summer school @ St John's

Each year in January, St John's College provides a rich offering of Summer Schools

This year was no exception. Just to whet your appetite for next year's program, here are some of the topics that were included in the St John's Summer School – 2008:

English 'Crims' and Characters, with study leader Peter Southgate, who spent thirty years in London studying crime and justice systems for the British government, published reports on many aspects of crime and policing and addressed audiences in Europe and the United States. He is now a Consultant at the University of Tasmania. A session on children as crime solvers was also presented by Gill Southgate who has a particular interest in children's literature. Gill taught at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, UK, until 1998.

Wonders of Ancient Egypt was richly illustrated with original texts to bring the Egyptian world to life. Study leader Michael O'Donoghue is a senior lecturer in Religion Studies and Education at the University of South Australia. He is also Honorary Research Associate in Egyptology at the South Australian Museum. As well as teaching about ancient Egyptian religion, he has taken ten study tours to Egypt. He has published articles on the Egyptian Column at the South Australian Museum and Egyptian 'Letters to the Dead'. He works with a small group of enthusiasts to translate hieroglyphic texts.

Making Crime Pay - Writing a Crime Novel. This course took a look at the essential qualities of a successful crime novel, with particular emphasis on character, plot and atmosphere, the three primary ingredients for any good story. Susan Moody and Janet Laurence, crime writers of high renown and with a wealth of experience, led this session, which was the perfect sequel to "English Crims and Characters". Susan Moody has written two crime series, as well as a number of suspense and other novels. She is a former President of the International Association of Crime Writers, a past Chairman of the UK Crime Writers' Association and a member of the prestigious Detection Club. Janet Laurence has also written two imaginative crime series, as well as a suspense and several general novels. She is also a past Chairman of the UK Crime Writers' Association and a member of the Detection Club. They have both run many courses on writing crime fiction and June 2007 saw the publication of Janet's book Writing Crime Fiction - Making Crime Pay.

Victorian London, during the reign of Queen Victoria, was the largest single city in the world and probably the most powerful. It was a city of massive inequality. Splendor and squalor stood side by side. It was not one, but many cities. There was the London of the rich and famous, the London of the poor and homeless. There was the London of business and commerce as well as the London of violence, crime and prostitution. In this portrait of a great city, Summer Students were taken on a whirlwind virtual tour from the sewers of the city to its royal palaces.

"Tour guide" of Victorian London was Dr Bruce Rosen, whose role as Director of the St John's College Summer Schools has led to this burgeoning program. Bruce has had extensive experience teaching in universities in the United States and Australia. He is the author of numerous journal articles in education and history. Currently an Honorary Research Associate in the School of History and Classics at the University of Tasmania, he was Visiting Fellow at St John's College, University of Sydney, in 2006.

All Programs include:

Program Excludes

Non-residents receive a discount of AUD$300 / NZD$345 but will be charged for meals and refreshments.

Keep an eye on this website for news of the 2009 program and for further information and all bookings for the 2009 Summer School, visit Odyssey Travel at www.odysseytravel.com.au