Florence University of the Arts
Summer 3 weeks I 2024
3 - 6 credits

Experience a Tuscan summer like no other, in the heart of the Renaissance. Students in FUA’s 3 week summer programs select 1 or 2 courses for an intensive 3 week program. SAI offers four Summer 3 week sessions at FUA, each with different start dates and course options: Summer I, Summer II, Summer III, and Summer IV. Students in the 3 week summer program can choose to add the 1 week program add-on course, Cultural Introduction to Italy, extending their program to 4 weeks.


Application: Closed

Application Requirements
Complete online application
Personal statement (300-500 words)
Official transcript
Passport scan (photo page)
Italian privacy consent form

Highlights

  • Enroll in a broad range of courses including Italian language, history, fashion, fine arts, and literature. 
  • Enjoy a variety of interesting SAI activities!

Program Dates
May 12, 2024 – May 31, 2024
dates may differ as a result of add-ons


Eligibility Requirements

Age: 18+

Academic Year: High school graduate or above

* Contact SAI if you don’t meet requirements

Cumulative GPA:* 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale)

English Language:* Non-native English language speakers must submit TOEFL: 500+ (paper-based), IELTS: 5+, OOPT: 50+, or equivalent.



Business and Economics
Digital Imaging and Visual Arts
Fashion, Accessories and Tech
Fine Arts
Food and Wine Studies
Global Studies
Horticulture
Hospitality
Italian Studies and Linguistics
Liberal Arts
Life Studies / Human Services
Professional Studies and Experiential Learning
Sport and Health Sciences

Business and Economics

3.0 Credits
Entrepreneurship Resources | Course #: BUEREM305 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
The primary purpose of this course is to provide marketers with an in-depth understanding of product development practices including innovation, product strategy and processes, customer needs, identification, idea generation, concept development and optimization, forecasting, and launch. The course will analyze the marketing development strategies of
new entrepreneurial companies with low budgets and little or no brand development. An important component of the coursework features hands-on approaches to real-life business problems that require application of topics learned in the classroom. Students will be introduced to highly creative and effective experiential forms of learning ranging from case studies to business plans, entrepreneurs in the classroom, conducting entrepreneurial audits, working with concepts of marketing inventions, and consulting projects. Furthermore, students will be part of a dedicated lab team of cross disciplinary learners led by faculty and advisers, and will collaborate with executives and representatives from real companies on comprehensive business issues. Coursework includes site visits to local companies and special guest lectures from local prominent entrepreneurs.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Marketing | Course #: BUMKEM305 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
The primary purpose of this course is to provide marketers with an in-depth understanding of product development practices including innovation, product strategy and processes, customer needs, identification, idea generation, concept development and optimization, forecasting, and launch. The course will analyze the marketing development strategies of new entrepreneurial companies with low budgets and little or no brand development. An important component of the coursework features hands-on approaches to real-life business problems that require application of topics learned in the classroom. Students will be introduced to highly creative and effective experiential forms of learning ranging from case studies to business plans, entrepreneurs in the classroom, conducting entrepreneurial audits, working with concepts of marketing inventions, and consulting projects. Furthermore, students will be part of a dedicated lab team of cross-disciplinary learners led by faculty and advisers, and will collaborate with executives and representatives from real companies on comprehensive business issues. Coursework includes site visits to local companies and special guest lectures from local prominent entrepreneurs.
Contact Hours: 45

Digital Imaging and Visual Arts

3.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: DIPHID180 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course introduces contemporary technologies for producing photographic images. Approaching the medium in its current complex and pluralistic state, students explore a variety of photographic concepts and techniques. The fundamentals of using a digital camera including manual exposure and lighting are stressed. The course also introduces seeing, thinking, and creating with a critical mind and eye in a foreign environment (Italy) to provide understanding of the construction and manipulation of photographic form and meaning. During the first half of the course assignments, lectures, readings progressively build on each other to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of camera functions (manual mode) and processing techniques. The second half of the course will focus on weaving the techniques with specific photographic concepts via assignments. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI. NOTE: This course is for beginners. The first half of the course will be devoted to understanding camera functions and basic printing. During this period assignments will emphasize basic camera functions in manual mode.


Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Photography | Course #: DIPHLA300 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: This is an intermediate course. Knowledge of camera functions is required. Portfolio submission recommended.
The city of Florence, with its backdrop of Medieval and Renaissance buildings coupled with the varied beauty of the Tuscan countryside, will offer students a stimulating range of opportunities for landscape and architectural photography. The course will be divided between outdoor field practice and the exploration of several camera format techniques, lenses as well as printing. By studying influential photographers com-positional and artistic issues of parallax, distortion and perspective will be addressed and executed through assignments. A personal vision will be nurtured and guided by the instructor for the final project in a series of
landscape/naturalistic/architectural visual context. The print lab will provide students with the tools for elaborating and printing their own images. This is a specialized course which requires at least one specialized lens. A DSLR camera and a lens with a focal length of 55mm or wider is required for this course.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Visual Communication | Course #: DIVCGI210 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Pre-requisite: Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator highly recommended
The course explores illustration as an instrument of communication (i.e. in advertising) and narration (i.e. in comic books). It aims to improve drawing and design skills by teaching image making, with an emphasis on edge, shape, color and value. The student will learn to apply composition and design, and color and conceptualization, to a wide range of materials and techniques. Students use Adobe Photoshop to enhance traditional work and acquire important knowledge in the digital domain. Idea development within real-world parameters, originality, aesthetics and technical proficiency are emphasized.
Contact Hours: 45

