Choosing a PROGRAM University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Center for International Education – Study Abroad Choosing a PROGRAM

Three Campuses Florence (available all terms) Rome (not available winterim) Tuscania (not available winterim) Three Cities (fall, spring only)

Florence Highlights Largest Lorenzo de’ Medici Program : 800-1,000 students/term Most Course Selection: ~ 400 courses Business & CJ Internships (Competitive) Volunteer Opportunities Lots of student clubs and activities to get students involved outside of the classroom This has advantages & disadvantages: Florence is an exciting tourist destination, and there are lots of courses offered and lots of clubs and activities available. On the other hand, since the staff is dealing with so many students each term, it can be more difficult to get individualized attention—and, because Florence is such a major tourist attraction, it can be harder to connect with local people. Do be aware that not all of the courses are offered in all of the terms! During fall or spring semester, there are usually 250-300 courses offered. But in the summer sessions, there are only about 50, and during winterim, there are usually only about 20. Course schedules are typically released about 6 months in advance of a term, you can find the most recent ones on the LdM website. Although the internships are competitive, our one student who applied for a CJ internship was accepted. The internships are for academic credit and are typically with small to mid-sized Italian family-run businesses. Some of the volunteer opportunities can count for service-learning, if you structure them correctly. During winterim, you can complete half of the service-learning requirement (15 hours); during summer or the semester, you can complete either half or the full 30 hour requirement.

Rome Highlights Small program (25-30 students) in Italy’s capital city City used as part of the classroom Business and CJ Internships (excellent placement chances!) Monthly city transportation passes included 3-4 regional day trips offered at low cost The small number of students obviously means that there are fewer courses offered—usually 6-8 in a summer session, 15-20 during the semester. The “campus”, which is one floor of one building, is very centrally located in the city, and faculty are asked to incorporate the environment in their classes. In addition, many of the shops around the school offer discount to LdM students with their student IDs. Because of the small number of students, chance of placement in internships for qualified students is excellent. You can get back and forth from your apartment and explore the city using the city transportation pass.

Tuscania Highlights Small program lets students experience real life in an Italian town Host family option even for students with no previous Italian Regional excursions offered every Friday at no additional cost 30 minutes by bus to the Mediterranean Great opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts Free shuttle to/from train station Least expensive site! Unlike Rome & Florence, Tuscania is a town of ~ 8,000 and is off the beaten tourist track, although it is rich in history. It is a short bus ride from Viterbo, a university town about the size of Eau Claire—but with a historic, walled city center that dates from the 11th century. Tuscania itself dates from the 7th century BC! In terms of course offerings, it is similar to Rome, with 6-8 in a summer session, 10-15 during the semester. I got to visit one of the cooking classes while I was there, and the students were all very enthusiastic about their experience. As one of them put it, “I travel a lot on the weekends, and when I get back to Tuscania, I feel like I’m coming home. I’m not treated like a tourist here.” And they all agreed that they made great strides in their Italian language, and I heard none of the complaints that I heard in the other cities about Italian being a difficult class. All of the campuses use the same curriculum and approach to their Italian classes, so I was curious about this. As I talked with the students, I realized it was because they used their language daily outside of class, which the students in Florence and Rome can easily avoid doing. If you want to experience everyday Italian life, you can live with a host family. I spoke with two students who arrived with no Italian and were living with a host family. They were having a great experience—had been invited by their family to various family events, were learning to cook some favorite recipes from their host mom, and could converse in basic Italian. The LdM Tuscania staff recognizes that even if students enjoy the small town atmosphere, they want to see more, and they make it easy for students to do that. Students can sign up for regional excursions offered every Friday, and for those who want to go further and explore on their own, there is a free shuttle to the nearest train station on Thursday and Friday evenings, and a free pick-up on Sunday night. Because it is off the beaten track, costs in Tuscania are lower! Housing is less expensive, food is less expensive, students tend to spend time during the week on low cost, local activities.

THREE CITIES Highlights Experience Tuscania, Rome & Florence (fall) or Tuscania, Rome & Venice (spring) Set academic program (all students take the same 5 classes) Non-credit class, The Food of Italy, also available at additional cost. For 2014-2015, the classes are two Italian language courses (yes, all students must take both), and three history courses: Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, Medieval & Renaissance Transitions, and Leonardo: Ar & Science (Fall) or Venice & the East (Spring)