The Department of Italian Cultural Studies introduces students to the characteristics of Italian culture through diverse fields such as cinema, art, architecture, design, and fashion. Many courses include a language component that allows students to understand and appreciate the subjects discussed using the Italian as a means to discover culture.
3 semester credits. This course is focused on contemporary Italian cinema from the 1980s to the present day. All films will be discussed with reference to the political, social, and aesthetic issues in contemporary Italy. Please note that film viewing hours are scheduled outside of regular class times. Prerequisites: Three semesters of Italian language or equivalent.
3 semester credits. The focus of this course is contemporary Italian cinema from the 1980s up to the present day. The following films will be studied in particular: Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso, Moretti's Polombella Rossa, and Benigni's La Vita è Bella. All films will be discussed with reference to political, social, and aesthetic issues in contemporary Italy. Please note that film viewing hours are scheduled outside of the regular class times.
3 semester credits. The first part of this course examines each stage of the Italian educational system from nursery school (asilo nido) through the various levels and choices related to secondary and high schools. The examination of Italian schooling will also be approached from a historical standpoint, in particular through the mapping of changes over the last three decades. The following questions will be examined: What is the effect of immigration on schools and how have they adapted to the recent influx of non-European pupils? What is/has been the role of the Catholic Church in state education and how has the increasingly secularized nature of Italian society impacted schooling? How has the role of the teacher changed and how does that role compare to those in other countries? How and why has the curriculum changed? The second part of the course will examine the choices for higher education from technical colleges to universities. Italy boasts the oldest universities in the world - Salerno, Bologna, Padua, and Pavia - and some lectures and discussion will be dedicated to the history of the Italian university and its role in the Renaissance period. The structure, organization, admission procedures, student life, and degree system of the modern university will be examined.
4 semester credits. The first part of this course examines each stage of the Italian educational system from nursery school (asilo nido) through the various levels and choices related to secondary and high schools. The examination of Italian schooling will also be approached from a historical standpoint, in particular through the mapping of changes over the last three decades. The following questions will be examined: What is the effect of immigration on schools and how have they adapted to the recent influx of non-European pupils? What is/has been the role of the Catholic Church in state education and how has the increasingly secularized nature of Italian society impacted schooling? How has the role of the teacher changed and how does that role compare to those in other countries? How and why has the curriculum changed? The second part of the course will examine the choices for higher education from technical colleges to universities. Italy boasts the oldest universities in the world - Salerno, Bologna, Padua, and Pavia - and some lectures and discussion will be dedicated to the history of the Italian university and its role in the Renaissance period. The structure, organization, admission procedures, student life, and degree system of the modern university will be examined. This course includes service learning hours within the Florentine Community. Service learning is a method that incorporates intentional learning with service to the community, in which the service component functions as a reflection on classroom learning for all tasks performed. In addition to regular class hours, students will be involved in a volunteer project for the entire session that integrates them in the local community in order to remove barriers and gain a sense of social responsibility. The acquisition of new skills and knowledge obtained in the service learning environment outside the classroom will enrich the learning experience and contribute to personal and emotional growth, as well as cultural consciousness, to develop a greater sense of a global citizenship and sensitivity to the needs of others. Students are guided through the experience by the non-profit association supervisor and the service learning coordinator to enhance outcomes both inside and outside the classroom. The contribution to the association is not only crucial to a deeper understanding of course topics but also allows for a greater sense of belonging in the community, allowing for students to acquire a heightened awareness of emotional intelligence that enhances the classroom learning experience.
3 semester credits. This course offers an innovative way to learn the Italian language and develop environmental consciousness while exploring Florence and its green urban areas. Through the study of the relationship between humans and nature, the human role in ecology, and the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources, students will learn basic Italian vocabulary and usage in the form of experiential learning. The course aims to develop four basic Italian language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), while providing experiences and on-site lessons aimed at expanding the connection between individuals and the natural world and developing sustainable lifestyles. Each topic, excursion, and experience will be supported by a structured class of Italian language, providing a great opportunity to explore Florence, its parks, its people, and its traditions from a new perspective while learning and practicing the Italian language. This course includes an Italian language component for beginning-level students. SLC (Studies with a Language Component) represents an engaging approach to learning that embraces a multi-disciplinary application of cultural education methods. This stimulating approach broadens students’ understanding of their studies and creates a link between their academic careers and the local cultural environment which surrounds them. Through SLC courses, students learn notions of Italian language and terminology as a bridge to better understand and appreciate Italy’s modern, multifaceted society. By being exposed to the Italian language, Students discover different elements of Italian communication and culture and learn the linguistic fundamentals that enable them to engage in simple, everyday conversation. While doing so, they examine the sociological and pedagogical aspects of Italy such as society, politics, education, family, geography, and the environment. SLC is a learning methodology that integrates theory with practice: students learn the culture and language of Italy in class, then experience what they have learned through interaction with the local communities within the city of Florence and its neighborhoods. Diverse student populations benefit from this educational approach. The 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 course site 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.