Fashion, Accessories and Tech

3.0 Credits
Fashion Design & Technology | Course #: FTFDAD320 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals of basic
construction, draping techniques, alterations and fitting techniques for
apparel. the emphasis of the course is on the importance of proper fit
and craftsmanship. Students develop and construct design concepts
in muslin and soft fabric on the dress form.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Merchandising | Course #: FTFCSF360 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
The success of a small fashion retail store implies many skills. The professional in this field has to pay close attention to the types of products offered for sale, how to best present those products to consumers, and determining what is a reasonable retail price for each unit sold. While retailers have traditionally engaged in the task of retail merchandising in a physical location, the Internet has now made it possible to apply these same basic principles in a virtual setting. In order to be successful in retail management, it is necessary to provide consumers with specific key benefits. Firstly, the products must be of high quality; this helps to turn consumers into returning customers. Along with quality, the retailer must also sell products at prices considered reasonable by the consumer. By providing quality products at affordable prices, the retailer has an improved chance of standing out from the competition and of lengthening the lifetime of the business. In this course, students understand the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and become aware of the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through the practice gained by running a real enterprise at a laboratory in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Course includes site visits to famous luxury brands as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and two special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Fashion Merchandising | Course #: FTFMRO350 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course will prepare students to work, run, and manage a retail shop successfully and provides theoretical insights into customer expectations and service delivery. Throughout the course, standard elements of a retail shop will be analyzed and focus on retail management will be given. This class will strengthen decision-making skills regarding expense planning, suppliers, store layout, and promotional strategies. Under the supervision of seasoned professionals, students will spend a portion of the course operating the school retail spaces (fashion retail store, restaurant, pastry shop) that are open to the local community. Here, theoretical knowledge, shop floor management skills, and ability to perform head office functions will all be developed in the context of retail. In order to offer a comprehensive view of retail management, experiential learning activities are scheduled in varying types of retailers, each of them characterized by different competitors, products sold, customers, and style of service required. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Contact Hours: 45

Fine Arts

3.0 Credits
Art Education | Course #: FAAEGE345 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Introduces all aspects of the working of an art gallery. Students will be involved in curating and marketing art shows and auctions through a community and on campus promotions.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Painting & Drawing | Course #: FAPDPA225 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
n this foundational open-air painting course, students will explore and familiarize with the pleasures and challenges of painting outdoors. The students will acquire skills in the techniques of Plein Air painting with watercolor pencils and develop critical skills to evaluate paintings executed in this style. This course will also provide students with a look at the various materials and products for outdoor painting using wet techniques. Students will be introduced to the history and tradition of this genre; the "conceptual" in landscape painting will be emphasized with a specific focus on the Italian context. Sessions will be held at different outdoor venues in and around Florence. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students' academic and personal enrichment.
Contact Hours: 45

