

This course provides an introduction to the theory, methods, and challenges of corporate finance. The main focus is on financing decisions and investment. The following topics are addressed: risk and return, asset markets and market efficiency, valuation, capital structure, capital budgeting, dividend policy, and derivative securities. Some consideration will also be given to financial management issues that multinational firms face, with an emphasis on the effects of currency denomination on financial decisions.
iPhoneography is a photography concept that involves the professional use of the iPhone camera. Various iPhone apps and constant connection to the internet (either via wi-fi or cellular data) can turn an iPhone camera into a powerful, self-sustained, hand-held camera and darkroom ready to release information globally in the constantly changing digital market. Students will learn to use the iPhone camera to produce photojournalism essays, portraits, landscape, and fashion images using different iPhone applications and professional post-processing tools. The final images will be published in a dedicated class website and will be delivered to students as fine art prints for their final portfolio. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.iPhone or iPad with a camera, purchase capacity for up to 7 different applications, (an Apple account with credit card must be activated before course start).
The object of this course is the encounter between fashion one of the oldest but ever-changing mode of communication and contemporary tools for influencing other people’s decisions digital social networks. The two are strictly intertwined: fashion needs social media influencers as much as social media influencers need fashion. Digital media has completely reconfigured the fashion world: bloggers have usurped famous magazine editors at fashion shows, the retail industry is shifting to online shopping, platforms such as Instagram create new forms of social status and power. Yet, while digital media creates new jobs, it brings forth also unexpected negative consequences and issues. This course examines how interconnected fashion and influencers are, and guides students to master the potential of social networks regarding the fashion world. Topics will range from an overview of the evolution of fashion trends to the digital tools needed to succeed as a social media influencer. Students will be able to understand the evolution of fashion, its intrinsic relation with the notion of influence, as well as new trends of digital marketing through social networks. To provide students with a hands-on approach, there will be visits to local museums and/or shops as well as an encounter with a Florentine-based influencer. This course encourages independent explorations in Florence, including those for research and content collection for course projects (i.e. Blending Magazine assignment). Students will also analyze high-impact Case Studies related to the course topic. Successful completion of the course requires regular visits and interaction with the FLY CEMI: students will interact with an Instagram Fashion Account for applying concepts related to merchandising and promotion.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This special project allows the student to interact with the local fashion economy through FLY Fashion Loves You, the retail store operated by the students and faculty members of FAST. The fashion retail management special project involves store organization, business procedures and client relations. Students will have the chance to be immersed in the fashion retail industry through duties that include but are not limited to sales, stocking, floor management, customer service, promotion, and research. 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.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
The objectives of this special project are based on creating an opportunity for the student to observe and participate in the coordinating and curating activities of an art gallery. Students will be exposed to various tasks including daily operations, exhibitions, catalog creation, show installation, and interaction with local and international artists. The student will also assist the on-site curator with promotional tasks ranging from press releases to social networking. 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.
This course is designed to take full advantage of the student’s unique experiences living and studying in the city of Florence. With on-site inspiration channeled into artistic creativity, students will draw on location at sites of historical significant and visual interest ranging from architectural masterpieces, landscape vistas and medieval streets to formal gardens, street markets and Renaissance fountains. Slide lectures will document the rich history of how Florence and its environs have attracted and inspired visiting artists for centuries. Students will develop individual sketchbooks with the aim of building up source material for future projects.
Baking Techniques I or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This course introduces non-yeast, laminated dough’s and thepreparation of pastry products using a variety of methods-lamination, blending, creaming, foaming, and thickening. Students will combine these methods in new products, to create savory items and frozen desserts, and to use basic finishing methods by applying glazes, filling pastries, creating simple sauces, and presenting products for service. The fundamentals of heat transfer as applied to pastries in the preparation of creams, custards, souffles, butter creams, meringues, and flavored whipped creams will also be studied. Students will taste and test the products created and will complete a research assignment.
