CHOOSE YOUR COURSES!
The BUILD-YOUR-SEMESTER program is open to all students and allows for maximum flexibility when choosing courses at the Institute. Students may freely choose from the curricular offerings and must enroll in a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 17 credits per semester and include one course in the Italian language. Students with advanced proficiency may alternatively choose an elective course taught in Italian.
For students who are uncertain of their proficiency in Italian, select the course that you feel is suitable for your course selection form. The Institute offers Italian at all levels from beginner to advance. Upon arrival, ISI Florence Italian faculty will administer a placement exam to ensure that you are in the appropriate level.
Once the appropriate Italian course is selected, students may choose freely from the wide variety of elective courses available. See our COURSES OFFERED pages for an up-to-date list.
Sample Curriculum
A typical semester for a General Studies student may look as follows:
- ITAL XXX – 4 credits (required)
- AAH 214: The Art of Florence: Exploring Visual Culture – 3 credits
- HUM 306: The History & Culture of Food: A Comparative Analysis – 3 credits
- VARTS 261: Introduction to Photography: Portfolio of Florence – 3 credits
- HIST 310: Ancient Rome: Civilization and Legacy – 3 credits
TOTAL: 16 credits
Independent Research
For students pursuing an area of study that is not offered in our curriculum, ISI Florence has created the option of choosing an Independent Research course (3-6 credits). The Independent Research course is a student-centered learning experience that provides a deeper academic understanding of a specific topic. The course engages students in advanced research based on their interests with the support of a faculty mentor. As such, it is ideal for those who have previously studied a particular topic and would like to explore a more focalized aspect through individual research. For a modest additional fee, a unique independent study course in your chosen subject can be added to your course load. Contact us to discuss independent research options.
Curricular Concentrations
Students may design a program centered on a particular field of research by creating a thematic study plan. If interested in this option, students should consult their advisors at their home institutions to develop a customized curricular concentration in line with their unique needs and interests. Presented here are a variety of curricular concentrations with a list of courses that would be appropriate to each.