Food and Wine Studies

3.0 Credits
Baking and Pastry | Course #: FWBPBP470 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.
Through this special project course, students are involved in back and front of the house operations at Fedora, the school pastry shop. The hands-on experience is designed to prepare future pastry chefs for the production of pastries, baked goods, and desserts. Emphasis is placed on proper baking techniques, knife and piping skills, and mixing methods. Students will learn how to adjust recipes to produce both products in large volumes and specialty items. Students will also perform front of the house duties in order to complete a comprehensive vision and understanding of the activities, functions, and organization of a baking and pastry shop for future entrepreneurial activities. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Baking and Pastry | Course #: FWBPCC360 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields
This course provides students with a fundamental working knowledge of the traditional methods of producing cookies and petit fours. The course will explore the preparation and design of unfilled and filled cookies and mignardises. Topics covered include the creaming method, depositing cookies (sliced, dropped, spritz, rolled, and bar), as well as methods of mixing, shaping, baking, filling, finishing, storing, packaging, pricing, and distributing cookies.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Baking and Pastry | Course #: FWBPDS480 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields
The aim of the course is to give students the fundamentals of
dessert presentation. Starting from fruit cutting skills, students will experience a variety of decoration techniques to be applied to mignons, single portion desserts, and tortes. Glazes and gelaces, buttercream, whipped cream, icings, and chocolate and caramel decorations will be explained and practiced to gain confidence with related techniques. Students will experience both classic and contemporary decoration methods ranging from piping skills to the application of specific equipment for royal-icing writing. By the end of the course students will be able to execute decorating and styling techniques and to develop their own personal plating style.
Contact Hours: 45
6.0 Credits
Baking and Pastry | Course #: FWBPPS355 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields
This course is a study of bakery operations and management as
practiced in a pastry shop environment. Studies focus on the various pastry shop components and front/back of the house areas. Front of the house emphasizes customer service, space management and maintenance, retail display, client relations, and ordering strategies. An introductory approach to the back of the house is considered in terms of equipment handling, supplies, production types, yields, formula conversions, dessert menu planning, and the handling of special requests and events. Safety and sanitation are examined for proper practice and application in the pastry shop. Students will gain familiarity with dessert categories and how they are positioned within the baking industry. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. In addition to regular lecture hours, students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory
in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Culinary Arts | Course #: FWCAHW200 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Italy represents longstanding traditions of food culture, wellness, and nutrition through health-oriented practices. Recent decades have represented a dramatic change in the way we approach health through the lens of food principles. Nutritional facts and information that are constantly updated and the ethics of sustainability have deeply influenced a global awareness of a healthy lifestyle. Italy�s approach to seasonality and nutritional balance is characterized by an abundance of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and a distinct respect for food. This course will provide students with a complete overview of how food can be the basis of wellness, along with the practice of a positive lifestyle through cultural understanding and integration with the local community. Particular emphasis will be placed, through discussions and direct practice, on seasonality and nutritional principles, whole foods, and freshness, traditional customs, and contemporary innovation. Course topics will also reference the aphorism of We are what we eat and how it aligns with the Italian culinary tradition and culture. Students will also complete a survey of the different dietary recommendations that have been researched and developed to examine how the field of dietetics is directly affected by social and cultural implications. Through hands-on experiences and on-site cultural activities, students will experience the fundamentals of wellness-oriented cuisine and lifestyles in Tuscany and Italy. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Culinary Arts | Course #: FWCANC450 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Three semesters of culinary arts or dietetics/nutrition coursework and Cooking Light: Contemporary Techniques for Health Living, or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required.
Starting from the previously acquired knowledge of macro and micro nutrients, this course will provide students with the tools to analyze and develop a wide variety of nutritionally balanced meals on a seasonal basis.
Students will learn the fundamentals of metabolism and digestion and apply previously acquired cooking methods in order to preserve nutrients, and the possible applications of a wide variety of ingredients to create satisfying dishes while still respecting nutritional concepts.
Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of special dietary requirements either depending on dietary special needs or ethical choices. Raw foodism, vegetarian and vegan diet as well as the possible alternatives to guarantee a balanced nutrient intake will be thoroughly covered. The course will give students the tools to design meals on a seasonal basis following the principles of healthy cooking. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI).
 Prerequisites: Three semesters of culinary arts or dietetics/nutrition coursework and Cooking Light: Contemporary Techniques for Health Living, or equivalent.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Culinary Arts | Course #: FWSPCA470 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. HAACP food safety and sanitation certification.
Through this special project course, students are involved in back of the house operations at Ganzo, the school restaurant. Under the supervision of an Executive Chef who manages the operations of the kitchen, culinary arts experiential learning students are involved in the daily operations of the restaurant industry. Line cooks are entry-level kitchen positions that focus on learning technique, speed, and consistency. Students must be highly motivated and understand proper preparation techniques, become familiarized with recipes to ensure consistency, gain a command of timing in the kitchen, reduce and manage food waste, handle commercial kitchen equipment, and perform duties as directed by the kitchen brigade. This placement may require shifts that take place on weekends and holidays. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Dietetics & Nutrition | Course #: FWDNHN150 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Studies have shown that following the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, especially when combined with exercise. This course includes lectures on various forms of physical and lifestyle activities and an overview of their respective health benefits. Lectures will also include visits to athletic centers within the local community and the nutritional aspects of the Mediterranean diet, and particularly the Italian culinary tradition. Cooking labs, wine tastings, and physical activity are integral components of the course and will result in the creation of a customized exercise and nutritional program by the student. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topics.


Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Dietetics & Nutrition | Course #: FWDNHW200 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Italy represents longstanding traditions of food culture, wellness, and nutrition through health-oriented practices. Recent decades have represented a dramatic change in the way we approach health through the lens of food principles. Nutritional facts and information that are constantly updated and the ethics of sustainability have deeply influenced a global awareness of a healthy lifestyle. Italy's approach to seasonality and nutritional balance is characterized by an abundance of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and a distinct respect for food. This course will provide students with a complete overview of how food can be the basis of wellness, along with the practice of a positive lifestyle through cultural understanding and integration with the local community. Particular emphasis will be placed, through discussions and direct practice, on seasonality and nutritional principles, whole foods, and freshness, traditional customs, and contemporary innovation. Course topics will also reference the aphorism of We are what we eat and how it aligns with the Italian culinary tradition and culture. Students will also complete a survey of the different dietary recommendations that have been researched and developed to examine how the field of dietetics is directly affected by social and cultural implications. Through hands-on experiences and on-site cultural activities, students will experience the fundamentals of wellness-oriented cuisine and lifestyles in Tuscany and Italy. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Food & Culture | Course #: FWFCFC240 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course is targeted towards students with an interest in Italian food traditions, society, and culture. The main focus consists of what is generally defined as made in Italy-culture and style in post-war Italy. Also covered are the relationships between Italian traditions, folklore and contemporary Italian society drawing from examples including festivals, food, tourism and economy, and the influence of foreign civilizations. Students will be asked to regard the subject of food outside of the context of ingredients and the procedures used to create a dish; we will instead examine a large scale context in which food is either featured as a main component or an integral element in cultural situations. Thus the student is asked first and foremost to observe the presented material across an anthropologic lens that roves over the entire Italian peninsula. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and tastings.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Food & Culture | Course #: FWFCHW200 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Recent decades have represented a dramatic change in the way we approach food. Food facts and information that are constantly updated and the ethics of sustainability have deeply influenced the worldwide awareness of food as the primary source of a healthy lifestyle. Italy has always stood out for its genuine cuisine characterized by fresh seasonal ingredients, an abundance of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and a distinct respect for food. This course will provide students with a complete overview of how food can be the basis of wellness, along with the practice of a positive lifestyle. Particular emphasis will be placed on seasonality, whole foods, and freshness, and contemporary innovations and traditional customs will be analyzed for the production of dishes and snacks that are both tasty and healthy. Course topics will also introduce students to the fundamentals of nutrition in order to better understand the aphorism �We are what we eat� and how this motto aligns with the Italian culinary tradition. Students will also complete a survey of the different dietary recommendations that have been researched and developed to examine how the field of dietetics is directly affected by social implications. Through hands-on experiences and on-site activities, students will experience the fundamentals of wellness-oriented cuisine and lifestyles. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Wine & Culture | Course #: FWWCPF335 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
The capacity to offer the best wine as a combination for chosen dishes is a very important task. The course includes an analysis of the "combination technique" used today by the Italian association of Sommeliers, sensory and quality evaluations, practical workshops on the most successful matches as well as the creation of new flavor combinations.
Contact Hours: 45

