Free time during the two-week program offers participants many opportunities to explore Oxford and the university’s 38 colleges, home to gifted individuals such as Walter Raleigh, Christopher Wren, William Penn, Edmund Halley, Cecil Rhodes, T.E. Lawrence, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Sayers, Charles Dodgson, Jonathan Swift, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Aldous Huxley, William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, John Ruskin, William Fulbright, Richard Burton, Dudley Moore, Hugh Grant, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.
Odyssey to Oxford was the first noncredit, alumni residential program at Oxford and a forerunner of alumni travel-study programs throughout the nation. More than 400 MSU alumni and friends have journeyed to Oxford to study at the oldest university in the English-speaking world and arguably the most prestigious worldwide. Today, Odyssey to Oxford is one of MSU’s most noteworthy lifelong education programs and we invite you to join us for a memorable experience in 2024 and take your place in history.
“I wonder if anybody does anything at Oxford but dream and remember, the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all like an opera.”
“This Oxford, I have no doubt is the finest City in the world.”
— JOHN KEATS
— WB YEATS
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COURSE DESCRIPTION King Charles III can trace his lineage back to Cerdic, founder of the Kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century, more certainly to Ecgbert, grandfather of Alfred the Great. The political history of Great Britain is intimately connected to its monarchy and its monarchs include some of the most celebrated figures of their times. Who does not instantly recognize Henry VIII, Charles II or Queen Victoria? William III is the hero of ardent Ulster Unionists. George III is the bogeyman of the American Revolution. Even today, government is carried on and justice administered in the name of the monarch, and members of the Armed Forces swear allegiance to the reigning monarch and his or her heirs and successors. This course looks at both individual rulers and the institution of monarchy as it evolved from the warrior chieftains of Cerdic’s time to the public service monarchy personified by Queen Elizabeth II, via figures such as Alfred, King John, Edward I and Mary Queen of Scots.
COURSE DESCRIPTION The 18th century gothic movement was a reaction to Enlightenment rationality and the violence and terror of the French Revolution. Its conventions included aristocratic villains, persecuted maidens, the supernatural and the theme of imprisonment. A transgressive sub-genre of the novel, it evolved in the Victorian age to reflect concerns about religion, race, gender, imperialism and cultural degeneration. In this course, we’ll trace its development from Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto,” to Stoker’s presentation of fin-de-siècle anxiety in “Dracula,” covering Radcliffe’s influential novel of ‘sublimity’, “A Sicilian Romance,” Shelley’s groundbreaking “Frankenstein,” and Brontë’s domestic re-imagining of gothic romance in “Jane Eyre.” Why do we remain fascinated with the forbidden? Enjoy being terrified? Is terror the same as horror and why did Romantic poets Coleridge, Byron and Shelley view the former as such a rich source of inspiration? Why does the Gothic genre refuse to die? The 18th- and 19th-Century Gothic Novel: Prohibition and Transgression
Participants will receive a suggested reading list for this course prior to the program.
COURSE EXCURSION Enrolled participants will experience a full day at Windsor Castle.
TUTOR Ann Lyon has been passionate about history as long as she can remember, though she spent 25 years lecturing in law, particularly British constitutional law. In recent years, she has taught courses in British constitutional history. She is the author of a number of books and articles on constitutional issues, particularly the monarchy and several historical novels published under a pseudonym.
Participants will receive a suggested reading list for this course prior to the program.
COURSE EXCURSION Enrolled participants will experience a full day at Strawberry Hill House.
TUTOR Dr. Emma Plaskitt is a graduate of Merton College, Oxford, where she wrote her doctoral thesis on 18th century fiction. She has taught English literature 1640–1901 for various Oxford colleges as well as Oxford University’s Continuing Education summer programmes. Having worked for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, where she was responsible for writing many articles on 18th- and 19th-century women writers, she now focuses on teaching for the SCIO Study Abroad Programme based at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford and for Stanford University. Though a specialist in the literature of the 18th century, her research interests include the Victorian novel — particularly the gothic novel and novel of sensation.
