Italian Studies

This course will introduce the cultural identity of Florentines and the history of Florence, covering four main periods: the Renaissance, foreign rule, 1815 - World War I, and fascism through to the present day. Students will investigate key patterns of the Florentine cultural identity paradigm, including a variety of aspects within topics such as politics, economy, religion, law, arts, and language; and examine lines of continuity and discontinuity between Florentine, Tuscan, Italian, European, and world cultural patterns.

This course will examine the reasons why the socio-criminal phenomenon of the Mafia continues to self-reproduce after more than a century. Students will conduct a comparative study between the two societies where the Mafia took roots, specifically the Italian Mafia versus the American Mafia; explore the history of the Mafia from three main perspectives: historical, political, and sociological; and be able to distinguish clearly between the interpretation of the mafia emerging from fiction books and movies, and the real representation of this socio-criminal phenomenon.

This course will introduce the impact of globalization on Florence. Using the city as a research field, students will explore the complex dynamics that shape the identity of Florence by applying a critical perspective on the notion of globalization, and by analyzing the socio-cultural forces at play both historically and presently; observe the cultural variability in Florence; discuss the relativity of cultural values; and investigate how the multicultural aspect of Florence’s identity has been discursively constructed, and by which social actors.

This course, designed for students with no prior knowledge of the Italian language, will focus on basic Italian language skills necessary to communicate clear messages in everyday life. Students will develop an understanding of the fundamental knowledge of grammar, phonetics, morphology, and syntax using a functional-situational approach where lessons will focus on real situation exercises, grammar drills, consolidation of material, and a deepening of concepts through readings, conversations, role playing games, and listening exercises to correct pronunciation.

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already taken one semester of Italian language. Students will refine previously acquired linguistic skills, analyze the usage of new grammar structures, and continue to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing simple everyday Italian in different situations. Students will engage with authentic materials, such as ads, brochures, videos, and songs to develop an understanding of contemporary Italian language and culture, and will also have opportunities to develop language skills outside of the classroom, through direct, guided experiences in locations around the city.

This course will introduce contemporary Italy’s major issues (immigration, acceptance of diversity, relationships with politics, and racism) through recently released films. Students will analyze 20 films from the late 1990s to the present day; develop an understanding of contemporary Italian society through the image that some of the most valuable Italian filmmakers of the youngest generation have given of the cultural, political, and working environment they live in; and explore the ways in which contemporary Italian cinema has followed, mirrored, and sometimes even anticipated, cultural and social transformations in Italian society.

This course will direct students to reflect about their own relationship with food. Starting from a multi-disciplinary approach, that involves such fields as sociology, history, anthropology and nutrition, students will explore new aspects of their life in Italy directly related to health, education and everyday life. The final aim of this course is to provide an insightful, life-changing experience, which leads students to develop healthier lifestyles (Personal Development Outcome), comparing their culture with Italian culture (Diversity Outcome) and its distinct history and traditions related to food (Urban Environment Outcome).

The Global Internship Course is designed to be completed alongside an internship placement, allowing students to earn academic credit. Students will attend weekly, discussion-led sessions that include educational support and mentoring in a classroom environment; develop personal and professional skills; learn to contextualize their internship experience socially and culturally; and employ the use of Globally Networked Learning technology to conduct a comparative global analysis in collaboration with other CAPA students. At times, this analysis will be facilitated through CAPA Masterclasses led by professionals in a diverse range of fields.

This course will explore the complexities of cultural identity and migration, and the impact they have on intercultural conflict and cooperation. There will be a particular focus on migration in Italy and on the marginalized communities of contemporary Italy, such as migrants, their Italian-born non-citizen children, and the Roma. We will examine the fluidity of cultural boundaries across time and space, and how ingroup and outgroup dynamics contribute to the manufacturing of fear and prejudice among populations. During their semester abroad, students will reflect on the various elements that define a culture while gaining an increased understanding of how culture shapes individuals and how our cultural identities interact in shared social spaces such as the piazze of Florence. 

