Location:

Florence, Italy

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Academic Year, Fall Semester, Spring Semester

Program Overview

Program Description:

Middlebury's program in Italy is designed for well-rounded students with strong abilities in written and spoken Italian. Our program emphasizes acquisition of language skills and intellectual development through a curriculum of content-driven language and cultural study exclusively in Italian. We strongly urge all students to enroll in the program for the full academic year: compared to a shorter stay, the linguistic, academic, and personal benefits of a ten-month stay are incalculable.

Middlebury’s Sede at the Palazzo Giugni, is situated in the academic heart of the old city, an area bustling with coffee shops, bookstores, cultural clubs, and academic buildings. The Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Florence’s other main monuments are all within easy walking distance. Students also enroll directly at the Università degli Studi di Firenze, a modern research institution that has been central to Florentine academic life for centuries, or the prestigious Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze (spring-semester only), where they are able to walk in the footsteps of great artists such as Giambologna, Cellini and Michelangelo.

Participants in the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad don’t just study a language—they live it. Many of our students major in disciplines other than foreign languages, yet all bring a level of proficiency that supports their commitment to language and cultural immersion. They sign and honor the Middlebury Language Pledge because they want the greatest possible challenge in a study abroad program and an authentic experience in every respect; academic, social, and even professional. Participants take courses in most subjects with host country students, intern or engage in volunteer work, and live with a host family. Indeed, at every juncture of their time abroad, students have the chance to "live the language" and immerse themselves in the host culture.

Setting Description:

Florence is the embodiment of the Renaissance, which began in Tuscany during the fourteenth century and continued to influence the region and ultimately the world for four hundred years. Now a bustling city filled with piazze, cafes, and museums, the culture of Florence is ideally suited for student life. And while Florence welcomes large numbers of international students each year, students at the School in Italy are noteworthy for their linguistic proficiency and their commitment to cultural immersion.

Cost:

Semester Tuition (includes health insurance): $13,800. Year Tuition (includes health insurance): $27,600