Fifteen Centuries of British Monarchy
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COURSE DESCRIPTION The 18th century was the great age of the English country house. It was the age of Robert Adam, of Thomas Chippendale and of Capability Brown. It was also the age of the Grand Tour, of collecting and of manufacturing and trading revolutions. In this course, we’ll survey changing architectural styles and developments in furnishings and interior decoration. We’ll also explore some of the art that adorned the rooms of the country house and view the gardens and landscapes that extended from them. Along the way, we’ll discover a fine cast of characters, including owners, architects, designers and craftsmen, all of whom have fascinating stories to tell. This is a course about style and elegance – with some splendid English eccentrics thrown in along the way.
COURSE DESCRIPTION In November 1530, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey died in disgrace at Leicester Abbey, a dramatic fall for someone who had once been one of the most powerful and influential men in England. Wolsey was very significant in the early development of Henry VIII’s kingship and one cannot understand Henry without Wolsey. The course considers the early life and career of Wolsey before discussing the nature of his relationship with Henry VIII. We’ll look at Wolsey’s dominance over the Tudor state and church and his marked influence in the foreign policy of that state. We’ll review the wealth, the opportunities and, ultimately, the insoluble problems which that dominance brought him, together with his artistic and educational patronage. We’ll conclude with a discussion of the reasons for his fall from power, the events that followed during the last year of his life, and his significance in English history. The Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey: England’s Renaissance Cardinal
Participants will receive a suggested reading list for this course prior to the program.
COURSE EXCURSION Enrolled participants wil experience a full day at Blenheim Palace and Rousham Gardens.
TUTOR Dr. Gillian White began her career at the Warwickshire Museum and then worked for the National Trust as curator/collections manager at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, about which she then wrote her Ph.D. Since then, she taught part-time at Leicester University for several years in the Centre for the Study of the Country House and continues to teach history of art history in the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, as well as freelance lecturing.
Participants will receive a suggested reading list for this course prior to the program.
COURSE EXCURSION Enrolled participants will experience a full day at Hampton Court Palace.
TUTOR Dr. Glenn Richardson is a professor of early modern history at St Mary’s University, Twickenham in London. He is the author of several books on Renaissance monarchs and on late-medieval and Renaissance international relations. His most recent book was “Wolsey” and he is currently working on a biography of Francis I of France, as well as a book on the battle of Pavia in 1525. He has taught many Oxford University Department for Continuing Education courses on aspects of the Renaissance and the monarchies of England, France and related topics.
The World of the 18th Century Country House
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Fees and Application
WHAT’S INCLUDED · Tuition for course of study
APPLICATION Application opens Feb. 15, 2024 at 10 a.m. ET. Online application is strongly preferred. To apply online, go to go.msu.edu/OTO-24. If you do not have access to a computer, you can apply by mail. To apply by mail, send a completed application form which is available by contacting Elizabeth Wheeler at (517) 884-2106. The submission of an application does not guarantee a spot in the program. This is a popular program that frequently sells out. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Mail-in applications do not receive any preference and they are processed/opened beginning Feb. 15 when the application officially opens. When you apply, be sure to select both a first choice and a second choice for your course of study. We will review applications as they are received and will contact you within three business days of your submission to let you know if your selected course of study and requested accommodations are available. A $500 per person deposit is required to secure your place in the program and will be due shortly after we confirm your course of study and requested accommodations with you. We will provide you with information to pay your deposit — for applications done online, we will send you instructions to pay with a credit card, and if you applied by mail, we will provide you with information to pay by check. The balance of the fee is due by May 15, 2024 and we’ll send you a statement in regards to this as the date approaches. All online transactions are handled through the university’s secure, PCI-compliant server. We cannot accept credit card information over the phone for this program.
· Accommodations at Rewley House for 13 nights · All meals but two — lunch and dinner Aug. 24 · Coffee/tea breaks · Welcome reception and dinner · Reception and dinner at Corpus Christi College · Closing reception and dinner · Four evening lectures by the program tutors · Guided walking tour of Oxford · Course-related excursion · Group excursions to Stratford-upon-Avon and Charlecote Park and Hook Norton Brewery · Optional group excursion to the Oxford Artisan Distillery · Bus transportation to Heathrow Airport Aug. 31 TUITION, EXCURSIONS ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS $7,125.00 per person, based on double occupancy
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT $680.00
O PTIONAL EARLY ARRIVAL $110.00 check in at Rewley House Aug. 17. This includes breakfast Aug. 18.