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already completed two semesters of Italian language. Students will continue to develop basic Italian language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday situations, focusing on pronunciation, grammar and communicative functions, and vocabulary; and explore contemporary Italian language and culture by engaging with authentic materials such as ads, brochures, videos, songs, magazine articles, films, and a short book. Students should expect to complete a diagnostic test on the first meeting, based on grammar structures covered in previous Italian courses, which will help the instructor ascertain the general level of language proficiency of the class.

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already completed three semesters of Italian language. Students will continue to develop basic Italian language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday situations, but at a higher level, focusing on pronunciation, grammar and communicative functions, and vocabulary; and explore contemporary Italian language and culture by engaging with authentic materials such as ads, brochures, videos, songs, magazine articles, films, and a short book. Students should expect to complete a diagnostic test on the first meeting, based on grammar structures covered in previous Italian courses, which will help the instructor ascertain the general level of language proficiency of the class.

This course will introduce a broad range of painting, sculpture, and architecture in Florence from the great projects of the Middle Ages that defined the religious and political centers of the city, with a special focus on major monuments of the Renaissance period. Students will examine issues of social, political, and economic context, as well their function, which was integral to artistic production of the period; conduct related scholarly research; deepen their appreciation of Renaissance civilization; and analyze the interrelationship between people’s creative achievements and their society.

This course will introduce the cultural identity of Florentines and the history of Florence, covering four main periods: the Renaissance, foreign rule, 1815 - World War I, and fascism through to the present day. Students will investigate key patterns of the Florentine cultural identity paradigm, including a variety of aspects within topics such as politics, economy, religion, law, arts, and language; and examine lines of continuity and discontinuity between Florentine, Tuscan, Italian, European, and world cultural patterns.

This course will examine the reasons why the socio-criminal phenomenon of the Mafia continues to self-reproduce after more than a century. Students will conduct a comparative study between the two societies where the Mafia took roots, specifically the Italian Mafia versus the American Mafia; explore the history of the Mafia from three main perspectives: historical, political, and sociological; and be able to distinguish clearly between the interpretation of the mafia emerging from fiction books and movies, and the real representation of this socio-criminal phenomenon.

This course will introduce the impact of globalization on Florence. Using the city as a research field, students will explore the complex dynamics that shape the identity of Florence by applying a critical perspective on the notion of globalization, and by analyzing the socio-cultural forces at play both historically and presently; observe the cultural variability in Florence; discuss the relativity of cultural values; and investigate how the multicultural aspect of Florence’s identity has been discursively constructed, and by which social actors.

This course, designed for students with no prior knowledge of the Italian language, will focus on basic Italian language skills necessary to communicate clear messages in everyday life. Students will develop an understanding of the fundamental knowledge of grammar, phonetics, morphology, and syntax using a functional-situational approach where lessons will focus on real situation exercises, grammar drills, consolidation of material, and a deepening of concepts through readings, conversations, role playing games, and listening exercises to correct pronunciation.

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already taken one semester of Italian language. Students will refine previously acquired linguistic skills, analyze the usage of new grammar structures, and continue to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing simple everyday Italian in different situations. Students will engage with authentic materials, such as ads, brochures, videos, and songs to develop an understanding of contemporary Italian language and culture, and will also have opportunities to develop language skills outside of the classroom, through direct, guided experiences in locations around the city.

This course will introduce students to fundamental approaches, techniques, tools, and mediums of drawing. Students will focus on various aspects of Florence as subject matter; enrich studio work with encounters with Florentine artists and through field studies; increase their visual awareness and perception; explore their creative potential and ability to make visual statements, while enjoying the challenge of drawing; and visually interpret examples of the impact of globalization in the urban environment through their artwork.

This course will introduce basic tools and techniques of figurative sculpture, focusing on skills and techniques necessary for clay modeling. Students will approach full three-dimensionality, starting with the copy of a detail of Michelangelo’s David and ending with the copy of the Bernini’s portrait of Costanza Bonarelli, following the entire process through a step-by-step demonstration. Following this, students will have the opportunity to develop an idea for a personal project, based on a theme, and present it with a proposal. They will also take part in a jewelry-making workshop.

