API students participate in excursions designed to help familiarize them with the culture and surrounding areas of their host city and country. The following is a listing of potential excursions for API Florence programs. API may need to modify the excursions offered in a given term due to travel restrictions or health and safety concerns.

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 12-16 U.S. semester credits per term

API students who want to study abroad in Florence may choose from over 400 courses at Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute – Florence (LdM). Courses are available in a wide variety of subjects across the arts, humanities, business, and international relations. In addition to the free-elective course structure, several additional opportunities are available including internships, certificate programs, and professional development opportunities.

LDM INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

LdM internships offer students the possibility to learn different aspects of working in Italy, a country known for its artisan and small business culture. LdM strives to place students in companies which enable them to explore and understand the strengths and structure of the Italian business environment in a variety of fields. Internships are available for credit and in combination with academic courses only.

Internship options are listed on the API/LdM course schedules on the website, and subjects may include:

• Art History
• Communications and Journalism
• Education
• Fashion Design, Marketing, and Merchandising
• Graphic Design
• International Business
• Public Administration (in Italian)

Students should indicate their interest in an internship upon application, and submit a résumé/C.V., essay, and portfolio. The internship essay should discuss the student’s reason for applying, expectations about the internship, and a detailed description of the duties in which the student would like to partake. An on-site interview is required of all students. Placements are limited, so students are encouraged to apply early!

LDM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The LdM Professional Opportunities Program offers students a non-credit experiential learning experience. It is similar to an internship, but it requires less time and is based on the completion of one single project. Students are given the opportunity to collaborate with both the LdM Institute and local Florentine businesses, organizations, and associations, and upon successful completion of the project, students receive a certificate of participation. The Professional Opportunities Project gives students the opportunity to add international work experience to their resume/curriculum vitae. The Professional Opportunities offered for each semester are generally announced at the beginning of the semester after the students have arrived, and the professional opportunities offered may differ from semester to semester.

Opportunities may include:

• Blogging for LDM Marketing Office
• Graphic Design for local businesses
• Marketing and social media for local businesses

TRANSCRIPTS

Students receive transcripts from U.S.-accredited University of Massachusetts Amherst for courses taken at LdM. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a fully accredited, doctoral degree granting U.S. university in Amherst, Massachusetts.

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COURSE OFFERINGS

Courses are available at lower- and upper-division levels. In general, 100 level courses are elementary, 200–300 level courses are intermediate, and 400 level courses are advanced. Italian language courses are taught at all levels (beginning through advanced), while most other courses are taught in English.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

Courses at LdM-Florence can fill up quickly. It is suggested that students apply EARLY for greater course availability.

Students take four to five courses and receive 12-16 credit hours per semester; most courses are equivalent to 3 credits. The program fee includes a maximum of 16 credits per semester session. Students may opt to take additional courses for credit for an additional fee per course.

Be sure to check for any course additions, cancellations, or closures, and remember to pay close attention to prerequisites and class times in order to avoid conflicts. Not all courses are offered every session. The course selection may vary and no course is guaranteed.

STUDIO ART COURSES

The class schedules indicate that many of the studio art courses involve two time blocks; students enrolled in those courses must attend both time blocks. Placement exams for studio arts courses are mandatory for any student wishing to register for a higher level than beginning. Studio art placement tests are administered during the first week of classes. Students are provided with the exact meeting time during orientation.

COURSE MATERIALS & LAB FEES

Some courses may require additional fees for equipment, materials, books, etc. These fees are not included in the program cost, and vary depending on the type of course. While students may want to bring some basic, easily transportable materials (such as brushes or pastels) with them, most course materials should be purchased in Italy once classes start. By doing so, students can take the opportunity to speak directly with their instructors to make sure they buy exactly what is required for the course.

Many studio arts, cuisine and wine appreciation courses require a lab fee that is paid by students upon arrival. In addition, courses may require that students pay for visits and field trips as noted in the course descriptions.

Highlights

• Classes taught in English and Italian with international students
• Internships available (for credit)
• Certificate program options
• Professional development opportunities
• Transcript from U.S. accredited institution (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)