Florentia: The Ancient Roots of Florence
This course analyzes the ancient past of Florence from its origins to the end of the Roman Empire. A few aspects concerning the Barbarian rulers will also be considered. The ancient town of Florentia will be discovered during each lesson through a variety of sources: written texts from ancient and medieval authors, archaeological evidence, past excavations and recent discoveries, artifacts and items housed in local museums as well as objects unearthed in recent years. Emphasis will be placed on the urban pattern by tracing and locating the main temples and sacred spaces, public buildings and private houses. Beyond acquiring a basic chronology and a timeline, students will closely examine selected topics about Roman civilization, art and architecture, lifestyle and customs. To better understand certain themes, a number of visits and field trips are planned, including to the National Archaeological Museum of Florence and little-known archaeological areas.
Food and Culture
If you are what you eat, just why do you eat the way you do? This course considers the relationships between the multiple meanings of food and the acts of preparing and eating food, and further explores food and personal and social identity. Students will examine why different people make different food choices in their daily lives, why individuals from certain social classes will avoid or appreciate particular foods, and, in general, how food serves as a factor in self-definition. Because a person's attitude toward food can reveal not just personal identity traits, but a whole food ideology, this course will also analyze the role of food in the construction of ethnic identity, in the display of religious beliefs and in the negotiation of gender roles. Students learn how cultures and values are transmitted and preserved through food. Through personal essays and interdisciplinary secondary literature students will be guided to analyze the complex and fascinating relationships between people and food, helping them to understand how cultures (including their own) ultimately determine all human food choices.
Art History I: Antiquity to Early Renaissance
This course is a survey of the visual arts in Western Europe, from ancient Greece to the Early Renaissance. Throughout this course students encounter the principal monuments, artists and themes in painting, sculpture and architecture, and discover the changes in styles and taste in this period. The course explores the historical, philosophical and cultural contexts essential to understanding the visual arts and the impact they have had through the ages. Great importance is given to the interpretation of subjects and symbols, to the different techniques and styles used by artists, and to the role of public and private patrons. On-site teaching provides the incomparable experience of studying important works of art and architecture first-hand. The material is approached as an introduction to the discipline of art history, with the aim of fostering appreciation and the desire to further investigate this field.
Palaces of Florence
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the history of the palaces of Florence from the 13th to the 17th century. Public and private palaces played an important role in the life of the city through the centuries, and, by studying them, students will have the opportunity to understand not only the development of their architectural style, but also the social, economic, cultural, and political history of Florence, in an interdisciplinary approach to the subject. Students will study the evolution of Florentine palaces directly in front, and inside, of the buildings. Many of the lessons will be held on site, and site visits form a crucial dimension of the learning experience.
Principles of Marketing
Marketing is a dynamic and exciting field, a key tool in confronting the challenges that enterprises are facing every day. The purpose of this course is to introduce marketing principles and concepts. In this course students will learn about the "real" nature and scope of marketing management. They will be introduced to aspects of marketing, such as: Marketing Strategy, the 4 Ps, Market Planning, Retailing and Wholesaling, Target Marketing, Market Segmentation, Services Marketing. Students will also learn about the strategic importance of marketing to an enterprise, whether it be a profit-oriented business firm or a not-for-profit organization.
Language of Instruction: Spanish
Recommended US semester credits: 3
Principles of Marketing
Initially students will learn why financial accounting is essential to the running of corporations. This will be followed up with a discussion about the basic principles of accounting and the major elements of financial statements. Other elements will include journal entry and practical book keeping, showing the students how the accounts of companies are actually prepared working up to producing short financial statements. This will also include stock valuation methods and analysis of financial statements.
Language of Instruction: English
Recommended US semester credits: 2.5
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Wine Business
This course explores the business and marketing of wine, with special focus on U.S. markets. Wine trade and consumption in the U.S. have consistently increased in recent years. If until the early 1990s wine consumption was concentrated in a few major states, today wine is consumed by a large part of the U.S. population. Italian wine, counting for 30% of U.S. wine imports, is a major part of this economic and cultural scenario. In addition, new wine markets have emerged worldwide. This growing interest has strengthened the role of traditional key players in the wine trade such as importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, while helping to create new professional figures such as wine writers, wine club managers, and event promoters. In this course students learn skills that help equip them to take on such roles. Given the notable diversity and quality of Italian wines, students examine issues of sourcing, shipment chains and trading channels, and market impact. The course includes business simulations, and students produce a startup or marketing project.
Love and Natural Selection: Science and Myth
The aim of this course is to examine the reach and impact that Darwins theory of natural selection has had on religion, gender, and race and to uncover some common misconceptions about his work. The Origin of Species brought about a profound intellectual revolution not only in the natural, but also in the social sciences. Part one of the course examines the building blocks of Darwin's theory and its dissemination, reception, and legacy. Part two examines the theoretical basis of modern evolutionary biology and analyzes some of the most popular (and contested) theories of evolutionary psychology relating to human reproduction, gender, relationships, and beauty. The course further offers a critical study of some evolutionary ideas after Darwin, focusing on eugenics, revealing flaws in modern popular scientific discourse as well as potential limitations to the scientific method and culture. Student presentations will consider Darwin's influence on areas such as art and media and also on our understanding of physical and mental disabilities.