3 semester credits. This course offers an innovative way to learn the Italian language and develop environmental consciousness while exploring Florence and its surroundings. Through the study of the relationship between humans and nature, the human role in ecology, and the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources, students will learn basic Italian vocabulary and usage in the form of experiential learning. The course aims to develop four basic Italian language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), while providing experiences and on-site lessons aimed at expanding the connection between individuals and the natural world and developing sustainable lifestyles. Each topic, excursion, and experience will be supported by a structured class of Italian language, providing a great opportunity to explore Florence, its parks, its people, and its traditions from a new perspective while learning and practicing the Italian language. This course includes an Italian language component for beginning-level students. SLC (Studies with a Language Component) represents an engaging approach to learning that embraces a multi-disciplinary application of cultural education methods. This stimulating approach broadens students’ understanding of their studies and creates a link between their academic careers and the local cultural environment which surrounds them. Through SLC courses, students learn notions of Italian language and terminology as a bridge to better understand and appreciate Italy’s modern, multifaceted society. By being exposed to the Italian language, Students discover different elements of Italian communication and culture and learn the linguistic fundamentals that enable them to engage in simple, everyday conversation. While doing so, they examine the sociological and pedagogical aspects of Italy such as society, politics, education, family, geography, and the environment. SLC is a learning methodology that integrates theory with practice: students learn the culture and language of Italy in class, then experience what they have learned through interaction with the local communities within the city of Florence and its neighborhoods. Diverse student populations benefit from this educational approach.
3 semester credits. This course explores the cultural anthropology and sociology of the Italian-American family from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day. Topics will focus on the following themes: stereotypes, gender, religion, politics, social change, and community character and adaptation. Students will analyze newspapers, magazines, and narrative fiction, as well as documentaries, feature films, and popular television programs. Special attention will be paid to the emotional and cultural experience of the return of Italian-Americans to their roots in Italy.
This course will take students into a literary and cinematographic journey of Italy through the words and images of great historical personalities who – with their novels and films – helped to create a well-established link between Italy and romantic love. Through an exploration that goes beyond all stereotypes, students will become familiar with Italian places that inspired writers and directors as the perfect settings for beautiful, intense, and sometimes dramatic love stories. Texts and films from different historical periods (focusing on the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century) will be read and viewed, analyzed, and discussed so that students will be able to create their own personal map of the sites that contributed to the collective imagination of Italy as the “land of love.”
3 semester credits. The purpose of this course is painting a portrait of the Italian people through the colors and shades of the Italian lifestyle. The course will discuss the many points of pride of Italian culture as well as examine the many contradictions that may often baffle the foreign observer. Course topics will provide students with an in-depth analysis of the Italian identity addressed through readings of history, culture, and sociology.
3 semester credits. The course explores the secret facets of Florence from an artistic, historical, and social perspective through thematic walks and visits. Embracing the city as an unrestricted classroom, the course unveils artworks, parks, streets, and spaces such as workshops and laboratories that keep the earliest Florentine traditions alive. These traditions include carpentry, music, marble carving, papermaking, and gastronomy. Furthermore, walks and visits will investigate the changing aspects of the city from an architectural and socio-ethnic point of view. Course sessions start in the city center and transition to the areas beyond the ancient walls. This progression allows students to visualize, assess, and comprehend hidden spatial narratives of Florence from the well-known to less-frequented areas. As a result, students discover the significance of the city in its entirety, explore the relationship between the Florentine community and the arts, and develop a new way of “city-gazing” that generates knowledge through walking.
3 semester credits. This one-week intensive course explores the secret facets of Florence from an artistic, historical, and social perspective through thematic walks, visits, and dining activities. Embracing the city as an unrestricted classroom, the course unveils artworks, parks, streets, and spaces such as workshops and laboratories that keep the earliest Florentine traditions alive. These traditions include carpentry, music, marble carving, papermaking, and gastronomy. Furthermore, walks and visits will investigate the changing aspects of the city from an architectural and socio-ethnic point of view. Course sessions start in the city center and transition to the areas beyond the ancient walls. This progression allows students to visualize, assess, and comprehend hidden spatial narratives of Florence from the well-known to less-frequented areas. As a result, students discover the significance of the city in its entirety, explore the relationship between the Florentine community and the arts, and develop a new way of “city-gazing” that generates knowledge through walking.
