Italy: Tuscania Summer

Program Overview

Lorenzo de' Medici (LdM) in Tuscania is located on the borders of the Tuscany and Lazio regions of central Italy, south of Florence and not far from Rome, in the breathtaking countryside of the southern Maremma. Tuscania is a very old town whose origins can be traced back to the Bronze Age. Significant evidence of substantial human settlements dates back to the Etruscan period, as witnessed by the numerous necropolises in the area. Tuscania has been admired for centuries for its picturesque setting, dreamy landscapes, medieval walls, cobbled streets and fine culture and foods. Filmmakers such as Pier Paolo Pasolini, Orson Welles and Franco Zeffirelli have chosen it for their films, while the town has inspired myriad artists, painters, photographers and writers. In the last few years Tuscania has also developed a reputation as a center for new forms of contemporary expression and modern art: its vivid cultural life is represented by an active calendar of festivals and exhibitions.

After 30 years of successful teaching experience in Florence, Lorenzo de' Medici, a private educational institution, has opened the new study center in Tuscania. Classrooms and offices are located in an elegant and fortified building of great beauty, which is situated in the old town center near the medieval walls and just inside one of the main gates of the ancient town. Faculty in all fields of study are highly experienced and speak English and ALL COURSES ARE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE COURSES.

Highlights of LdM Tuscania:

Cultural Immersion: full integration into community, exposure to traditional small-town life
New kitchen facilities; site of LdM's Mediterranean Culinary Institute
Performing arts facilities, including a theatre
Ongoing, important archaeology projects
Diverse programming, especially strong history and archaeology programs

SEE THE WORLD FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE!

Academic Profile

Lorenzo de' Medici in Tuscania

Tuscania Program and Curriculum
Academic Programs: Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and two Summer Sessions (June & July).

The Lorenzo de' Medici School in Tuscania offers courses to students from all over the world in Italian language, art, art history, archaeology, history, Italian culture, the culinary arts, and various other fields of study. No previous knowledge of Italian is required. The language of instruction is English, with the exception of the language classes. Classes are small, with strong emphasis placed on student-faculty interaction. Taking advantage of the local environment, many courses focus on the Etruscan civilization.

A 2.5 GPA, official transcripts, one letter of recommendation, and a statement of purpose are necessary for admission to the program. In addition, students must be 18 years old.

The LdM program at Tuscania is based on a full immersion concept. Because of the town's small size and its geographic location, students live and study in a fully Italian and a more traditional small community-based environment. Integration in the community is fundamental to the program, encouraging students to create relationships in a cultural context.

Program: Liberal Arts/Studio Arts
Students choose 2 courses (6 credits). All courses are 3 credits each. Students choose any 2 courses they want and all courses are 3 credits each. Students enrolled for summer programs typically receive 6 credits per 4-week session.

Subjects are listed below. Please see Course Schedules and Course Descriptions for more information.

Course Offerings

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The School of Arts and Sciences includes the following subject areas: Archaeology, Art History, Classical Studies, History, Literature, Music, Cinema and Theatre Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Political Science and International Studies.

SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS
The School of Creative Arts includes the following subject areas: Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Photography, Culinary and Nutritional Arts.

SCHOOL OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Subject area: Italian Language

TUSCANIA ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL
(June 3 – August 2)

Lorenzo de’ Medici is committed to helping students realize their potential, providing high quality education that will enable students to interact successfully with the community worldwide. - LdM Mission

Activities and Opportunities

Student Life

Lorenzo de Medici offers a free time program covering various activities involving the discovery of the different aspects of the historical and cultural heritage of the area.

These include guided visits such as:

Social activities (ex. Meeting with Italian students, attending local special events)
Theatre
Concerts
Museum Visits
Wine tasting & visiting vineyards
Walking lectures to particular sites of interest
Field trips & day excursions to places such as: Viterbo, Tarquinia and Vuleii, Bolsena Lake and Bisentina Island, Rome, Civita di Bagnoregio

Housing

Housing is not included in the Program cost. Students have two housing options:

Option 1: Student Apartment

LdM is pleased to facilitate students in making their housing arrangements for a spot in a double bedroom in a shared student apartment. Most apartments have one to three bedrooms. A very limited number have only one bedroom, and some may have more than three bedrooms. 2 to 4 (or more) students generally share an apartment.