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Terms and Conditions
ELIGIBILTY The program is open to adults, both alumni and friends, of Michigan State University. PROGRAM ACCOMMODATION AND REQUIREMENTS We strive to treat all participants fairly and equally and keep everyone safe while enjoying the program. To fully benefit from this experience, participants must be able to keep pace with the group. This program will be challenging for anyone who has difficulty walking, other mobility issues, visual impairments, some pulmonary or cardiovascular conditions. Excursions involve walking that may range, over time, from one to three miles, less than half an hour to a couple of hours and may necessitate walking on uneven, steep or hilly ground, uphill terrain, unpaved surfaces or climbing steep and narrow stairs. England is not ADA accessible to the extent that the United States is—ramps and elevators are not common and walking to a destination is often required. Oxford’s historic city center has many cobblestone streets and walkways and the age and layout of many buildings in Oxford can make them challenging to traverse as well. All participants should also be prepared to abide by all required safety protocols at their origin, destination and any points of transit, whatever these protocols may be at the time of the program and whether related to safety and/ or illness. Participants should also be prepared
to abide by all recommended safety protocols if it becomes necessary to ensure the health and safety of themselves and/or other program participants. The MSU Alumni Office reserves the right to decline to accept or dismiss any participant from the program should their physical or mental condition, action or attitude pose a potential threat to the person, impede the operation of the program or infringe on the rights, welfare or enjoyment of the program for other participants. The MSU Alumni Office and Oxford cannot provide any ongoing assistance to participants. Any requested accommodation and/or physical or mental condition that may require special assistance or medical attention must be reported in writing at the time of application. Requested accommodation must be approved prior to travel and the MSU Alumni Office and Oxford cannot accept responsibility for any participant who does not communicate such requests prior to the program. This will ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the program for all participants. Any requested accommodation and/or physical or mental condition will be kept confidential and shared only with relevant MSU Alumni Office and Oxford staff to ensure that the requests are met to the best of our ability. The well-being of participants is our highest priority. We respectfully request that prospective participants honestly consider the physical requirements and whether this program is a
good fit for them. Prospective participants should also carefully consider their own health, including whether they are at increased risk for illness, and assess their personal risk tolerance. If there are any questions, we encourage prospective participants to contact the MSU Alumni Office prior to applying for the program. ACCOMMODATIONS Participants stay in Rewley House, the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education residential center, which is located in the heart of historic Oxford. Rewley House offers twin rooms with private bathrooms attached, telephone, coffee/tea kettle, hair dryer, color television and wi-fi. Rewley House also has its own dining room, reading/library room, lecture rooms, common room and bar, computer room and laundry facilities. Accommodations are similar to those of a college or university. This is not a hotel, so the amenities associated with a hotel are not always available and rooms are small and a bit spare. Many rooms are on higher floors—as many as four—and are accessible by stairs, or a combination of stairs and elevator. Participants are required to stay in Rewley House for the duration of the program and should not plan to stay elsewhere in Oxford. The location and fellowship among participants more than compensate for any lack of luxuries. The MSU Alumni Office does not arrange roommates for solo participants. If you are a solo participant and are interested in sharing a room, we will inquire of the other participants,
but this is not a guarantee that a roommate will be identified and you should be prepared to pay the single room supplement. If a roommate is identified, you take full responsibility for your choice and the MSU Alumni Office is not liable for any costs or complications arising from an unpleasant roommate situation. FLIGHT ARRANGEMENTS Participants are responsible for making their own flight arrangements as well as transportation from Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport to Oxford upon arrival. Information on bus and train transportation and schedules will be provided in advance. Bus transportation from Rewley House to Heathrow Airport for return flights will be available Sept. 2 for flights departing no earlier than noon. Participants will be responsible for making their own transportation arrangements to Heathrow Airport for flights departing earlier than this, for any flights departing from Gatwick Airport or for other transportation options. CANCELLATION/REFUNDS Cancellations and requests for refunds must be received in writing by the MSU Alumni Office. Refunds will be made in accordance with the following per person cancellation penalties:
· Feb. 26 – March 29, 2024: $250 fee · March 30 – May 14, 2024: $500 fee
· Cancellations made after May 15, 2024 will result in forfeiture of the entire program cost. The MSU Alumni Office is not responsible for any fees incurred for cancelled flight
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Terms and Conditions .
