Study Abroad in Italy

It’s possible to study Italian language and culture without going to Italy, ma perchè??? The UVa Italian faculty strongly encourages all students to consider a study period in Italy, whether a shorter summer term, or a more intensive semester-long term. The experience is invaluable, both for non-Italian majors interested in widening their college career, and especially for UVa majors and minors in Italian who wish to enrich their cultural experience and language proficiency.

The Study Abroad Advisor for Italian is Prof. Adrienne Ward. She would be happy to discuss study abroad in Italy with you, but asks that you please read the following important preliminary information first. Grazie!

UVA IN SIENA

• UVa will soon offer direct credit through “UVa in Siena” (currently CET-Siena), the only direct credit study abroad program in Italy for UVa students. Currently the program offers transfer credit only (click MATRIX for exact credit transfer equivalents), but direct credit will soon be available to UVa students.

• The program in Siena has been carefully researched by UVa Italian faculty, and offers UVa students the following benefits:

• A variety of courses from beginning to advanced Italian language, and on topics in Italian history, politics, art, cinema, culture and literature, taught in both English and Italian

• Opportunity to complete two courses toward the CLAS Foreign Language Requirement in a single term (summer, fall or spring)

• Opportunity to do coursework at the local institution, Università per gli Stranieri di Siena

• Siena – a gorgeous, manageable, mid-sized city in beautiful Tuscany, only an hour from Florence but without the tourists and American crowds that can sometimes overwhelm the highly-trafficked Italian city!

• Options regarding housing: apartment living either with Italian university-age students or with a family; both offer full-language immersion

Direct credit program! This means your coursework in Italy is automatically integrated with your on-grounds UVa curricula; grades earned count toward your GPA; no need to get approvals from different departments for specific courses, no “transfer credit” paperwork necessary. For more information on the differences between direct credit and transfer credit, click artsandsciences.virginia.edu/undergrad/special_programs/study_abroad.php

• For a list of current UVa students who have recently attended CET-Siena and welcome emails, click student contact list

OTHER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS IN ITALY

• UVa students are also permitted to enroll in other study abroad programs in Italy, provided they are accredited. Students are encouraged to choose from the list of programs in Italy publicized on UVa’s Study Abroad website. The UVa Study Abroad website also contains valuable information about how to locate a suitable program, and what steps to take even if you’re just thinking about studying abroad.

• Courses undertaken at non-direct credit programs (any program other than UVa in Siena) earn transfer credits only and require pre-approval by the respective departments. See Credit Transfer for Study Abroad in Italy for more information.