Italy
Rome, Siena, Florence & Cinque Terre

May 12 - June 3, 2013

Due to limited accommodation space, this program has
a maximum capacity.  Interested students are strongly encouraged to apply by the early application deadline. 
TnCIS anticipates that a wait list will be initiated for the regular acceptance applicants.  Contact TnCIS if you have questions.

Total Program Fee:  $4990


Please visit the TnCIS Italy Facebook Page   

View photos of Italy taken by past TnCIS students on YouTube

Academics and Courses    Application, Cost and Important Details

Program Location:

All roads lead to Rome which is where the program starts. Rome, the eternal city, has an ambiance like no other. Here the ancient world is integrated with the modern. Rome means history. Bernini fountains, baroque basilicas, Michelangelo frescos, and street markets are found in the same city with chic designer stores, terrific restaurants, and a contemporary mass transit system. After Rome the program continues to the Tuscany region which is distinguished by rolling hills, snowcapped mountains, and dramatic cypress trees, providing gorgeous views at practically every turn. The region is known for art, architecture, wine, cheese, and olive oil. In Tuscany we will stay at the rival cities of Siena and Florence. One of Italy's best preserved medieval towns, Siena was built on three hills and is surrounded by well-preserved city walls and filled with fine examples of Gothic and early Renaissance architecture. Next we travel to Cinque Terre, five villages undisturbed by traffic or modern development, clinging to a stretch of the Riviera coastline. The villages are linked by a milk-run train, a ferry, and a fantastic trail which draws hikers from all over the world. The program will finish in Florence, home of the Renaissance and birthplace of the modern urban lifestyle. Many consider Florence Europe’s cultural capital.

Program Description:

Heart of the Roman Empire, birthplace of the Renaissance and Roman Catholic Church, Italy offers the perfect setting for the study of many academic disciplines. The legacy of art and architecture extends through every era from ancient to the most contemporary. Italy offers an excellent opportunity for students to experience the development of western art, civilization, society, and culture. Courses offered will incorporate the Italian people, varied land and seascapes, history, art, and culture to provide students a unique and exciting study abroad experience.

Please note: Prospective students should be aware that study abroad programs require a great deal of walking. You should be prepared to walk two to three miles per day.  You may also walk over uneven, possibly slippery or rocky terrain even in cities. Photography students must also be able to carry the additional weight of the equipment requirements for the class.

Excursions: There will be multiple excursions including visits to the Forum, Coliseum, Vatican, Duomo, El Campo, a winery, San Gimigano, the markets, the Pantheon, Rome at night walking tour, the Academia (home of Michelangelo’s David), hike of the Cinque Terre Trails, and more.

Classes: Class meeting times will average 3 hours daily. Class schedules may vary depending on the daily activities for each class. In addition to traditional classroom time all courses require class excursions.

Accommodations: Students will stay in budget hotels in Siena, Rome, and Florence in rooms holding up to nine people. The hotel in Rome has an 11:00 pm curfew. In Cinque Terre students will stay in a youth hostel with up to nine people in a room. A light breakfast and one other meal will be provided daily.  Students should budget to pay for one meal daily as well as snacks and drinks. 

Academics:

All TnCIS programs are academic in nature and course work that takes advantage of the program location will be the central focus. TnCIS program courses are for credit only. In Italy, students will enroll in ONE of the following courses:

ART: Western Art II (No Prerequisite)
This course will cover major movements in Western Art, with an emphasis on European Art from the 14th through the 17th century.  This course will provide an overview of the predominant artists, aesthetic intent and techniques encountered in the Late Gothic (Proto-Renaissance), Early and High Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque periods.  Holding the class at various locations in Italy will allow the class to see many of the works we will discuss in either their original contexts or nearby and thus will act as a living, learning laboratory.  Seeing the work in reality rather than in facsimile will facilitate the students understanding of scale, space and place that all work to influence a works impact.  Furthermore we will be working to understand the larger ideas that these works embody and manifest. 
See course syllabus

ECONOMICS: Macroeconomics (Corequisites: College-level Math)
Economics tackles some of the most important questions faced by policy-makers, businesses, and ordinary citizens in an increasingly interdependent world. The course aims to give an insight into key issues in the news affecting everyday life in Italy and the U.S. Our goal is to allow you to understand the forces driving things like the price of oil, exchange rates and the level of unemployment in an economy. Students will explore how history, culture, the media, and religion influence the answers to these questions in Italy and in the U.S.  This course can be used as a social science elective for most majors. On class excursions students will learn about the quality of life in Italy. They will see first-hand what inspires people, the challenges they face, and what gets in the way of obtaining individual and national goals in this beautiful country.
Planned site visits include:
A 600 year old vineyard and winery that began exporting to England in the 1600s
The oldest bank in Europe that has been in business over 500 years
A leather factory in Florence
A wine cooperative in Cinque Terre
The Italian Senate Building
And more…
See course syllabus

HISTORY:  Survey of World Civilization I (No Prerequisites)
Survey of World Civilization is foundations of the modern world from the first civilizations through the seventeenth century.  Topics include western and non-western classical civilizations, the Middle Ages, and the age of absolutism.  The advantage of studying the Roman Empire in Rome and the Renaissance in Florence is invaluable.  In Rome, we will take advantage of visiting the sites where the Roman Empire defined itself:  The Forum and the Coliseum are just two examples.  We will discuss the emergence of Christianity and the influence of the Church on the art and architecture of Rome.  Visiting Florence, the home of the Medici’s and incredible art museums will allow us to explore up close and personal the explosion of creativity that was the Renaissance.  Finally, visits to Sienna and Cinque Terre will give us a glimpse into what life was like for the average Italian in the Middle Ages, allowing us to make connections across time and region.  See course syllabus

PHOTOGRAPHY: Nature and Travel Photography (Prerequisites PHO 1000 or equivalent)
A study of basic location photography: nature, urban and rural. The emphasis is on on-site photography, coping with changing lighting and weather conditions, equipment and material selection, and documentation. This course will use the Italian cities and countryside as backdrop for an in depth exploration of the fields of professional location, nature and travel photography. See course syllabus 

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