arrangements. For your protection, we strongly recommend that participants purchase travel insurance. The MSU Alumni Office and the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education reserve the right to cancel the program prior to departure in which case a full refund will be given without further obligation on the part of the universities. No refund will be made for the unused portion of any part of the program. WAIT LIST If your course of study is full, we will be maintaining a waiting list in the event of a cancelation. If space becomes available, you will be notified. No deposit is required.
trip payment/deposit is received. The MSU Alumni Office is affiliated with USI Affinity Travel and information on their services is available at select.travelinsure.com. USI also offers a “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage should you want to cancel for reasons related to terrorist or pandemic activity. Additional costs and time- sensitive purchase apply. Participants are free to use their own company. The MSU Alumni Office cannot make recommendations as to the type of insurance that will be suitable for you. ITINERARY/PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS Itineraries and programs, as contained in this brochure, are subject to modification and change by the MSU Alumni Office and the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. We reserve the right to substitute accommodations of similar quality. Every effort will be made to carry out the program as planned. Participants who register for this program accept in full all of the conditions set forth. RESPONSIBILITY MSU, the MSU Alumni Office, the University of Oxford and the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, their respective employees, officers, agents, servants and representatives (henceforth referred to as MSUAO/OX) are acting only as agents for the Odyssey to Oxford travel and study program participants with respect to travel services and shall not be responsible or liable for changes of flight times, missed carrier connections, fare changes, dishonor of airline, housing or other reservations, cessation of operations, airline
in connection with any accommodations, restaurants, meals, transportation or other services, acts or defaults of any person or entity engaged in conveying participants or in carrying out other arrangements of the program. MSUAO/OX shall not be responsible or liable for damages, injuries, deaths, loss or damage of baggage, damage or injury to person or property, accidents, delays, inconveniences, cessation of operations, acts of God, acts or omissions of any person or entity engaged in conveying participants or carrying out any other arrangements in connection with the travel and study program, or any other event or occurrence beyond the control of MSUAO/OX. MSUAO/OX shall not be responsible or liable for losses or additional expenses incurred by any participant due to sickness, disease, quarantine, local laws, strike, civil/social/labor unrest, acts of terrorism, war, weather, acts of God or any other event, action or omission. By embarking upon their travel, the participant voluntarily assumes all risk involved in such travel, whether expected or unexpected. Participant is hereby warned of the above risks as well as possible travel industry bankruptcies and medical and climatic disruptions, and the possibility participant may be unable to travel as scheduled because of personal emergency. Participant is advised to obtain appropriate insurance coverage against these risks; information is available through the MSU Alumni Office regarding travel insurance.
Participant’s retention of tickets, reservations or booking after issuance shall constitute consent to the above and an agreement on their part to convey the contents hereto to their travel companions or group members. QUESTIONS Contact Elizabeth Wheeler at szufnar@msu.edu or (517) 884-2106.
TRAVEL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE
It is strongly recommended that participants purchase travel insurance that will cover trip cancellation/interruption, delays, baggage loss or damage, evacuation, medical emergencies or accidents incurred while traveling. Participants should also confirm that their medical insurance covers expenses while in England or arrange for alternative medical insurance. It’s suggested that participants review travel insurance options in advance of applying for the program. Many insurance companies suggest that you enroll as soon as you’ve booked your trip for maximum benefit and some plans feature time-sensitive benefits including “Cancel For Any Reason.” For many insurance companies, “booking” is considered the date your initial
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MSU ALUMNI OFFICE 535 CHESTNUT ROAD, ROOM 300 EAST LANSING, MI 48824
Application opens Feb. 15, 2024 Don’t delay in applying as course sizes are limited and the program fills quickly.
GO.MSU.EDU/OTO-24
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