Academics
London CGS Program in the Natural Sciences      London CGS Program in the Humanities

London CGS Program in the Natural Sciences

Great Britain —and particularly London—has played a key role in the lives of scientists, from Newton to Darwin, who developed many of the major concepts that allow us to understand our natural world. The Prime Meridian, the electron, the nuclear model of the atom, gravity, evolution, and modern physical geology represent just a few of the significant contributions made by English scientists to our understanding of the natural world.

Students enroll in the following two courses which fulfill the CGS natural science requirement: CGS NS 299 The Historical Foundation of the Physical Sciences: Time, Motion and Matter, and CGS NS 300 The Historical Foundation of the Biological Sciences: Diversity, Taxonomy, and Evolution. These courses provide a knowledge in the sciences. Museums and historical sites in and around London complement the coursework. Upon successful completion of the program students earn eight Boston University credits.

The two courses in this track will replace the spring freshman natural science requirement (NS 102) and the fall sophomore natural science requirement (NS 201).

Courses

Please note: Syllabi are for course approval and reference only. Students will receive up-to-date syllabi when their courses begin.

CGS NS 299 The Historical Foundation of the Physical Sciences: Time, Motion and Matter
This course examines the development of our understanding of time, motion and matter. The course begins with a review of historical observational astronomy concentrating on observations of motion and the use of astronomical data by ancient civilizations. Additional topics covered include the concept of longitude and time keeping, Newtonian mechanics, the structure of matter, and an introduction to structural geology. The course will include lectures, discussions of readings, museum visits, computer-assisted laboratory assignments, and fieldwork. Visits may include Stonehenge, Avebury, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Geological Society of London, Cambridge and Oxford Universities, and the Bath area. Syllabus

CGS NS 300 The Historical Foundation of the Biological Sciences: Diversity, Taxonomy and Evolution
This course examines the historical development of the Darwinian Revolution in biology. The course will initially examine pioneering work in taxonomy conducted by John Ray and Carolus Linnaeus. Linnaeus, although a Swedish botanist, was a phenomenon in England in the 1700s, and he stimulated British scientists to actively document the biological diversity that was being discovered throughout the world. The cataloging of biological diversity was enhanced by and also stimulated the growth and development of the British Empire. The ideas developed from taxonomy will support the exploration of Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection. The course will consist of lectures, discussions of readings, museum visits, and fieldwork. Visits may include Kew Gardens, the Chelsea Physic Garden, Cambridge and Oxford Universities, the Museum of Natural History, and Down House (Darwin’s home). Syllabus

London CGS Program in the Humanities

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”—Samuel Johnson

“London itself perpetually attracts, stimulates, gives me a play & a story & a poem without any trouble, save that of moving my legs through the streets.” Virginia Woolf

What better place to study literature, visual arts and philosophy than London, home to countless famous authors, artists and philosophers from Shakespeare to Hobbes, from Blake to Byron, from Dickens to Barrett Browning, from Marx to Mill, from Turner to Tennyson, from Wilde to Woolf to the cutting-edge artists and playwrights just emerging today. Famous Londoners have been shaping arts and philosophy for centuries, and studying their works in their original settings will bring them to life for students.

Students enroll in two courses: CGS HU 102 Breaks with Traditional in the Humanities and CGS HU 201 Western Ethical Philosophy I. These courses focus on how humanities reflect and affect the social, political and scientific contexts in which they are produced. Museums, parks, famous homes and theaters of London and surrounding areas complement the coursework. Upon successful completion of the program students earn eight Boston University credits.

Courses

These two courses will replace the humanities course required in spring semester of freshman year (HU 102) and in fall semester of sophomore year (HU 201).

Please note: Syllabi are for course approval and reference only. Students will receive up-to-date syllabi when their courses begin.

CGS HU 102 Breaks with Tradition in the Humanities
This course focuses on literature and art from Romanticism (the late 18th century) to the present, emphasizing thematic and structural breaks from artistic conventions of the past. Readings will include poems, short fiction, and plays and trips will be taken to some of the following sites: Westminster Abbey, the Tate Britain and The Tate Modern Galleries, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London theaters, London parks, Oxford University, and authors’ homes.

CGS HU 201 Western Ethical Philosophy I
This course traces the development of western ethical philosophy from Socrates (5th century Athens) to Nietzsche (19th century Europe). Students read key philosophic texts (complete works and excerpts) and apply ethical constructs to present day situations. Trips will be taken to some of the following sites: British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Westminster Abbey, the Tate Britain, and London theaters. Syllabus

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Faculty

Peter Busher, Professor and Chair, Division of Natural Science, College of General Studies, Boston University. Professor Busher has a PhD from the University of Nevada and is trained as a biologist with a research specialization in the behavioral ecology of mammals. Professor Busher has an active research program examining the population dynamics of beavers and is involved in beaver conservation issues at the international level. He has developed and taught courses on the history of evolutionary theory and general biology and has an interest in the connection between the development of geological knowledge and the development of modern evolutionary theory. Professor Busher is the Director of the London Summer Natural Sciences Program and co-teaches with faculty members assigned from the CGS Natural Science Division.

Natalie McKnight, Associate Professor and Chair of the Humanities Division, College of General Studies, is overall coordinator in Boston for the summer London Humanities Program. Students should direct any questions about these course to her.

The summer humanities courses will be taught by a visiting CGS faculty member and a faculty member from Boston University’s British Programs.

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