Since ancient times bread has had a significance that goes beyond mere sustenance. Almost every society in the world eats bread in some form and bread has always been considered a symbol of life for all mankind. Bread celebrates life and plays a leading role in traditional celebrations and festivities. This course focuses on traditional Italian specialty breads, made with special, or alternative flours, shaped by local folklore and passed down from generation to generation like the most precious gift.Students will be introduced to natural yeast production and learn how to keep the yeast alive and strengthen it for better leavening as well as the nutritional advantages and flavor development thanks to its use.The course offers a complete survey of traditional specialty breads, specialty flatbreads, sweet breads and rolls with an emphasis on old grain flour, alternative flours and local folklore. In addition to this students will be introduced to special diet baking through lessons on gluten free bread and complements.A special focus is dedicated to Italy’s most famous baked product, pizza: through an in-depth analysis pizza will be explained and enjoyed in all its most popular variations.
Baking Techniques I or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required.
This course introduces students to classically applied mediums used indisplay work and decoration. Students will learn to execute specificdesigns in pastillage, rolled fondant, gum paste, and royal icing, as wellas with poured, pulled, and blown sugar. Production, storing of all typesof candied fruits and Italian mostarda. Production and storing of jamsand conserves, fruit jellies, Italian croccante, sugar fondant, almondpaste.
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. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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.
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). *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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.
Tradition of Italian Food I or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required.
This course continues to explore the tradition of Italian food through representative recipes. Emphasis will be given to more elaborate dishes, including the cleaning and preparation of shellfish, fresh pasta, food combination’s, feast foods and banquets.
Culinary Arts majors only. Unofficial transcript submission required. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This course explores and examines the physiology of sensory organs and how we perceive flavors. The course is designed to expose students to the theory and practice of sensory evaluation techniques and their application to the composition of dishes. Students gain knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of taste, smell and other senses and experience using these senses as analytical tools to assess food products. From the simplicity of identifying the basic tastes to the complexity of aftertastes and aromas, the objective of this course is to train taste buds to better understand the mechanics of our senses as they get in touch with food. Why do we react positively to sweet taste? Why do we sometimes refuse bitter taste? Does umami taste really exist? The course will answer these and many other related questions in order to give the students the instruments needed to deal with flavors that are not generally accepted but require a deeper understanding before being appreciated. This course consists of 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. Prerequisites: Culinary Arts majors only.
The course will introduce students to the outstanding richness of Tuscan wine typologies focusing particularly on a presentation of the most important wine growing areas in Tuscany. A general introduction to wine appreciation will be offered and a selection of Tuscan wines will be studied in terms of their characteristics.
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.
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.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
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.
The development of the city of Florence and that of the Church are inextricably linked with one another; Christian, and more specifically, Catholic faith provided a framework for one’s life, informed the development of social institutions and governing bodies, and inspired the development and flourishing of art and architecture during the period that would come to be known as the Renaissance. In short, this faith touched every aspect of life in the Florence of centuries past, and its present is still seen, felt, and experienced when moving through the dense urban fabric of the city. This course will also investigate the ways in which religious faith permeated numerous aspects of Florentine society and daily life, from the monasteries and convents spread throughout the city, to its charitable institutions and hospitals, to the care for the souls of the condemned, and, more joyfully, to celebratory traditions that survive to the present day. Themed walks will offer an opportunity to explore these themes through engaging with works of sacred art and architecture, as well as sites and routes of religious significance. Works and structures will be contextualized within the historic period in which they were produced, allowing students to understand how and why they were executed, as well as to explore the significance they would have held for their original viewers and to discuss what they mean to beholders today. The analysis of these spaces, places, and works will highlight additional layers of meaning and interpretation: life, death, violence, popular culture, and social change, among others. Open to students from all backgrounds and academic concentrations, this course will allow participants to discover the city of Florence through a unique lens while simultaneously encouraging them to learn about Italian historical epochs and the cultural diversity of its traditions. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city 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.
Italian destination cities immediately conjure up images of the art, food, fashion, wine, and culture in which their fame lies: fashion shows and la Scala in Milan, Renaissance art in Florence, Brunello wine in Montalcino, the Biennale and Carnevale in Venice. This course will explore how creative advertising strategies have been created and implemented, their effect on city identity, the proliferation of creative areas in destination cities, and the future of creativity and creative marketing. Case studies of both well-established metropoli and developing destinations will be examined.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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.
This course will examine the problems of the financial structures ofrestaurant management, in parallel with the objectives and techniques of the individual owner. The planning and decision-making tools available to managers in an organization and comparison between single or partnership managements will be discussed. Personnel organization and food preparation plans will be covered. The course is based on a double approach, combining theory and practice: students will be introduced to the basics of restaurant management and will be given the opportunity to discuss their ideas and questions with selected professionals who are successfully running their restaurant businesses in Florence. Extensive site visits to local restaurants be organized.