6 semester credits. This field learning course engages the student in topics related to Italian civilization and culture through direct experience and on-going research. Places of historic, archeological, artistic, architectural, religious, and culinary importance will be introduced on-site as students are guided by the instructor to contextualize an interdisciplinary understanding of Italy. The 3-week course focuses on three distinct areas of geographic interest in Italy: Northern Italy and its relationship to Europe; Southern Italy’s proximity to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures; and Central Italy’s cultural dominance due to the Etruscan, Roman, and Renaissance influence. Pre-course research is required through the analysis and study of designated resources and bibliographies. On-site fieldwork and assessment are conducted on a daily basis between the instructor and students. Discussion, recording, and presentation are essential forms of re-elaborating the course topics. The course emphasizes the development and evolution of identity and diversity in Italy by examining the three main divisions of the Italian peninsula. 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.
3 semester credits. This course is structured as one week of on-site field learning in different locations of the city of Florence. Students will acquire deep awareness of the main Florentine traditions and districts, and they will be able to navigate and discover non-canonical areas of the city. This one-week intensive course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Florentine culture and to broaden one’s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Local traditions will be placed and discussed in relation to the framework of Italian culture. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of 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 also 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 as 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.
3 semester credits. 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.
3 semester credits. 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 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 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.
6 semester credits. One week of on-site field learning in different locations before semester/summer sessions: Rome, Tuscan coast, Cinque Terre (Fall-Summer); Rome, Orvieto, Perugia (Spring). Upon completion of the field learning week, the course continues as a regular academic session in Florence. 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.
3 semester credits. The aim of this course is to study Italian culture through action and participation, and to build awareness from the perspective of active engagement beyond mere observation. The course concept is intended to give students a better understanding of contemporary Italian society and culture – politics, economy, social environment, traditions – and compare their current expressions with historical contexts by using hands-on and interactive participation in cultural integration programs that involve the local community. An important element of this course is the Italian language component, which acts as a bridge to Italian culture based on communication skills. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to apply their basic knowledge of Italian language to fulfill course requirements. The course is designed to expand the student’s global prospective through constant reflection and constructive criticism in order to incorporate intercultural knowledge into a richly articulated awareness of the self-intended as the individual, as the individual within a community, and the individual within a culture. The course focuses on cognitive development, cultural awareness, and intercultural and interpersonal communication by integrating and placing the student in direct contact with local culture.
6 semester credits. The aim of this course is to study Italian culture through action and participation, and to build awareness from the perspective of active engagement beyond mere observation. The course concept is intended to give students a better understanding of contemporary Italian society and culture – politics, economy, social environment, traditions – and compare their current expressions with historical contexts by using hands-on and interactive participation in cultural integration programs that involve the local community. An important element of this course is the Italian language component, which acts as a bridge to Italian culture based on communication skills. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to apply their basic knowledge of Italian language to fulfill course requirements. The course is designed to expand the student’s global prospective through constant reflection and constructive criticism in order to incorporate intercultural knowledge into a richly articulated awareness of the self-intended as the individual, as the individual within a community, and the individual within a culture. The course comprises a multitude of visits and activities that seek to provide a comprehensive overview of the Italian culture in its real-life applications. In order to fulfil this experiential component of the course, students will engage regularly with activities related to journalism, conversation, volunteering, field learning, and social gatherings, for a total of 90 hours. The course focuses on cognitive development, cultural awareness, and intercultural and interpersonal communication by integrating and placing the student in direct contact with local culture.
3 semester credits. This course seeks to offer an overview of the Italian culture through the exploration of the city of Florence. Students will become familiar with the main Italian and Florentine cultural aspects through the observation of street names, studied as an intangible cultural heritage. In particular, students will learn about Italian social dynamics and traditions related to education, business, social life, healthcare, politics, religion, and sports. The course is held entirely outside as it makes use of the city as its learning environment. Students are therefore encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and develop a critical gaze. The course is further enriched by basic notions of Italian language, with exercises based on grammar, vocabulary, and communicative functions. The 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.
3 semester credits. This course explores the realm of communication in Italy through non-verbal communication and body language. As a millennial crossroads of cultural contamination due to its central position in the Mediterranean area, Italy has always been a point of collision and absorption of communication and language. The course topic explores the evolution of non-verbal languages that arose as a universal mode of communicating across cultures, with a particular focus on contemporary uses in Italy. Considering the infinite diversity of spoken Italian due to a linguistic history of regional dialects, Italian non-verbal communication is a unique example of how bodily gestures have become a codified form and occupy a significant role in Italian culture and society. Various socio-cultural-political contexts, areas of scholarly research/study, and field experiences will be regularly examined and applied throughout the course.
3 semester credits. This course seeks to offer an overview of the Italian culture through the exploration of the city of Florence. Students will become familiar with the main Italian and Florentine cultural aspects through the observation of street names, studied as an intangible cultural heritage. In particular, students will learn about Italian social dynamics and traditions related to education, business, social life, healthcare, politics, religion, and sports. The course is held entirely outside as it makes use of the city as its learning environment. Students are therefore encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and develop a critical gaze. The course is further enriched by basic notions of Italian language, with exercises based on grammar, vocabulary, and communicative functions. The 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.