Description

While the art and history of the Italian Renaissance can be studied many locations, only in Florence does the rich interaction between Medieval Europe and classical antiquity - the embodiment of the Renaissance - truly come alive. Wandering through the winding streets and famous piazze, visitors are struck by the harmonious blending of medieval public buildings, Renaissance churches and swirling baroque decoration. Prestigious museums, such as the Uffizi, also provide unmatched resources for the study of painting, architecture and sculpture. With a spirit of discovery and innovation, a vibrant sense of energy, and a rich and storied history, Florence (or Firenze) continues to be a leading destination for students the world over.

The ACM Florence program seeks to give students the ability to read a city, by immersion in Florence's extraordinary legacy of Renaissance art and culture. Students learn how to view Italian architecture and works of art in situ and how to understand them in the contexts in which they were created. In addition to a required Italian language course, students choose from course offerings in Renaissance art history, Italian culture, and studio art. Offered each fall semester, the program begins in late August with an academic orientation comprised of a four-week intensive Italian language course, lectures on aspects of contemporary Italy, and introductory meetings with background readings for the elective classes. With the exception of the Italian language course, all courses are conducted in English. Florence itself is the laboratory for the program, and site visits are an integral part of the courses. The program also includes two weekend excursions, typically to Venice and Rome.

When students first arrive on site, they are housed in the Pensione Ottaviani, a short walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station. After the first week, students are placed with Italian host families with whom they will live for the duration of the program. In learning Italian, staying with Italian host families, and interacting with Florentines on a daily basis, students gain an immersive understanding of contemporary Italian culture. At the end of the program, students should have a working command of Italian and an understanding of the social and technical processes involved in creativity grounded in one of the world's most richly productive moments in history.

Highlights

*Academics*

Learning objectives

The ACM Florence: Arts, Humanities, & Culture program is designed to develop students ability to analyze works of art in situ and within the context in which they were created.

The program has three overall learning goals:

* To develop students' understanding of the creative processes and the historical and cultural context in which Florentine medieval and Renaissance art, sculpture, and architecture were produced;
* To build language proficiency in Italian sufficient to allow students to communicate with host families and other Italians and to read newspapers and other documents;
* To develop in students a broad understanding of present-day Italian society and culture.

Immersed in Italian arts and culture, as well as present-day life, students learn how to understand the works of art (paintings, architecture, and sculpture) that are Florence's extraordinary legacy. Through an elective studio art class, students can accompany their daily immersion in the local richness of Italian art and culture by learning drawing skills in order to gain an appreciation for the creative process. In learning Italian, staying with Italian host families, and interacting with Florentines on a daily basis, students gain an immersive understanding of contemporary Italian culture.

At the end of the program, students should have the analytic tools to observe the arts in a city and understand the social processes that led to their creation as well as a close understanding of one of the worlds most richly productive moments in history and a working command of Italian sufficient to live independently in Italy.

*Academic overview*

All students take a required course in Italian language and enroll in three of six elective courses which explore various facets of Renaissance art, history and literature, and classical figure drawing.

During the first four weeks, students learn about contemporary Italy and receive intensive instruction in Italian language. Afterwards, students continue these courses less intensively and choose three of the other six courses for the remainder of the semester.

With the exception of language courses, all classes are conducted in English.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Inquire for more information

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of 25

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Transcript
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

2-3 weeks after deadline has passed

ACM - Associated Colleges of the Midwest's Mission Statement

The Associated Colleges of the Midwest, a consortium of residential liberal arts colleges, aims to strengthen its member colleges as leaders, and exemplars, in liberal arts education through significant, innovative, and sustainable collaborations. One key component of ACM is to provide exemplary liberal arts learning through a wide variety of off-campus study programs. Almost all of ACM's off-campus study programs around the world are open to students from any college or university.

Year Founded

1958