Semester Arts and Humanities, and Italian Language and Culture in Tuscania
What's Included
We invite you to study abroad with API in charming Tuscania, Italy! Situated within the medieval walls of this small town, Lorenzo de'Medici offers an array of arts & humanities courses taught in English, in addition to Italian language courses. Come experience small town Italy at its best, immerse yourself in the warm Italian culture, explore the stunning scenery of this region, all while earning valuable credit!
Entry requirements: valid passport with student visa
Dates & Fees
Session
Program Dates
Program Cost
Application Deadline
Extended Application Deadline
Payment Deadline
Fall
Aug 28, 2023 - Dec 16, 2023
$17,900
Jun 15, 2023
No Extension
Jul 15, 2023
Academic Year
Aug 28, 2023 - May 18, 2024
$34,500
Jun 15, 2023
No Extension
Jul 15, 2023
Spring
Jan 29, 2024 - May 18, 2024
$17,900
Oct 30, 2023
No Extension
Nov 29, 2023
*Please note that the Fall 2022 session has been suspended by the host institution.
Excursions
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 Tuscania programs. API may need to modify the excursions offered in a given term due to travel restrictions or health and safety concerns.
Amalfi Coast: Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri
Pompeii is one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization and provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 63 AD and was completely demolished in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Life came to a permanent standstill in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centers. Although this tragic event ended the lives of 20,000 Pompeian residents, the ash that buried the town served as a sort of mummification for the entire city. The eruption thus captured a moment in time.
Sorrento is a resort town set atop rocky, picturesque cliffs along the Amalfi Coast. South of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast is dotted with numerous beach towns that offer great shopping and dining, as well as breathtaking views of the sea.
One of the beautiful islands off the coast of Sorrento in the Gulf of Naples, Capri is a top tourist destination. Famous for its limestone crags and the Blue Grotto, students will enjoy the laid-back, serene nature of this exotic retreat.
Florence
Florence is a city that welcomes visitors, artists, and students to walk its streets, to relive past discoveries in the arts and sciences and to glimpse the rich history that permeates every inch of the city. Florence is situated on the banks of the Arno River, surrounded by rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. Some of the medieval artisan traditions are still alive today, as seen in the daily open-air markets. API introduces students to the sights, sounds, and art that embrace a visitor at every turn in the flowering city of Florence.
Tuscany
To explore the wonders the Tuscany region has to offer is a relaxing and incomparable experience. The area features many hilltop towns, famous for the production of wine and olive oil. Thanks to ancient volcanic activity, natural hot springs are plentiful in the region. Of course, no visit to this region would be complete without a stop in one of these towns: Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza, Cortona, Arezzo, or Montepulciano.
Rome
With an almost uninterrupted history as an important center of power for more than two millennia, Rome is as close to eternal as it gets. The “Eternal City” was once the administrative center of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched all the way from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and the world’s biggest open air museum.
Pompeii
Pompeii is one of the most significant artifacts of Roman civilization and provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 63 AD and was completely demolished in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Life came to a permanent standstill in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centers. Although this tragic event ended the lives of 20,000 Pompeian residents, the ash that buried the town served as a sort of mummification for the entire city, thereby capturing a moment in time.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Experience the best that the Tuscan region has to offer! Have the chance to explore Siena and more cities in the surrounding area, enjoy thermal baths, and top off your experience with a wine tasting in the famous Chianti region.
Florence
Florence is a city that welcomes visitors, artists, and students to walk its streets, to relive past discoveries in the arts and sciences and to glimpse the rich history that permeates every inch of the city. Florence is situated on the banks of the Arno River, surrounded by rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. Some of the medieval artisan traditions are still alive today, as seen in the daily open-air markets. API introduces students to the sights, sounds, and art that embrace a visitor at every turn in the flowering city of Florence.
Umbria
Located in central Italy, the Umbria region is known for its stunning landscape of rolling hills, mountains and valleys, as well its many charming historical towns.
Amalfi Coast: Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri
Pompeii is one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization and provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 63 AD and was completely demolished in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Life came to a permanent standstill in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centers. Although this tragic event ended the lives of 20,000 Pompeian residents, the ash that buried the town served as a sort of mummification for the entire city. The eruption thus captured a moment in time.
Sorrento is a resort town set atop rocky, picturesque cliffs along the Amalfi Coast. South of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast is dotted with numerous beach towns that offer great shopping and dining, as well as breathtaking views of the sea.
One of the beautiful islands off the coast of Sorrento in the Gulf of Naples, Capri is a top tourist destination. Famous for its limestone crags and the Blue Grotto, students will enjoy the laid-back, serene nature of this exotic retreat.
Rome
With an almost uninterrupted history as an important center of power for more than two millennia, Rome is as close to eternal as it gets. The “Eternal City” was once the administrative center of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched all the way from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and the world’s biggest open air museum.