This course will introduce students to the materials and techniques of the versatile medium of oil painting within the framework of Florence. Students will focus on various aspects of Florence as subject matter; enrich studio work with encounters with Florentine artists and through field studies; increase their visual awareness and perception; explore their creative potential and ability to make visual statements, while enjoying the challenge of painting; and visually interpret examples of the impact of globalization in the urban environment through their artwork.

This course will introduce students to the materials and techniques of the unpredictable medium of watercolor painting within the framework of Florence. Students will focus on various aspects of Florence as subject matter; enrich studio work with encounters with Florentine artists and through field studies; increase their visual awareness and perception; explore their creative potential and ability to make visual statements, while enjoying the challenge of painting; and visually interpret examples of the impact of globalization in the urban environment through their artwork.

This course will introduce contemporary Italy’s major issues (immigration, acceptance of diversity, relationships with politics, and racism) through recently released films. Students will analyze 20 films from the late 1990s to the present day; develop an understanding of contemporary Italian society through the image that some of the most valuable Italian filmmakers of the youngest generation have given of the cultural, political, and working environment they live in; and explore the ways in which contemporary Italian cinema has followed, mirrored, and sometimes even anticipated, cultural and social transformations in Italian society.

This course will explore the field of cross-cultural psychology through a focus on Italy and its inhabitants. Students will discuss aspects of cross-cultural analysis from the field of cross-cultural psychology, including cultural influence on human behavior, attitude, values, communication, and societal organization; examine topics of ethnocentrism, individual vs. collective societies, plural societies, cultural views on mental health, and intercultural communication; and investigate methodical issues of cross-cultural research, with the opportunity to be participant-observers of their own experiences in Italy, including through field work.

This course will explore the Florentine literary world, focusing on great masterpieces from the 14th century, such as Dante’s "Vita Nuova" and "The Divine Comedy" and Boccaccio’s "The Decameron". Students will take a multidisciplinary approach to English translations of these texts, examining their social, political, historical, and philosophical implications, while giving special attention to the impact that the Medieval/Renaissance city of Florence had in their writing. Students will develop an understanding of why certain forms of artistic expression are peculiar to certain ages, at times to the exclusion of others.

This course will direct students to reflect about their own relationship with food. Starting from a multi-disciplinary approach, that involves such fields as sociology, history, anthropology and nutrition, students will explore new aspects of their life in Italy directly related to health, education and everyday life. The final aim of this course is to provide an insightful, life-changing experience, which leads students to develop healthier lifestyles (Personal Development Outcome), comparing their culture with Italian culture (Diversity Outcome) and its distinct history and traditions related to food (Urban Environment Outcome).

This course will explore a range of theories and debates that surround the issue of gender in both Florence and international contexts. Students will develop an understanding of key concepts and ideas that have been applied to the study of gendered identity; critically analyze gendered identity in both Florence and the United States; and examine historical and contemporary case studies in order to investigate how and why gender is such a critical element of past and present identity politics.

The Global Internship Course is designed to be completed alongside an internship placement, allowing students to earn academic credit. Students will attend weekly, discussion-led sessions that include educational support and mentoring in a classroom environment; develop personal and professional skills; learn to contextualize their internship experience socially and culturally; and employ the use of Globally Networked Learning technology to conduct a comparative global analysis in collaboration with other CAPA students. At times, this analysis will be facilitated through CAPA Masterclasses led by professionals in a diverse range of fields.

The Global Internship Course is designed to be completed alongside an internship placement, allowing students to earn academic credit. Students will attend weekly, discussion-led sessions that include educational support and mentoring in a classroom environment; develop personal and professional skills, learn to contextualize their internship experience socially and culturally, and employ the use of Globally Networked Learning technology to conduct a comparative global analysis with other CAPA students. At times, this analysis will be facilitated through CAPA Masterclasses led by professionals in a diverse range of fields.

This course will provide students with an integrative framework for understanding the business and legal challenges associated with effective workforce management on a global scale. Students will compare international labor markets in terms of labor costs, labor supply, and workplace culture; and analyze case studies from developed and emerging economies to investigate the complex cultural and regulatory environment that multinational firms face in such areas as talent management, performance management, offshore outsourcing, downsizing, and industrial relations.