Global Studies

3.0 Credits
Anthropology | Course #: GSANCI202 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and is aimed to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic architectural and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. Florence only.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Happiness Sciences | Course #: GSHSHN150 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Studies have shown that following the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, especially when combined with exercise. This course includes lectures on various forms of physical and lifestyle activities and an overview of their respective health benefits. Lectures will also include visits to athletic centers within the local community and the nutritional aspects of the Mediterranean diet, and particularly the Italian culinary tradition. Cooking labs, wine tastings, and physical activity are integral components of the course and will result in the creation of a customized exercise and nutritional program by the student. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topics.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Urban Studies | Course #: GSUSFW280 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course examines the city of Florence with themed walks offering a comprehensive approach to the city as an open-air cultural, historical, and artistic research site from its Roman foundation to its contemporary Zeitgeist. Students will learn the history of the city through its art: they will understand how buildings, streets, squares, and monuments can be mapped as living traces of multiple, overlapping layers of a complex past, and how to encode them in their personal appropriation of the city. Starting from learning how to decode the artistic environment of the city and to unveil its traces both visible and invisible the course aims at understanding the main social and cultural reasons underlying the existing shape of the city. The course explores traces and evidences from Roman times through Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, up to Art Nouveau and contemporary Florence. Students will be provided with a consistent theoretical background related to relevant historic-artistic landmarks and their social and cultural context and main characters (Guelphs vs. Ghibellines, the Florentine Guilds, Dante, the Medici family, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Ammannati, Pontormo, etc.). Students will be encouraged to develop their own experiential tools and strategies to approach the city through guided field learning activities that assess research, on-site involvement, and academic outcome for each themed walk in Florence.
Contact Hours: 45

Horticulture

3.0 Credits
General Horticulture | Course #: HCGHFY320 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course spans the history of Italian gardens from the 1200s to the 1700s. The course explores the evolution of the Italian garden landscape starting from the ancient Roman roots and the emergence of herbal gardens in medieval monasteries for medicinal remedies to the flourishing of early Renaissance masterpieces in the great palaces and villas of Italy. The early transformation of the garden from functional to recreational purposes will be examined in religious and humanistic contexts. A second phase of evolution from the recreation to symbols of power will be introduced through the gardens of ruling families and religious figures who combined garden aesthetics with experimentation and horticultural innovation until the late Renaissance. The course will conclude with the waning of the Italian garden in the 18th century, which ceded the domination of Italian gardens to the landscaping practices of France.
Contact Hours: 45

Hospitality

3.0 Credits
Hospitality and Tourism Management | Course #: HPHTRO350 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course will prepare students to work, run, and manage a retail shop successfully and provides theoretical insights into customer expectations and service delivery. Throughout the course, standard elements of a retail shop will be analyzed and focus on retail management will be given. This class will strengthen decision-making skills regarding expense planning, suppliers, store layout, and promotional strategies. Under the supervision of seasoned professionals, students will spend a portion of the course operating the school retail spaces (fashion retail store, restaurant, pastry shop) that are open to the local community. Here, theoretical knowledge, shop floor management skills, and ability to perform head office functions will all be developed in the context of retail. In order to offer a comprehensive view of retail management, experiential learning activities are scheduled in varying types of retailers, each of them characterized by different competitors, products sold, customers, and style of service required. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Hotel and Lodging Management | Course #: HPHTSE350 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.
The aim of this special project course is to expose students to the principles of event planning with an emphasis on the development and integration of operational strategies. The aforementioned strategies will be employed from the perspective of hospitality management and the application of program techniques in special event management. Topics will include booking, event programming and coordination, themes, program partnerships, and event promotion. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management | Course #: HPFBOM400 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course introduces one of the fundamental areas of study in the
hospitality industry. Students will study the concepts and procedures of
food and beverage control systems, cost control, operating budgets,
effective management of food and beverage operations and cycles.
Cost calculations, menu planning, storage, receiving, profit and budget
forecasting, labor costs, service payment systems, and other topic specific
areas will be covered.
Contact Hours: 45
6.0 Credits
Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management | Course #: PSELPS355 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course is a study of bakery operations and management
as practiced in a pastry shop environment. Studies focus on the various pastry shop components and front/back of the house areas. Front of the house emphasizes customer service, space management and maintenance, retail display, client relations, and ordering strategies. An introductory approach to the back of the house is considered in terms of equipment handling, supplies, production types, yields, formula conversions, dessert menu planning, and the handling of special requests and events. Safety and sanitation are examined for proper practice and application in the pastry shop. Students will gain familiarity with dessert categories and how they are positioned within the baking industry.
This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community
Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning
environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction
with the community. In addition to regular lecture hours, students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the
local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150

Italian Studies and Linguistics

3.0 Credits
Italian Cultural Studies | Course #: ISISCI200 | Section: 1wk | Open
One week of on-site field learning in different locations before session start: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden one�s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Cultural Studies | Course #: ISISCI202 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and is aimed to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic architectural and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. Florence only.


Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Italian Language | Course #: ISITIB101 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
This course develops basic conversation, reading and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. After taking this course, students will be able to express themselves in the Present tense, Passato Prossimo and to use both nouns and adjectives in the correct form with reference to gender and number. Emphasis will be given to oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
Contact Hours: 45

Liberal Arts

3.0 Credits
Anthropology | Course #: GSANCI200 | Section: 1wk | Open
Pre-requisite: Mandatory pre-departure readings must be fulfilled prior to program start. Lectures and learning activities held in different locations. This course includes an Italian language component for beginning-level students.
One week of on-site field learning in different locations before session start: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.

Pre-semester Field Learning program Sunday Aug 27, 2017 - Students arrive (Rome, by 5pm) Monday Aug 28 - Orientation Monday Aug 28 to Sunday Sept 3 Cultural Introduction to Italy Sunday Sept 3 - Classes end (Florence)
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Art History | Course #: LAAHFW280 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course examines the city of Florence with themed walks offering a comprehensive approach to the city as an open-air cultural, historical, and artistic research site from its Roman foundation to its contemporary Zeitgeist. Students will learn the history of the city through its art: they will understand how buildings, streets, squares, and monuments can be mapped as living traces of multiple, overlapping layers of a complex past, and how to encode them in their personal appropriation of the city. Starting from learning how to decode the artistic environment of the city and to unveil its traces both visible and invisible the course aims at understanding the main social and cultural reasons underlying the existing shape of the city. The course explores traces and evidences from Roman times through Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, up to Art Nouveau and contemporary Florence. Students will be provided with a consistent theoretical background related to relevant historic-artistic landmarks and their social and cultural context and main characters (Guelphs vs. Ghibellines, the Florentine Guilds, Dante, the Medici family, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Ammannati, Pontormo, etc.). Students will be encouraged to develop their own experiential tools and strategies to approach the city through guided field learning activities that assess research, on-site involvement, and academic outcome for each themed walk in Florence.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Art History | Course #: LAAHFY320 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course spans the history of Italian gardens from the 1200s to the 1700s. The course explores the evolution of the Italian garden landscape starting from the ancient Roman roots and the emergence of herbal gardens in medieval monasteries for medicinal remedies to the flourishing of early Renaissance masterpieces in the great palaces and villas of Italy. The early transformation of the garden from functional to recreational purposes will be examined in religious and humanistic contexts. A second phase of evolution from the recreation to symbols of power will be introduced through the gardens of ruling families and religious figures who combined garden aesthetics with experimentation and horticultural innovation until the late Renaissance. The course will conclude with the waning of the Italian garden in the 18th century, which ceded the domination of Italian gardens to the landscaping practices of France.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Art History and Architecture | Course #: IDRHFY320 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course spans the history of Italian gardens from the 1200s to the 1700s. The course explores the evolution of the Italian garden landscape starting from the ancient Roman roots and the emergence of herbal gardens in medieval monasteries for medicinal remedies to the flourishing of early Renaissance masterpieces in the great palaces and villas of Italy. The early transformation of the garden from functional to recreational purposes will be examined in religious and humanistic contexts. A second phase of evolution from the recreation to symbols of power will be introduced through the gardens of ruling families and religious figures who combined garden aesthetics with experimentation and horticultural innovation until the late Renaissance. The course will conclude with the waning of the Italian garden in the 18th century, which ceded the domination of Italian gardens to the landscaping practices of France.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Art History and Architecture | Course #: LAAHCI200 | Section: 1wk | Open
One week of on-site field learning in different locations before session start: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden one�s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Art History and Architecture | Course #: LAAHCI202 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and is aimed to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic architectural and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. Florence only.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Criminology | Course #: LACRCM390 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
The course presents the specific structural and phenomenological
aspects of the various types of Mafia operating at present times in Italy
and internationally. It analyses contemporary criminal, social, cultural
and political features of Mafia-type groups, exploring traditional and
emerging illegal markets. It describes main Italian and international law
policies and legislation to contrast this type of organized crime and the
experiences of leading individuals and groups developing a culture of
legality to combat the Mafia.

* Global Leaders Certificate Program approved course *


Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
History | Course #: LAHSCM390 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
The course presents the specific structural and phenomenological aspects of the various types of mafia operating at present times in Italy and internationally. It analyses contemporary criminal, social, cultural and political features of Mafia-type groups, exploring traditional and emerging illegal markets. It describes main Italian and international law policies and legislation to contrast this type of organized crime and the experiences of leading individuals and groups developing a culture of legality to combat the Mafia.

Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
History | Course #: LAHSFW280 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course examines the city of Florence with themed walks offering a comprehensive approach to the city as an open-air cultural, historical, and artistic research site from its Roman foundation to its contemporary Zeitgeist. Students will learn the history of the city through its art: they will understand how buildings, streets, squares, and monuments can be mapped as living traces of multiple, overlapping layers of a complex past, and how to encode them in their personal appropriation of the city. Starting from learning how to decode the artistic environment of the city and to unveil its traces both visible and invisible the course aims at understanding the main social and cultural reasons underlying the existing shape of the city. The course explores traces and evidences from Roman times through Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, up to Art Nouveau and contemporary Florence. Students will be provided with a consistent theoretical background related to relevant historic-artistic landmarks and their social and cultural context and main characters (Guelphs vs. Ghibellines, the Florentine Guilds, Dante, the Medici family, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Ammannati, Pontormo, etc.). Students will be encouraged to develop their own experiential tools and strategies to approach the city through guided field learning activities that assess research, on-site involvement, and academic outcome for each themed walk in Florence.
Contact Hours: 45

Life Studies / Human Services

3.0 Credits
Sociology | Course #: LSSOCI200 | Section: 1wk | Open
One week of on-site field learning in different locations before session start: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden one�s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Sociology | Course #: LSSOCI202 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
The lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academically rich understanding of the History art, architecture, and culture of Italy. The course provides additional enrichment through contextual use of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final reflective paper.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Sociology | Course #: LSSOFC240 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
This course is targeted towards students with an interest in Italian food traditions, society, and culture. the main focus consists of what is generally defined as made in Italys culture and style in post-war Italy. also covered are the relationships between Italian traditions, folklore and contemporary Italian society drawing from examples including festivals, food, tourism and economy, and the influence of foreign civilizations. Students will be asked to regard the subject of food outside of the context of ingredients and the procedures used to create a dish; we will instead examine a large scale context in which food is either featured as a main component or an integral element in cultural situations. Thus the student is asked first and foremost to observe the presented material across an anthropologic lens that roves over the entire Italian peninsula. lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and tastings.
Contact Hours: 45

Professional Studies and Experiential Learning

3.0 Credits
Experiential Learning | Course #: FWBPPA450 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Baking and Pastry majors only. Unofficial transcript submission required.
This course focuses on the application of advanced baking and pastry techniques, the development of recipe-balancing formulas, and the full immersion in pastry lab management and organization. Students will experience advanced preparations such as financier cake, dacquoise, frangipane cream, ganache and meringue-based mousses. These techniques will be applied to the composition of entremets. The course will also focus on specialty preparations that require particular production methods or equipment: marrons glac�es, macarons, molecular ice creams, and modernist spongecakes. During designated intersessions weeks, the course will be structured as a workshop on laminated doughs, savory creations, panettone, and pandoro. Students will be asked to contribute proactive participation through EL hours to the organization and management of the Pastry Lab. Prerequisites: Baking and Pastry majors only.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Experiential Learning | Course #: PSELCA470 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields.
Through this special project course, students are involved in back of the house operations and projects related to Ganzo, the school restaurant, and Fedora, the school pastry shop and bistro. Under the supervision of a Chef instructor who manages the operations of the kitchen, culinary arts experiential learning students are involved in projects focused on the daily operations of the restaurant industry. The experiential learning project will offer the opportunity to gain confidence with cooking techniques, basic equipment maintenance skills, HACCP, the concept of mise en place and timing, and the importance of standards and consistency. The project will also provide an insight on the importance of the kitchen hierarchy and division of the duties, helping students understand the concept of brigade and team work as fundamental for a correct management of kitchen environments. EL hours may be distributed from Monday through Friday. This placement may require PM shifts and shifts that take place on weekends and holidays, or ongoing research-based activities for remote placements. 
This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Remote option students will gain international community exposure through a virtual setting.
Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life.
The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management. Main tasks: Market/industry research, customer feedback analysis, ingredient research, study of sustainable food production process, recipe analysis, provide kitchen management options and analyze the different impact on service, final portfolio. Additional materials/Dress code: Chef uniform (hat, jacket, pants, hard-toe safety shoes, apron) required. Not applicable to remote option.
 Prerequisites: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. HAACP food safety and sanitation certification (Not applicable to remote option).
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Experiential Learning | Course #: PSELPA450 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Baking and Pastry majors only
This course focuses on the application of advanced baking and pastry techniques, the development of recipe-balancing formulas, and the full immersion in pastry lab management and organization. Students will experience advanced preparations such as financier cake, dacquoise, frangipane cream, ganache and meringue-based mousses. These techniques will be applied to the composition of entremets. The course will also focus on specialty preparations that require particular production methods or equipment: marrons glac�es, macarons, molecular ice creams, and modernist spongecakes. During designated intersessions weeks, the course will be structured as a workshop on laminated doughs, savory creations, panettone, and pandoro. Students will be asked to contribute proactive participation through EL hours to the organization and management of the Pastry Lab. Prerequisites: Baking and Pastry majors only.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Experiential Learning | Course #: PSSPGR350 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.
This special project allows students to interact with the local community in Florence through experiential learning in collaboration with the Community Engagement Member Institutions affiliated with Florence University of the Arts. These community projects are directly linked to the academic divisions of FUA and open to the general public in order to share academic results with the greater community. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Experiential Learning | Course #: PSSPSE350 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview
The aim of this special project course is to expose students to the principles of event planning with an emphasis on the development and integration of operational strategies. The aforementioned strategies will be employed from the perspective of hospitality management and the application of program techniques in special event management. Topics will include booking, event programming and coordination, themes, program partnerships, and event promotion. This placement may require PM shifts or shifts that take place on weekends. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.
Contact Hours: 150
3.0 Credits
Field Learning | Course #: PSFLCI200 | Section: 1wk | Open
One week of on-site field learning in different locations before session start: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden ones awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and aims to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic, architectural, and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills. This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.
Contact Hours: 45
3.0 Credits
Special Projects | Course #: PSSPBP470 | Section: Sum 1 | Open
Pre-requisite: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. HAACP food safety and sanitation certification. Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. HAACP food safety and sanitation certification. Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.
Through this special project course, students are involved in back and front of the house operations at Fedora, the school pastry shop. The hands-on experience is designed to prepare future pastry chefs for the production of pastries, baked goods, and desserts. Emphasis is placed on proper baking techniques, knife and piping skills, and mixing methods. Students will learn how to adjust recipes to produce both products in large volumes and specialty items. Students will also perform front of the house duties in order to complete a comprehensive vision and understanding of the activities, functions, and organization of a baking and pastry shop for future entrepreneurial activities. This placement may require early AM shifts, PM shifts, or shifts that take place on weekends. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management. Additional materials/Dress code: Chef uniform (hat, jacket, pants, hard-toe shoes) required. Prerequisites: Open to culinary arts and baking & pastry majors or students who have taken previous coursework in the above fields. Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. HAACP food safety and sanitation certification.
Contact Hours: 150