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.
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.
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.
One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required.
This course builds on and extends fundamental skills developed in the beginner course. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency skills and integration of language and culture through more extensive reading and writing. After taking this course, students will be able to express polite requests using the Present conditional, making future plans using the Future tense and develop their language ability by using direct and indirect object pronouns. This course is aimed at students who already have a basic vocabulary of Italian and some knowledge of elementary language structures. *FUA policy requires that when less than 4 students enroll in an Italian language class, the class will be taught at reduced contact hours. With less students the instructor is able to cover the same program in less time, while also providing more individualized attention.
Italian destination cities immediately conjure up images of the art, food, fashion, wine, and culture in which their fame lies: fashion shows and la Scala in Milan, Renaissance art in Florence, Brunello wine in Montalcino, the Biennale and Carnevale in Venice. This course will explore how creative advertising strategies have been created and implemented, their effect on city identity, the proliferation of creative areas in destination cities, and the future of creativity and creative marketing. Case studies of both well-established metropoli and developing destinations will be examined.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Portfolio of previous work, web back office experience. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
Through this special project course, the student will be able to research and develop web content for professional websites. Guided by a Communications Office, the student will be involved in web-based projects to develop written and visual content for digital platforms. EL hours may be distributed from Monday through Friday. The placement may require weekend hours or ongoing research-based and editorial 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: Digital content creation and revision, visual content development, audience/reader-oriented research, SEO analysis, site performance review, final portfolio. Additional materials/Dress code: Business casual attire for dress code. Not applicable to remote option.Prerequisites: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Portfolio of previous work, web back office experience.
Foundational writing skills are not covered. Students are expected to apply a strong command of syntax, structure, and style according to the course topic.
This course looks at a variety of writing practices required of digital journalists and web writers, both in style and in subject matter. Students will gain experience writing diverse types of stories: investigative, news, feature, editorial, sports, entertainment, etc. They will learn how to write effectively for a targeted audience on a variety of digital platforms (such as websites including online versions of established media and wikis, blogs, applications and social media, multi-user communities and spaces, and smart device communication), document sources in a professional way, evaluate and critique their own publications, and about how online writing affects publication and interacts with social and civic participation. This course will also give students a further understanding of the principles, ethics, and practice of journalism in increasingly digitalized formats. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
One lower-level History, Art History, History of Architecture course, or equivalent.
This course explores the principal architects and artists, monuments and themes from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italian art and architecture. Class time is divided equally between slide lectures and on-site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be on Renaissance architecture in Florence, but will also include architectural developments in other Italian towns. Special topics will include: architectural theory, Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. Attention will be given to architects such as Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Michelangelo and Leonardo, in addition to the visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence.
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.
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.
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.
The development of the city of Florence and that of the Church are inextricably linked with one another; Christian, and more specifically, Catholic faith provided a framework for one’s life, informed the development of social institutions and governing bodies, and inspired the development and flourishing of art and architecture during the period that would come to be known as the Renaissance. In short, this faith touched every aspect of life in the Florence of centuries past, and its present is still seen, felt, and experienced when moving through the dense urban fabric of the city. This course will also investigate the ways in which religious faith permeated numerous aspects of Florentine society and daily life, from the monasteries and convents spread throughout the city, to its charitable institutions and hospitals, to the care for the souls of the condemned, and, more joyfully, to celebratory traditions that survive to the present day. Themed walks will offer an opportunity to explore these themes through engaging with works of sacred art and architecture, as well as sites and routes of religious significance. Works and structures will be contextualized within the historic period in which they were produced, allowing students to understand how and why they were executed, as well as to explore the significance they would have held for their original viewers and to discuss what they mean to beholders today. The analysis of these spaces, places, and works will highlight additional layers of meaning and interpretation: life, death, violence, popular culture, and social change, among others. Open to students from all backgrounds and academic concentrations, this course will allow participants to discover the city of Florence through a unique lens while simultaneously encouraging them to learn about Italian historical epochs and the cultural diversity of its traditions. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city 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.
Foundational writing skills are not covered. Students are expected to apply a strong command of syntax, structure, and style according to the course topic.
