Program Date

June 7 - June 30, 2010

Departure date: June 6
Return date: July 1

What You Will Learn

Visiting another country, understanding the culture of other people, comparing our own habits and traditions--these are the joys of traveling. Italian life has been described as art, history, culture, food, and wine. But what do Italians really do? What are Tuscan habits? How do Florentines enjoy their town, free time, and holidays? This total immersion program in a foreign country with a different language and a different culture will provide the students with the initial shock required to really appreciate multiculturalism in the real world as well as a rapid target language absorption and familiarization with the country's history, culture, and gastronomy.

The City

Florence (Italian, Firenze) is a city in the center of Tuscany, in northwest Italy, on the Arno river, with a population of around 4000,000, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000. Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany and was briefly (1865-1871) the capital of the kingdom of Italy. Florence was long ruled (1434-1494, 1512-1527, and 1530-1737) by the Medici family. A center of medieval European trade and finance, the city is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Florence is famous for its wealth of fine art and architecture. Tuscany is where the Italian language originated. The town of Florence is located two hours north of Rome in the Tuscan region of Italy.

The Campus

The CAPA Florence Center is one of the premier U.S. Study Abroad Centers in Florence. It is located in the Palazzo Galli-Tassi on the Via Pandolfini. The school is in the shadow of the Brunelleschi Dome, steps from Santa Croce, housed in a historically significant Palazzo.

Course Options

Program Criteria

Prerequisites:

• One year college-level beginning Italian, OR
• Italian Advanced Placement for Italian 1410 and 1420, OR
• Two or more years of Italian in high school, OR
• One or more years in an Italian-speaking country, AND
• Completion of the application packet and official admission to the program

Cost: $5,456

(Cost subject to change)

Cost includes the following:

• $450 non-refundable application fee
• Tuition and fees for six hours of university credit
• Shared apartment accommodation
• Arrival orientation
• Arrival dinner banquet
• Welcome food basket
• Farewell reception dinner
• International health insurance
• Sojourn pass and residential visa
• Utilities cost not to exceed 43 Euros
• Excursion to Pisa and Siena
• All of Florence museum passes, including Ufizzi and Accademia museum pass
• One month bus pass
• Culture class and grammar class textbooks
• Computer lab use
• British library pass
• $150 deposit (may be refundable)

Cost does not include the following:

• Airfare--Students will be responsible for arriving at the place and time specified by the academic program director.
• Meals

Payment Schedule

(Information subject to change)

Participants may lose all or part of the deposit or total payment made if cancellation occurs. The $430 application fee is non-refundable.

There is a $150 fee for late registration.

All Study Abroad Program payments can be made using either of the following two options:

1. Online payments: Go to http://uweb.txstate.edu/gao/study_abroad/
    
2. Cash and check payments are accepted at the cashier's office, located on the first floor of the J.C. Kellam Administration Building. Be sure to bring your Texas State ID number with you, and indicate to the cashier that you are paying for a Study Abroad Program. Please pay the amount indicated on the payment schedule for your program.

Please note:

• All study abroad registrations must be made in the Study Abroad Office located at 302 ASB North.
   
• By making your first payment (online or at the cashier's office) you are agreeing to the payment and cancellation policies established for your study abroad program.
   
• After making your first payment, you are required to submit your study abroad application packet to the Study Abroad Office on or before the next business day, or your payment may be refunded less the $200 non-refundable application fee.

Financial Assistance

For detailed information on financial aid, visit our Financial Assistance page or contact the Texas State Office of Financial Aid, located in JCK 220.

For information and application materials for the International Education Fee Scholarship, download the IEFS Information and Application. The IEFS application deadline is November 13, 2009.

Program Director Contact Information

Dr. Moira Di Mauro-Jackson
Department of Modern Languages
512.245.2360

Program pending approval

See What Students Thought of This Program

1. My living accommodations were

NA: 0%
Unsatisfactory: 0%
Less than you expected: 38%
Good: 50%
Very good: 12%

2. The excursion(s) included as part of the program met my expectations:

NA: 0%
Unsatisfactory: 0%
Less than you expected: 12%
Good: 50%
Very good: 38%

3. The host institution met my needs:

NA: 0%
Unsatisfactory: 0%
Less than you expected: 24%
Good: 38%
Very good: 38%

4. How much spending money would you recommend to future participants?

a) Less than $500: 0%
b) $500-$750: 0%
c) $750-$1,000: 24%
d) $1,000-$1,500: 63%
e) $1,500-$2,000: 13%
f) More than $2,000: 0%

5. Do you think you learned more by participating in this program than what you would have learned on campus?

Yes: 100%
No: 0%

6. This program met the learning objectives:

NA: 0%
Unsatisfactory: 0%
Less than you expected: 23%
Good: 39%
Very good: 38%

7. I was challenged by this program:

NA: 0%
Unsatisfactory: 0%
Less than you expected: 38%
Good: 24%
Very good: 38%

8. This program was cost effective:

NA: 13%
Unsatisfactory: 12%
Less than you expected: 0%
Good: 50%
Very good: 25%

9. Do you consider this place a safe destination for Texas State students?

Yes: 100%
No: 0%

10. Would you recommend this program to other students?

Yes: 100%
No: 0%

• It was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about another culture and a lot about myself.

11. Briefly describe your best experience in this program:

• The entire program was a great experience. (2)
• The trip to Sorrento and Capri with other Texas State students.
• The calcio game.
• The food
• Calcho Historico.

12. Briefly describe your worst experience in this program:

• The heat. (3)
• Renting a bicycle.
• Buy a bus pass--or get a ticket.
• The money exchange and creidt card problems.
• Sometimes classes were kind of long.
• Money problems. I was not prepared for how much everything cost.

13. List information that you did not receive that you think is important for future participants to have:

• How to use the bus system, and where to buy cheap bikes.
• Seeing the Pope.
• Information about money.
• The exchange rate is kind of overwhelming. Come prepared. It's hot in July.
• Be aware of the money and the vendors. You can get fined.

Comments or suggestions:

• I found I learned more Italian and spent less money when I traveled alone in Italy and stayed with families.
• The class should meet more regularly.
• I would recommend study abroad for any student because it is a good cultural experience.
• I loved Florence. It is so beautiful--too little time for so much to do.