Sport and Health Sciences

3.0 Credits
Sport Sciences | Course #: SHSSHN150 | Section: Sum 1 | Closed
Studies have shown that following the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, especially when combined with exercise. This course includes lectures on various forms of physical and lifestyle activities and an overview of their respective health benefits. Lectures will also include visits to athletic centers within the local community and the nutritional aspects of the Mediterranean diet, and particularly the Italian culinary tradition. Cooking labs, wine tastings, and physical activity are integral components of the course and will result in the creation of a customized exercise and nutritional program by the student. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topics.

Contact Hours: 45

Experiential Learning
Many FUA courses incorporate experiential learning components, involving hands-on projects. Courses which include experiential learning components will include this information in the course details & syllabus. Students will work & collaborate within the FUA Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI) to fulfill various projects & tasks as part of their coursework. These practical assignments take place on-site and will occur outside of the regular class sessions, with varying shifts assigned from Monday to Friday, including the possibility of later evening hours.

Course Registration
SAI students complete their course registration directly with FUA through the FUA student portal. Upon confirming enrollment in the SAI program at FUA, students receive information for creating their FUA student portal and selecting their classes. Note: All courses must meet the minimum enrollment of 12 students to run; therefore, all registrations require selection of an alternate course for each primary course choice.

FUA registration begins months ahead of the application deadline. Courses will fill on a rolling basis.

Program Add-on Course
SAI students enrolled in FUA’s Summer I term are able to add the following 1 week Program Add-on course to the start of their term, to extend their programs by 1 week:

  • Cultural Introduction to Italy (1 week / 3 credits) – This traveling course gives students the opportunity to delve into Italian culture through lectures, visits to cultural sites, and food tastings. Please note that students enrolled in this program add-on course arrive in Rome on May 5, 2024.

Students can also choose to pair this add-on course with a corresponding regular summer course to earn 6 credits on the same topic. For more information and full course descriptions see Courses.


Pre-Departure Calendar
February 12 2024
Application Closes
Applications accepted after closing as space permits.
Within 1 week of acceptance
SAI Deposits Due
$500 Confirmation Deposit (applied toward program fee)
$300 Security Deposit (refundable)
February 12 2024
50% of Total Program Fee Due
Students who are accepted and submit SAI deposits after this date will have an amended pay schedule. Either 50% or 100% of Program Fee will be due within 5 business days, based on the deposit payment date.
February 26 2024
Enrollment Closes
Students must complete their enrollment, including paying deposits, by this date.
February 27 2024
SAI Financial Aid Verification Deadline
Students wishing to defer payment until financial aid disbursement must submit the financial aid verification forms to SAI by this date.
March 13 2024
Balance of Total Program Fee Due

On-Site Calendar
May 12 2024*
Arrival & Housing Check-in
Students arrive at Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola (FLR). SAI airport pickup is provided between 9:00am and 6:00pm, and students are transferred to SAI housing.
May 13 2024
Orientation Events
Students are welcomed to the program with an orientation that introduces them to their program while covering safety, policies, academics, housing, and culture.
May 13 2024
FUA Final Registration
Course changes are not allowed after this date.
May 14 2024
FUA Classes Begin
May 30 2024
Final Exams
May 31 2024
Program End & Housing Check-out
Students must move out of SAI housing by 10:00am to return home or pursue independent travel.

* Students adding the Cultural Introduction to Italy course arrive in Rome (FCO airport) on May 5 2024 by 12:00 pm.