Pompeii
Pompeii is one of the most significant artifacts of Roman civilization and provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 63 AD and was completely demolished in 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Life came to a permanent standstill in what had been one of the most active and splendid Roman centers. Although this tragic event ended the lives of 20,000 Pompeian residents, the ash that buried the town served as a sort of mummification for the entire city, thereby capturing a moment in time.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Experience the best that the Tuscan region has to offer! Have the chance to explore Siena and more cities in the surrounding area, enjoy thermal baths, and top off your experience with a wine tasting in the famous Chianti region.
Florence
Florence is a city that welcomes visitors, artists, and students to walk its streets, to relive past discoveries in the arts and sciences and to glimpse the rich history that permeates every inch of the city. Florence is situated on the banks of the Arno River, surrounded by rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside. Some of the medieval artisan traditions are still alive today, as seen in the daily open-air markets. API introduces students to the sights, sounds, and art that embrace a visitor at every turn in the flowering city of Florence.
Umbria
Located in central Italy, the Umbria region is known for its stunning landscape of rolling hills, mountains and valleys, as well its many charming historical towns.
Program Details
What You’ll Study
TOTAL CREDITS - 12-16 credits per semester
API students who choose to study abroad at Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute – Tuscania may select from a variety of courses in the fields of Italian language and culture, humanities, sciences, and studio arts.
SERVICE-LEARNING AND INTERNSHIPS
API students have the opportunity to earn valuable credits through service-learning and internship experiences with LdM in Tuscania! Students earn 3 credits for their project, which is counted toward their total academic load for the semester, and appear on the academic transcript along with a pass/fail notation. Students are assessed based on a weekly journal, a minimum of two papers, and an evaluation by their academic advisor/tutor at LdM. Options are listed on the API/LdM course schedules on the website and will focus on placements in organizations engaged in socially meaningful tasks. These may include:
Service-learning: Working with women, children, elderly, disabled, and/or immigrants; Language exchange with local high school; Environmental projects
Internships: Marketing/Advertising
Students should indicate their interest in an internship or service-learning option upon application, and submit a résumé/C.V., essay, and portfolio. The essay should discuss the student’s reason for applying, expectations about the placement, and a detailed description of the duties in which the student would like to partake in. An on-site interview is required of all service-learning participants. Placements are limited, so students are encouraged to apply early!
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.
Kenzy Posey
Kenzy Posey will be your Program Coordinator and help prepare you to go abroad!
(she/her/hers)
Matteo Berni
Matteo will be your Resident Director in Tuscania and a resource for you while you are in Italy!
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.
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. Some courses may require additional fees for labs, equipment, etc. These fees are not included in the program cost.
CREDIT INFORMATION
API partner universities in Italy issue credit according to the American system, whereby most courses are worth 3-4 U.S. credits each.
SERVICE-LEARNING AND INTERNSHIP OPTIONS (FOR CREDIT)
API students have the opportunity to earn valuable credits through service-learning and internship experiences with LdM in Tuscania! Students earn 3 credits for their project, which is counted toward their total academic load for the semester, and appear on the academic transcript along with a pass/fail notation. Students are assessed based on a weekly journal, a minimum of two papers, and an evaluation by their academic advisor/tutor at LdM. Options are listed on the API/LdM course schedules on the website and will focus on placements in organizations engaged in socially meaningful tasks. These may include:
Service-learning: Working with women, children, elderly, disabled, and/or immigrants; Language exchange with local high school; Environmental projects
Internships: Marketing/Advertising
Students should indicate their interest in an internship or service-learning option upon application, and submit a résumé/C.V., essay, and portfolio. The essay should discuss the student’s reason for applying, expectations about the placement, and a detailed description of the duties in which the student would like to partake in. An on-site interview is required of all service-learning participants. Placements are limited, so students are encouraged to apply early!
STUDIO ART COURSES
The class schedules on the API website 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 art courses are mandatory for any student wishing to register for any course at a level other 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 AND LAB FEES
Many studio art classes require that students purchase their own materials. The cost of materials varies 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. Students can speak directly with their instructors to make sure they buy exactly what is required for the course. Many studio arts and cuisine courses require a lab fee that is paid by students upon arrival. In addition, several courses from different departments require that students pay for visits and field trips as noted in the descriptions for such courses.
Courses at Lorenzo de’Medici: The Italian International Institute (Tuscania Semester)
For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!
Internships and service-learning options available (for credit)
Lauren Lund Memorial Scholarship
Transcript from U.S. accredited institution (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
Housing
Housing for API students is usually located within 20-25 minutes walking distance of the school.
The host family option is recommended for students who are studying Italian at the intermediate or advanced levels, for students who are Italian majors/minors, and for students who are seeking greater insight into Italian culture. Host families provide three meals per day Monday through Friday, as well as laundry service. Most students live in single rooms.
Apartments are typically a 10-15 minute walk from the school. Most students will share a room with only 1-2 other students. All apartments come equipped with a kitchen, bathroom, and common areas. Washing machines are available, and students are responsible for their own meals. Students can opt for a single room for an additional fee.
Note: Housing between the fall and spring semesters is not included.