
Yes, I'm Still in School
Admist the incredible adventure that is studying abroad, it is sometimes hard to remember that I still am taking a full course load. While my class schedule is very different than at Dartmouth (I only have class on Wednesday and Thursday), my courses are just as interesting. I am taking three classes. One is taught by a Dartmouth faculty member, Professor Singh, who is leading our study abroad trip. The other two classes are taught by faculty at the University of Edinburgh's divinity school. Here's a little more about each course.
- No. 1
Religion and the Rise of Capitalism
This is my class that is taught by Professor Singh. We meet once a week for three hours and during this time we participate in student-led discussions about our readings and lecture content. Our main topic of discussion revolves around the two broad ideas of "religion" and "capitalism." We are learning about if, and how, these ideas have affected each other in the development of the Western world. I really like this class because it is again showing me how incredibly vast the field of religion is and that when studying religion, I also learn about government, history, and economics.
- No. 2
Field-Work in the Study of Religion
Ok...so this class is so neat! For the first four weeks of the semester, we meet for a lecture from our professor about conducting field-work. The last 6 weeks of the semester allow for us to conduct field-work in a place of worship in Edinburgh. Through observation, interviews and participation, we will create a final project (that will also act as our final exam!) to present to the rest of our class. I elected to take this course because I thought it would be a great way to explore and learn more about the city of Edinburgh and the people who live here.
- No. 3
Continental Europe: Reformations
During sophomore fall, I took a class called "Protestant Reformations" and absolutely loved it. When I saw that I was able to take another class on the Reformation, I jumped on the opportunity. This is another discussion-based class, and I really enjoyed learning from my peers. We are tracing the origins of the Reformation in Europe through its development. In this class we are writing one major paper and will have a final exam. Two other Dartmouth students are taking this class with me as well.