SAI Program Fees* USD
Application Fee $120
Security Deposit
Refundable at the end of the term.
$300
Program Fee: 3 credits
Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included).
$5,000
Program Fee: 6 credits
Includes tuition, standard housing and SAI 360° Services (see What’s Included).
$6,500
Optional / Additional Fees:  
Optional Add-on Course (3 credits)
1 week course prior to regular program, includes housing.
$2,600
Optional Private Room Housing Supplement
Private room in a shared apartment, with a shared bathroom.
$1,100
Optional Homestay Housing Supplement
Homestay housing in private occupancy room. Includes daily breakfast and weekday dinner.
contact SAI
Add-on Course Credits
Fee for enrollment over 3 or 6 credits.
$550 / credit
Add-on Non-Credit and Field Learning Courses
Fees vary and are paid directly to FUA.
contact SAI
International Mailing Supplement
When applicable, students are charged an international mailing supplement to ensure visa paperwork arrives in a timely manner.
$90

*prices are subject to change

Note: certain SAI-affiliated US universities require specific payment arrangements. These may require that some fees are paid by the student directly to SAI, and other fees are paid to SAI by the affiliated university on behalf of the student. If you attend an SAI-affiliated university please contact your study abroad office or speak with your SAI Admissions Counselor for details.

Budget Low Est. High Est.
Airfare to/from Florence
$950 $1,800
Books
$50 / course $100 / course
Course Fees & Supplies
$50 / course $300 / course
Meals
Includes groceries and eating out.
$650 / month $800 / month
Personal Expenses $300 / month $400 / month
Transportation within Florence
Public transportation with some taxi rides.
$100 / month $175 / month
Weekend Travel
Cost varies greatly by student.
$300 / month $1,000 / month

This is a SAI 360° Services Program; it includes our full services!

  • Program tuition and U.S. academic credit
  • Accommodation in carefully selected student housing
  • Airport pickup and transportation on arrival day
  • Welcome reception and events
  • SAI orientation to the host city and school
  • SAI staff on-site dedicated to fostering a welcoming community for all students by providing assistance to diverse needs
  • SAI Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities and trips outside host city
  • Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
  • 24-hour on-site emergency support
  • Farewell event with all students

Pre-departure and Re-entry services

  • US-based admissions counselor assigned to you, providing friendly assistance
  • Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
  • Online student groups to acquaint you with other SAI students
  • SAI Student Visa consulting
  • Assistance with financial aid processing
  • Need-based SAI scholarships
  • Paid registration fees for national re-entry conferences
  • SAI Ambassador Program for SAI alumni, with paid internship opportunities
  • SAI alumni network

SAI offers all students the Viva Experience: frequent cultural activities, at no extra cost, for participants to get to know their community, city and country. Following is a sample of the activities included in this program. Please note that actual activities may differ.

Welcome Dinner
SAI welcomes students to Florence with a buffet of traditional Italian delights to mingle and get to know participants.

Practical Walking Tour
SAI takes students on a practical walking tour of Florence’s historic city center to get oriented with their new home.

Hike to Piazzale Michelangelo
Located just outside the old city walls, Piazzale Michelangelo offers a bird’s eye view of the city of Florence. Students hike to the top, stopping along the way for gelato. As the sun sets over the city, the group can experience the centuries-old Vespers ceremonial chanting by Cistercian monks in the crypt of the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte.

Pizza Making
In this activity, students enjoy an Italian pizza making lesson taught by a local expert chef. Each lesson teaches students how to make authentic Italian pizza from scratch. At the end of the lesson everyone gets to feast on their own homemade pizza!

Wine Tasting
Students spend an afternoon learning bout and tasting great wines, perfectly paired with Tuscan specialties.

Market Tour
The market tour begins in a charming café where students sip on a cappuccino and learn about Italian coffee rituals. Then, the group takes a tour of the historic Florentine food market and gourmet shops, and learns how to navigate a Florentine market with some tips and insight for how to spot the best products.

Walking Tour of Fiesole
SAI takes students on a walking tour of the hill town of Fiesole, a short bus ride from the center of Florence. Fiesole is the site of the ancient Etruscan settlement that later extended down the hill to become Florence. Traces of that period are still visible in Fiesole as seen in the Roman theatre, built along the slope of the hill. Fiesole’s clean, cool breezes have long been a welcome escape from the sweltering summer heat of the Arno Valley and this spot on the hill, with its awesome views of the city below, has been a source of inspiration for many artists, writers and thinkers.

Farewell Evening
Students celebrate the end of a successful term abroad and say their goodbyes over a delicious Italian meal.

The following housing options apply to the regular summer program. Please note that add-on pre-session courses have different housing arrangements during the pre-session time only. 

Standard Housing: Student apartment
SAI student apartments are convenient and well equipped, with shared occupancy bedrooms (option to upgrade to private bedroom, if available). Typical residences house 2 – 8 students and contain a combination of private and shared bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living areas. Furnishings, a washing machine, basic kitchen supplies, bed linens and towels are provided. All apartments are equipped with wireless Internet. Housing configurations are designated as female, male, and in some locations, gender-inclusive. SAI on-site staff is available to respond to any maintenance needs that may arise.

Optional Housing: Family homestay (additional fee applies)
SAI homestay families are thoroughly screened and are accustomed to welcoming visiting students into their homes. Homestays provide a private bedroom, with a shared bathroom, in the family home with basic furnishings. Daily breakfast and weekday dinner are included (no dinner on weekends). Please note that some homestays may be outside of the city center and require a commute to reach school.

Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from Italy.

Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law, U.S. students studying in Italy for 90 days or less are not required to obtain a student visa. Therefore all U.S. students do not require a student visa for this program. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.