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Important Dates

Program Dates: Spring Break 2027 - March 14 - 21, 2027

Application Deadline: November 15, 2026

Deadline to Commit to the Program: November 22, 2026

Withdrawal Deadline: November 22, 2026

Final Program Fee Deadline: The program fee will be billed to your �Ը������� student account. The program fee deadline will be in accordance with the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center's Spring 2027 payment due dates. You should refer to the first Spring 2027 due date.

• Must be 18 years of age or older by the start of the program abroad
• All majors can participate.
• Minimum 2.0 GPA.

Course Information

Course Name and CRN: POL 40995 The Politics of London Law and Courts

Number of Credit Hours: 3

KSU Sponsoring College: College of Sciences and Humanities

Course Description:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

1.   Evaluate the similarities and differences between political systems in America and England within their respective cultural milieus.

2.   Understand political jurisprudence and legal theories relating to law, courts and justice in American and British adversarial legal systems.

3.   Compare the political significance of the U.S. and English trial court processes in regard to civil and criminal litigation.

4.   Distinguish between legal professions in the U.S. and U.K., and how each delivers justice in common law systems.

5.   Analyze the nature and application of constitutional law and judicial review in the context of the appellate jurisprudence of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.K. Supreme Court.

6.   Comprehend the role of law and courts and their underlying salience to the global legal order.

Faculty Contact Information

Name: Professor Christopher P. Banks

Email: cbanks6@kent.edu

Phone: 330-672-0908

This program is designed to take place over Spring Break.

Below is a tentative itinerary; however, the exact sequence and sites are subject to changes in availability and cost.

Day 1:

• Traveling to London, England

Day 2:

• Welcome to London! This world capital has been among the finest cities on earth for centuries, and today's London is as deep as it is broad. Whether you are seeking urban bustle or a lush park, ancient history or modern art, fish and chips or tikka masala, you'll find the best of the best here in London.
• Thames River Cruise: Take a leisurely cruise along the River Thames. Our cruise starts in London's city center and ends in Greenwich. Enjoy sightseeing as we pass by London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern Museum, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Canary Wharf, and more. 

Day 3:

• Westminster Walking Tour: Explore the Westminster area of London with your Blue Badge Guide as you learn about many of London's most iconic sites including St. James's Palace, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing St, the Churchill War Rooms, and more.
• Westminster Abbey & Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries: Participate in a guided tour of one of the world's greatest churches. Westminster Abbey has been used as the site for all coronations since 1066 and has been the location for several weddings of the British royal family. The Abbey also serves as the final resting place of seventeen monarchs and thousands of others, including Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Darwin, and Sir Isaac Newton. Continue your guided tour by climbing the Weston Tower to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries. High above the Abbey floor, the Galleries in the beautiful 13th century triforium display our greatest treasures and tell the story of our thousand-year history.

Day 4:

• London Legal Walk with Criminal Defense Lawyer: Enjoy a 3.5-hour tour of London’s legal hotspots. Meet your lawyer guide and discover where London's lawyers meet to discuss cases and sit in on an actual court case as it’s being heard. Visit the Old Bailey, perhaps the most famous courtroom in the world. The Crown Court and The Old Bailey (The Crown Court deals with the most serious criminal cases and includes the Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey). Westminster Magistrate’s Court (Located on Marylebone Road, the Senior District Judge of England and Wales presides over the court, including all extradition and terrorism-related cases). You'll also visit the British Law Society, pausing for a tea/coffee break in their magnificent building. Go through the Inns of Court, passing the spot where former Prime Minister Tony Blair had his cloisters (law offices) prior to entering politics. Walk through the lovely Temple Gardens and visit the Temple Church.
• Bow Street Police Museum

Day 5:

• Supreme Court of the UK: You will be shown around the beautiful courtrooms as well as the magnificent Justices' Library. The tour will give you an introduction to the Court's role in the UK justice system, explain about the history and artwork of the building, give interesting examples of cases heard by the Court. Where possible the tour will include all three of the courtrooms but, in the event that one of them needs to be used for an urgent court matter or event, the tour route might be amended slightly, whilst still covering all the same subject matter.
• Royal Courts of Justice: Enjoy a tour of the Royal courts of Justice where you will see the legal costume exhibition and continue to Court four (if space permits it), where the Lord Chief Justice sits. Here you can listen to a criminal appeal.

Day 6:

• Cambridge Tour, Including Kings College
• Fitzwilliam Museum

Day 7:

• Houses of Parliament Guided Tour
• Visit the Burrough Market for lunch
• Farewell Dinner

Day 9:

• Return to Ohio

London, United Kingdom

The United Kingdom consists of the countries of England, Scotland, Wales (which together make up Great Britain) and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is a separate country and is part of the European Union.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Each of the countries within the UK has a distinct culture and a fierce sense of national pride. Although the English pound is the most common currency in circulation, banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland also issue currency in the same denominations, which look similar and mainly circulate within their respective countries. English, Scottish and Northern Irish pound notes are equal in value. Keep in mind that if you plan to travel to the Republic of Ireland, the Euro is their official currency.

As the U.K.’s capital, London is where history meets modernity, with traditions from thousands of years ago to dynamic startups and global firms. As far as sights and activities go, you can spend years living there and still never see it all. On your study abroad trip to London, try to pack in as much as you can – museums, galleries, theater, iconic landmarks, street markets, pubs, trendy cafes – your only limitation is hours in the day!

Transportation

Coach transportation and a weekly public transportation pass (zones 1-2) are included in the program fee.

Airports

Students will travel between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) on a group flight. 

The cost for accommodation is included in the program fee. Students will stay in double-occupancy hotel rooms, with wireless internet included.

Breakfast each day plus a welcome and farewell dinner are included in the program fee. Students will receive a stipend for other meals.