Education Abroad

Many people think about Italian cultural identity as something uniform and widespread throughout the country. Actually, because of its particular geographical conformation and its history. Italy is a country of many contrasts, a place where different uses, different dialects, different kind of food, different traditions and cultural perspectives intersect creating a vibrant and multifaceted environment. This three-week workshop in Florence over the J Term is designed to allow students to experience this rich and variegated cultural landscape. Through visits to some of the most important art galleries in the world – like the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Galleria dell’Accademia – film screenings, food tasting, cooking, a one day trip to Siena and a two-days trip to the National Cinema Museum in Turin, students experience different cultural perspectives, learn to analyze movies under a technical point of view and to write about food and travels. Students live in apartments in the center of Florence, at a walking distance from the classroom space and surrounded by the artistic beauties of the city in a safe, friendly environment.

The workshop is open to all majors, no knowledge of Italian is required. For more information please contact Dr. Daniele Fioretti.

This winter workshop in Paris will run January 2-27, 2024. Our program invites students to learn on location about masterpieces of French and American culture from the cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the contemporary modernist metropolis beloved by artists, writers, and filmmakers in a transnational context. Participants take two courses: ENG163 (Travel and Literature) and FRE 131 (Masterworks of French Literature in Translation). All courses are taught in English by experienced faculty from Miami University; some French is recommended, but not required. The Paris Cultural Capital program fulfills either the Global Perspectives requirement (6 credit hours of study abroad), or Miami Plan Foundation requirements for Humanities, Intercultural Perspectives (ENG 163), or Global Perspectives courses (FRE 131). These courses also count toward the English major & minor, and the French major. Space is limited to 20 students, so apply soon.

• Priority application deadline: July 1, 2023
• Priority deposit deadline: upon acceptance to secure your participation
• Final application and deposit deadline: October 1, 2023

Study the “Three Fs” of Italian industry: Fashion, Food, and Furniture. Students visit multiple major businesses, from Armani to a gelato factory, to understand the history and culture behind them. ​Italy has distinguished itself worldwide for the excellence of its products in relation to its quality, elegance, taste, style and creativity. The goal of this Made in Italy workshop is to provide students with an understanding of major innovations of Italian industry such as fashion, food, and design, while offering an introduction of basic principles of business management from an Italian point of view. Students take ITL 279, a course which analyzes the history and evolution of these industries from their origin to the present, and the challenges faced in Italy today in the era of globalization. Students will also familiarize with basic Italian vocabulary and will deepen their understanding of cultural differences while developing strategies to adapt to a new culture.

For more information, contact Rocco Manzo.