About the Program

Overview

Nearly every area of instruction at Bard—including the sciences—recognizes in its course offerings the central importance of the Italian contribution to civilization. Italian culture is unique in the extent to which it affects other European and non-European cultures: the Venetians in overseas trade and the Byzantine Empire; Savoy with France; Trieste, Venice, and Milan with the Austro-Hungarian Empire; Sicily with Normandy, Greece, Spain, and the Islamic world. Contemporary aspects of German and Eastern European history—fascism and the Balkans are obvious examples—cannot be considered in isolation from Italian history.

The Italian Studies Program provides the mechanism for assembling and focusing the curriculum of the undergraduate who has an interest in Italian culture. At the core of the program lies acquisition of fluency in reading, writing, and translating the Italian language. This is accomplished through regular courses during the academic year or through an intensive Italian language class, which includes a month of study in Sicily, during the January intersession.

Study Abroad

TAORMINA, Sicily: The Heart of MAGNA GRECIA.

Students will study at the Babilonia School. Each day in Taormina, students will attend 3 hours of Italian language in the morning, followed by a break for lunch, and then they will be back in the classroom for an extra hour in the afternoon. The afternoon classes will cover a range of subjects in Italian culture- including art history, literature, film.

Later in the afternoon they will participate in workshops with local artists (ceramic, marzipan, folk music); they will enjoy the Festival of Chocolate and visit renowned sites such as the Greek Theater, reaching Castelmola, and Giardini Naxos in a few minutes or just enjoy a granita or a cannolo in the square.

Each weekend, the students will go on guided tours and excursions to some of Sicily’s most important archaeological sites, including the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Roman villa in Piazza Armerina, the Baroque Noto, the museums in Catania and the picturesque and traditional villages of the countryside. Depending on the snow, students will try to climb Mt. Etna, if not active.  
 

Next Program: January 2012

Website: http://www.babilonia.it

 

back to top