Italy:  Florence:  Instituto Europeo

Instituto Europeo

Program Options | Courses | Calendar | Costs | Applications | Language | Examinations | Accommodations | Excursions

Setting

The Istituto Europeo offers programs for music (voice and independent study for specialized music areas – including piano – for music majors), Italian language, studio art, art history, social sciences and the humanities. Programs take place in summer, fall and spring semesters, and for short-term periods. Courses in Italian, some music classes, and some studio art courses are open year-round to those who wish to pursue these interests for short periods of time.

Located in the heart of Florence, literally steps from Florence’s renowned Duomo and Bell Tower, the Istituto has specialized in teaching Italian language and culture and music to students from all over the world. For more than ten years, the Music Department of the Istituto Europeo has offered intense didactical and high level professional courses, as well as monthly concerts, both inside the Institute and in important historical places. Furthermore, every year an International Singing Competition is held (reserved exclusively for non-Italian singers), which ends up with the production of a concert.

The Institute provides an enjoyable learning environment and offers indepth study of the language and culture in a multi-cultural environment. Many of the courses, like art history, take advantage of Florence’s abundance of museums and monuments and offer some classes in different locations.

Some music classes are offered to a group, while others involve private lessons. The Italian classes average 8-10 students per class, while other clases are limited to 15-20 students (depending on the class) to ensure quality of instruction and personal attention for each student. All courses offered at the Institute are taught by a highly qualified international faculty. The Italian courses are taught exclusively in Italian by professors specialized in teaching Italian to foreigners.

Back to Top

Program Options

Semester or Academic Year

	OPTION I: SUPERINTENSIVE ITALIAN (15 credits).
	OPTION II: Italian plus any three courses (a total of 15 credits per semester),.
	Additional courses may be added

Summer

	COMBINATION OF TWO COURSES: Any two studio art/art history/other course (3 credits each, for a total of 6 credits),.
	ITALIAN & ONE COURSE One studio art/art history/other course & Italian (3 credits each, for a total of 6 credits),.
	INTENSIVE ITALIAN LANGUAGE: Italian (6 credits),.

Ongoing Weekly and Monthly Courses

The Supplementary courses are designed for the purpose of specialization in the various aspects of the Italian language, allowing the participant to enrich a vocabulary and provide a more complete and articulated vision of the Italian culture.

Italian and cultural courses are available from one week and longer throughout the year.

Other short-term courses include: Italian Cuisine and Italian Wines, painting/drawing, sculture.

Back to Top

Courses

Major subject ares are: Music (Voice and Piano), Art History, History of Architecture,Italian Language, Literature, , Social Sciences (History), Other Performing Arts, History, Fine Arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography),and (non-credit, monthly) Italian Cuisine and Italian Wines.

For the most current Course Offerings, click on the schedule of interest:

PDF documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to get the latest version now.

Back to Top

Calendar

Semester and Academic Year 2006-2007:

Summer 2006

Back to Top

Costs

Please download the current costs for Semester and Summer Sessions

Back to Top

Application Information

Persons who wish to apply should complete the application and send by mail or electronically to the European Heritage Institute. See details of the application process.

EHI Standard Application	(PDF)     (Word)

Back to Top

Language of Classes

Italian classes are taught in that language. Music courses are offered in Italian and English. All other semester or summer-credit courses offered at Istituto Europeo are taught in English (unless otherwise specified).

Back to Top

Examinations & Certificates

Courses require regular attendance, completion of projects and/or final exam for those in a semester or academic summer program. At the end of course(s), professors will calculate the students’ exam scores, homework, class participation, attendance, etc. and will assign a letter grade. The program offers a transcript and identifies the credit for a student's home university. A final transcript listing all courses attended, grades received and credits earned will be issued by the Records Office of Istituto Europeo.

Credits are awarded on a semester hour basis. One hour of academic credit is awarded for the successful completion of 15 contact hours of class time. Each 3-credit, academic course is comprised of 45 contact hours (3 hours of class/week for a 15 week semester). A normal course load is 15/16 credits per semester.

Back to Top

Accommodations

Below are the options available, costs will vary according to the selection.

Apartment: For those who desire complete independence or those who want to come to Florence with family or friends. These apartments are located in the historic areas of Florence, many right in the center.

A student apartment: For those who want to share their experience with Italians or other students in furnished and well equipped apartments.

Home-stay: For those who want to learn about Italian life style first-hand using the language and adapting to another way of thinking and living.

Other possibilities: Furthermore, it is possible to make reservation for pensions, hotels, residence or religious pensions.

Staff of the European Heritage Institute will consult with the student on preferences and costs, following submission of the application.

For more information on housing please download the Housing Information 2006-2007 form.

Back to Top

Activities & Excursions

• Optional excursions to other Italian cities and to countryside villas and wineries

• Weekly visits to monuments/museums and seminars

• Lunches and dinners at characteristic Florentine restaurants, parties

• Trips to the theatre for concerts and opera (In the summer, trip to the Verona Opera)

• Visits to artisans' workshops to witness the Florentine craftsmanship of leather, jewellery, ceramics, antiques.

• Sports: organized games of soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball

• Monthly recitals and concerts performed by the students of the music department

• Annual International Singing Competition

• Student art exhibitions

• Monthly Italian wine and cuisine courses

Back to Top