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Education Abroad

The department offers five faculty-led study abroad programs in France and Italy during the winter and summer terms.

Florence: Visions and Contrasts

Many people think about Italian cultural identity as something uniform and widespread throughout the country. Actually, because of its particular geographical conformation and its history. Italy is a country of many contrasts, a place where different uses, different dialects, different kind of food, different traditions and cultural perspectives intersect creating a vibrant and multifaceted environment. This three-week workshop in Florence over the J Term is designed to allow students to experience this rich and variegated cultural landscape. Through visits to some of the most important art galleries in the world – like the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Galleria dell’Accademia – film screenings, food tasting, cooking, a one day trip to Siena and a two-days trip to the National Cinema Museum in Turin, students experience different cultural perspectives, learn to analyze movies under a technical point of view and to write about food and travels. Students live in apartments in the center of Florence, at a walking distance from the classroom space and surrounded by the artistic beauties of the city in a safe, friendly environment.

The workshop is open to all majors, no knowledge of Italian is required. For more information please contact Dr. Daniele Fioretti.

Paris: Cultural Capital

This winter workshop in Paris will run January 2-27, 2024. Our program invites students to learn on location about masterpieces of French and American culture from the cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the contemporary modernist metropolis beloved by artists, writers, and filmmakers in a transnational context. Participants take two courses: ENG163 (Travel and Literature) and FRE 131 (Masterworks of French Literature in Translation). All courses are taught in English by experienced faculty from Miami University; some French is recommended, but not required. The Paris Cultural Capital program fulfills either the Global Perspectives requirement (6 credit hours of study abroad), or Miami Plan Foundation requirements for Humanities, Intercultural Perspectives (ENG 163), or Global Perspectives courses (FRE 131). These courses also count toward the English major & minor, and the French major. Space is limited to 20 students, so apply soon.

  • Priority application deadline: July 1, 2023
  • Priority deposit deadline: upon acceptance to secure your participation
  • Final application and deposit deadline: October 1, 2023
For more information, please contact the program director Dr. Katie Johnson

Made in Italy

Study the “Three Fs” of Italian industry: Fashion, Food, and Furniture. Students visit multiple major businesses, from Armani to a gelato factory, to understand the history and culture behind them. ​Italy has distinguished itself worldwide for the excellence of its products in relation to its quality, elegance, taste, style and creativity. The goal of this Made in Italy workshop is to provide students with an understanding of major innovations of Italian industry such as fashion, food, and design, while offering an introduction of basic principles of business management from an Italian point of view. Students take ITL 279, a course which analyzes the history and evolution of these industries from their origin to the present, and the challenges faced in Italy today in the era of globalization. Students will also familiarize with basic Italian vocabulary and will deepen their understanding of cultural differences while developing strategies to adapt to a new culture.

For more information, contact Rocco Manzo.

Summer Education Abroad Opportunities

Intensive French Study in Dijon, France

Live like the French and discover the rich culture in the historic heart of Burgundy while earning nine credits of French language courses.This summer program gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves totally in the French experience while working in small seminars with an emphasis on discussion and participation. Students take 9 credit hours of classes. Weekly excursions are tied to classroom studies and are part of your credit hours. Possessing a rich artistic and culinary tradition, Dijon is a beautiful small city located among rolling vineyards in the historic heart of Burgundy, just an hour and a half from Paris and two and a half hours from Geneva, Switzerland. The city offers a wonderful variety of cultural activities including cinemas, concerts, plays, art exhibits in the setting of a smaller city that students come to know well during their five-week stay. Participants live in dormitories alongside French university students, and take classes on the campus of the Université de Bourgogne, Dijon. Students have access to University's facilities including computer rooms with high speed internet access. Campus is a 15 minute walk from the city center, or students can take the newly-constructed tramway from campus to a number of different destinations throughout the city.

For more information and/or questions, please contact Dr. Jonathan Strauss.

Intensive Italian in Reggio Emilia

This program, held in the beautiful city of Reggio Emilia, offers students the opportunity to study the Italian language in Italy under ideal conditions, plus the opportunity to experience Ancient and  Italian cultures in the most natural way on location. The intensive nature of the courses means that you can concentrate exclusively on mastering Italian, and in six weeks earn nine-semester credits toward satisfying divisional language requirements or requirements for a Minor in Italian or a Major in Italian Studies or International Studies. 

For more information, contact Dr. Daniele Fioretti.