This course will explore the complexities of cultural identity and migration, and the impact they have on intercultural conflict and cooperation. There will be a particular focus on migration in Italy and on the marginalized communities of contemporary Italy, such as migrants, their Italian-born non-citizen children, and the Roma. We will examine the fluidity of cultural boundaries across time and space, and how ingroup and outgroup dynamics contribute to the manufacturing of fear and prejudice among populations. During their semester abroad, students will reflect on the various elements that define a culture while gaining an increased understanding of how culture shapes individuals and how our cultural identities interact in shared social spaces such as the piazze of Florence. 

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already completed two semesters of Italian language. Students will continue to develop basic Italian language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday situations, focusing on pronunciation, grammar and communicative functions, and vocabulary; and explore contemporary Italian language and culture by engaging with authentic materials such as ads, brochures, videos, songs, magazine articles, films, and a short book. Students should expect to complete a diagnostic test on the first meeting, based on grammar structures covered in previous Italian courses, which will help the instructor ascertain the general level of language proficiency of the class.

This is an intensive 65-hour course, designed for students who have already completed three semesters of Italian language. Students will continue to develop basic Italian language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday situations, but at a higher level, focusing on pronunciation, grammar and communicative functions, and vocabulary; and explore contemporary Italian language and culture by engaging with authentic materials such as ads, brochures, videos, songs, magazine articles, films, and a short book. Students should expect to complete a diagnostic test on the first meeting, based on grammar structures covered in previous Italian courses, which will help the instructor ascertain the general level of language proficiency of the class.

This course will examine how theories, experimental research, and current issues in the field of organizational behavior apply in the context of the international workplace. Students will focus on the application of core management theories and strategies, base their studies on interdisciplinary research from fields including psychology, sociology, economics, political science, and anthropology; develop an understanding of human behavior within a global work environment and across historical and current issues; and reflect critically on how theoretical frameworks can be applied and developed within the organizational setting.

This course will explore key economic issues in the global business environment. Students will develop an understanding of how global businesses are impacted by real world developments in economics, politics, and finance; critically examine the global economic landscape with an emphasis on the interaction between international economics and business through discussions of current economic and political development; and explore topics such as globalization, country differences, cross-border trade and investment, the global monetary system, and competing in a global marketplace.

This course will examine the topic of finance in the international context. Students will explore historical perspectives and foundations of international finance, international capital flows, foreign direct investment, the exchange rate determination and exposure management, international capital markets and institutions, and financial management of a multinational firm; examine the current economic landscape through topical discussions of current economic and political developments and their impact on international finance; and develop an understanding of the opportunities and risks associated with international finance.

This course will explore terms, concepts, and theories of marketing in the international context, as well as its scope and challenges. Students will examine how global dimensions technology, research, capital, investment, and production impact marketing, distribution, and communication networks; gain insight into the increasingly interdependent global economic and physical environment and its impact on international marketing; analyze current international marketing issues and their implications; and develop an understanding of how companies create competitive strategic plans that enable them to survive and succeed in global markets.

This course will introduce technical digital SLR camera skills, focusing on compositional elements and photography’s narrative possibilities. Students will explore the history of photography through analysis of projects and images realized by famous photographers; create personal visual tales of their experience of a new, unknown reality; develop an understanding of the relationship between technical skills and creative purposes; and examine the ways in which photography can be used as a tool of documentary record, cross cultural understanding, artistic expression, and self discovery. Students will be required to have a digital SLR camera for this course.

This course will introduce a broad range of painting, sculpture, and architecture in Florence from the great projects of the Middle Ages that defined the religious and political centers of the city, with a special focus on major monuments of the Renaissance period. Students will examine issues of social, political, and economic context, as well their function, which was integral to artistic production of the period; conduct related scholarly research; deepen their appreciation of Renaissance civilization; and analyze the interrelationship between people’s creative achievements and their society.

This course will introduce creative writing in relation to the city and the particular challenges of writing about place. Students will examine how various subjects such as the river, urban spaces, solitude, ethnicity, particular boroughs, and characters (both fictional and real) function in Florence narratives; develop an understanding of the role of memory and experience in literary psycho-geographical accounts of the metropolis; utilize their observations of Florence to practice creative writing, and investigate the potential of place within the narrative of various genres.