This course looks at a variety of writing practices required of digital journalists and web writers, both in style and in subject matter. Students will gain experience writing diverse types of stories: investigative, news, feature, editorial, sports, entertainment, etc. They will learn how to write effectively for a targeted audience on a variety of digital platforms (such as websites including online versions of established media and wikis, blogs, applications and social media, multi-user communities and spaces, and smart device communication), document sources in a professional way, evaluate and critique their own publications, and about how online writing affects publication and interacts with social and civic participation. This course will also give students a further understanding of the principles, ethics, and practice of journalism in increasingly digitalized formats. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
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.
The development of the city of Florence and that of the Church are inextricably linked with one another; Christian, and more specifically, Catholic faith provided a framework for one’s life, informed the development of social institutions and governing bodies, and inspired the development and flourishing of art and architecture during the period that would come to be known as the Renaissance. In short, this faith touched every aspect of life in the Florence of centuries past, and its present is still seen, felt, and experienced when moving through the dense urban fabric of the city. This course will also investigate the ways in which religious faith permeated numerous aspects of Florentine society and daily life, from the monasteries and convents spread throughout the city, to its charitable institutions and hospitals, to the care for the souls of the condemned, and, more joyfully, to celebratory traditions that survive to the present day. Themed walks will offer an opportunity to explore these themes through engaging with works of sacred art and architecture, as well as sites and routes of religious significance. Works and structures will be contextualized within the historic period in which they were produced, allowing students to understand how and why they were executed, as well as to explore the significance they would have held for their original viewers and to discuss what they mean to beholders today. The analysis of these spaces, places, and works will highlight additional layers of meaning and interpretation: life, death, violence, popular culture, and social change, among others. Open to students from all backgrounds and academic concentrations, this course will allow participants to discover the city of Florence through a unique lens while simultaneously encouraging them to learn about Italian historical epochs and the cultural diversity of its traditions. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city 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.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
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.
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.
Baking Techniques I or equivalent. Unofficial transcript submission required. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This course introduces non-yeast, laminated doughs, and the preparation of pastry products using a variety of methods-lamination, blending, creaming, foaming, and thickening. Students will combine these methods in new products, to create savory items and frozen desserts, and use basic finishing methods by applying glazes, filling pastries, creating simple sauces, and presenting products for service. The fundamentals of heat transfer as applied to pastries in the preparation of creams, custards, souffles, butter creams, meringues, and flavored whipped creams will also be studied. Students will taste and test the products created and will complete a research assignment.
Culinary Arts majors only. Unofficial transcript submission required. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This course explores and examines the physiology of sensory organs and how we perceive flavors. The course is designed to expose students to the theory and practice of sensory evaluation techniques and their application to the composition of dishes. Students gain knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of taste, smell and other senses and experience using these senses as analytical tools to assess food products. From the simplicity of identifying the basic tastes to the complexity of aftertastes and aromas, the objective of this course is to train taste buds to better understand the mechanics of our senses as they get in touch with food. Why do we react positively to sweet taste? Why do we sometimes refuse bitter taste? Does umami taste really exist? The course will answer these and many other related questions in order to give the students the instruments needed to deal with flavors that are not generally accepted but require a deeper understanding before being appreciated. This course consists of 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. Prerequisites: Culinary Arts majors only.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. Portfolio of previous work, web back office experience. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
Through this special project course, the student will be able to research and develop web content for professional websites. Guided by a Communications Office, the student will be involved in web-based projects to develop written and visual content for digital platforms. 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.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
The objectives of this special project are based on creating an opportunity for the student to observe and participate in the coordinating and curating activities of an art gallery. Students will be exposed to various tasks including daily operations, exhibitions, catalog creation, show installation, and interaction with local and international artists. The student will also assist the on-site curator with promotional tasks ranging from press releases to social networking. 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.
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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.
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). *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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).
Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
This special project allows the student to interact with the local fashion economy through FLY Fashion Loves You, the retail store operated by the students and faculty members of FAST. The fashion retail management special project involves store organization, business procedures and client relations. Students will have the chance to be immersed in the fashion retail industry through duties that include but are not limited to sales, stocking, floor management, customer service, promotion, and research. 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. Prerequisites: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.
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.
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. *This course includes 150 hours of hands on experiential learning.
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.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.