Digital Graphic Techniques Fundamentals (Summer and Intersession)
This course trains students in the basics of computer graphics, developing foundational techniques and skills within the standard set of software applications for the design field. Image optimization and manipulation, graphic illustration basics and Web design principles are covered extensively. Students work on individual practical projects, image make-ups, graphic illustrations, and Web layout design. Professional printing skills are developed in the context of a commercial printing center.
Italian Regional Food in Cultural Perspective
["Although characterized by unique and distinctive features, Italian cuisine is still perceived as the result of many different regional culinary traditions that, although merged and diluted over the centuries, still maintain their particular flavors and distinct ingredients. The course focuses on the different aspects of regional food in Italy, from ingredients to recipe preparation and cooking techniques, with particular attention to the following factors: historical origins and developments;","climate and environmental conditions;","social issues;","food production;","nutrition;","and safety and health. Emphasis will be placed on how food relates to the local lifestyle and culture. Regional economy and local resources will be analyzed and compared. Students will be introduced to the various local products through lectures and class demonstrations."]
Italian Food and Culture: Pairing Food &Wine
Italian cuisine is the result of many different regional culinary traditions that, although merged and diluted over centuries, still maintain their particular flavors and distinct ingredients. Thanks in recent years to a greater availability of wines from different regions, the pairing of food and wine, always a traditional aspect of Italian cuisine, has become more important in the organization of a menu and the presentation of a meal. In this course the various ways of pairing Italian food and wine will be analyzed and used for menu planning. This involves research into aspects of both wine and food, with special emphasis on classification and technical terminology, nutritional and health issues, chemical composition, sensory and other evaluation techniques, as well as cooking skills that will be practiced regularly in class. Not suitable for vegetarians.
4-Hour Italian Language Elementary 1
This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before: it is the first of six levels and its aim is to give the basis of the language, allowing students to deal with the most common everyday situations by expressing themselves in the present and past tenses. At the end of the course students will be able to understand familiar words and basic phrases and to interact in a simple way in order to satisfy their immediate needs. The course is specifically designed to make the most of the immersive learning environment, with activities outside the classroom which provide a useful complement to the academic experience and help students to build their linguistic self-confidence.
Language of Instruction: Italian
4-Hour Italian Language Elementary 2
This course focuses on the consolidation of basic structures of the language and the acquisition of some new structures, such as the means to describe one's personal background and environment, to express wishes and talk about future plans, respond to simple direct questions or requests for information. At the end of the course students will be able to understand simple exchanges of information on familiar activities and use short phrases to describe in simple terms people and living conditions. The course is specifically designed to make the most of the immersive learning environment, with activities outside the classroom which provide a useful complement to the academic experience and help students to build their linguistic self-confidence.
4-Hour Italian Language Intermediate 1
This course focuses on the acquisition of complex language structures and skills, such as the means to express personal opinions, preferences, doubts and hypothesis, the combination of different tenses when narrating past events, switching the focus in writing. In this level emphasis is given to social discourse, to the ability to effectively sustain social interactions and contribute significantly to discussions. At the end of the course students will achieve a deeper awareness of the language and a wider repertoire of vocabulary and texts . The course is specifically designed to make the most of the immersive learning environment, with activities outside the classroom which provide a useful complement to the academic experience and help students to build their linguistic self-confidence.
Language of Instruction: Italian
4-Hour Italian Language Intermediate 2
This course focuses on the acquisition of complex language structures and skills, such as the means to express personal opinions, preferences, doubts and hypothesis, the combination of different tenses when narrating past events, switching the focus in writing. In this level emphasis is given to social discourse, to the ability to effectively sustain social interactions and contribute significantly to discussions. At the end of the course students will achieve a deeper awareness of the language and a wider repertoire of vocabulary and texts. The course is specifically designed to make the most of the immersive learning environment, with activities outside the classroom which provide a useful complement to the academic experience and help students to build their linguistic self-confidence.
Language of Instruction: Italian
4-Hour Italian Language Advanced 1
In this level the focus is on the ability to manage conversation and cooperating strategies, to employ a wide range of language to build clear, connected and effective texts. At the end of the course students will be able to take an active part in conversations, accounting for their points of view, to give clear presentations on a range of subjects related to their interests both in speaking and in writing. The course is specifically designed to make the most of the immersive learning environment, with activities outside the classroom, which provide a useful complement to the academic experience and help students to build their linguistic self-confidence.
Organized Crime: Sociology and History of Italian Mafia
One of a long list of Italian words adopted in many other languages, mafia is now applied to a variety of criminal organizations around the world. This course examines organized crime in Italy in historical, social and cultural perspective, tracing its growth from the nineteenth century to the present. The chief focus is on the Sicilian mafia as the original and primary form. Similar organizations in other Italian regions, as well as the mafia in the United States, an outgrowth of Sicilian mafia, are also considered. The course analyzes sociological aspects of the mafia including language, message systems, the code of silence, the role of violence, structures of power, and social relationships. Also examined are the economics of organized crime and its impact on Italian society and politics.