Apartment Description:

Apartments are furnished and equipped with: bed linens, basic pots and pans, kitchen utensils, washing machine and TV.
Towels are generally not-included in the apartment and we recommend students to bring their own set of towels to Italy with them. Students can bring a few towels (not many) and buy them in Italy.
The student shared apartments are usually suitable for minimum of 2 to a maximum of 6 persons.
They are not all located in the same building, but within walking distance from the school facilities.
Although apartments are of the same standard and have similar facilities, no two apartments are alike.

*For housing arranged by LdM, the housing coordinator in Florence assigns roommates based on the completed housing profile. Students can request to room with a student they already know as long as both students make that request.

The cost per person is: $600 (approx)
*Above costs are based on the Summer 2008 sessions.

Option 2: Independent Housing Arrangement

Students are free to organize their own housing arrangements.
If requested, LdM will provide the students with a list of estate Agencies.

Alumni Feedback

"I would recommend this program. If it not the typical study abroad experience in a big city with lots of other American students and a bustling nightlife. This program suits students who want to learn about Italian small town culture, meet Italians, improve their language skills, and eat incredible food without tons of tourist traps."
- Lianna Gomori

"You cannot buy a refrigerator magnet that says Tuscania. As a matter of fact, you will not find a tourist trap in Tuscania. You will find a small town surrounded by small towns. You are only a 90 minute train ride to Rome, or take the train to Florence and you will see all the sights that an American wants to see. But you will literally see sheep grazing outside the wall of the old city of Tuscania. It was safe to walk at night, the people are friendly. The Staff at LDM was most helpful on issues regarding field trips to Tuscany and other places (Tuscany is about 30 minutes away by car and I will never forget my day trip to a family vineyard). The teachers were first rate professionals; you will get homework. I took the cooking class and beginning Italian . I realized that I can cook, and I make fresh pasta now. I will never be fluent in Italian, but the locals were always helpful. I hope that you will order an espresso and sit with the locals on a hot Saturday night, and just feel that for that moment you are an Italian. Yes the food was great! Tuscania was a wonderful experience."
- Dennis Gaffigan

"The Tuscania program is fantastic for anyone who truly wants a taste of la vita Italiana. It is full of history and warm people ready to feed you, chat with you, and kiss you on both cheeks. The town may seem small, but I would get lost for hours exploring and finding new fountains and beautiful views hidden in corners. I've never enjoyed doing homework so much as when I was sitting in the park looking out at the old Romanesque countryside and reading Dante's poetry. I really loved Tuscania and my experience."
- Lianna Gomori

Tuscania Summer Program Details

Duration

May 22-June 21, 2008
June 26-July 26, 2008

Application Deadline(s)

APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Summer Programs:
February 15 – Session I (June)
March 15 – Session II (July)

TUITION PAYMENT DEADLINES:
For Summer Programs:
May 1 – Session I (June)
June 1 – Session II (July)

Eligibility Requirements

2.5 GPA or higher

Official transcripts
1 letter of recommendation for Summer
Statement of purpose
Students must be 18 years

Language

English with the exception of the Italian language classes.

Costs

Liberal Arts/Studio Art (combination of any two courses)
4-week session (6 credits): $2,570

Tuscania Archaeology Field School (July 3rd – August 2nd):
6 credits: $4,020

Costs Included

Tuition and administrative fees, program related activities, orientation in US and Italy, sickness and accident insurance

Costs Not Included

Airfare ($1,000 - $1,300 approx.), books ($70 -$120 approx.), housing ($600-$1,560 approx.), meals ($700 approx.), personal costs ($1000 approx.), Art equipment & supplies ($75-$150 approx.), and school of record fee - Non CUNY/CCIS if applicable.

Please visit the following site for further details on the LdM summer programs such as
housing descriptions, pre-departure information, course schedules etc:
http://www.csi.cuny.edu/international/italy.html

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.

Submit Application Materials To:

Cynthia Sittler

College of Staten Island/CUNY
Center for International Service
Building 2A-Room 206
2800 Victory Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10314
(718) 982-2100
(718) 982-2108 (fax)
StudyAB@mail.csi.cuny.edu
http://www.csi.cuny.edu/international

How do I apply?

Start the CCIS Study Abroad application process by downloading and printing the following forms. These PDF documents are viewed using Adobe's Acrobat Reader plug-in, which is available free. If you don't have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, click here.

CCIS APPLICATION PACKAGE AND INSTRUCTIONS

Application Deadlines:
Summer Programs:

Session I	(June)	February 15
Session II	(July)	March 15

Please note:
Academic Level: Undergraduate
No previous knowledge of Italian is required.

Note:
Students from CCIS member institutions apply through home campus; students from non-member institutions apply through Broome Community College/SUNY or other appropriate CCIS member institutions.

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.