Dickinson in Italy

Bologna Programs

• Dickinson College, chartered in 1783, is considered a venerable institution in the United States. The University of Bologna, however, has been in operation for 900 years.

• Located in northern Italy, Bologna, has its own medieval beauty. It is just a train ride away from the art of Florence, the fashionable streets of Milan and the romance-rich city of Venice.

• Bologna, designated an official European “city of culture” in 2000, is also a major center for trade fairs, where businesses and industries showcase everything from the latest developments in technology to the newest cars, perfumes and books.

Named in honor of its first director, the K. Robert Nilsson Center for European Studies in Bologna was established in 1965 and, over the years, it has drawn students from many universities around the United States who want to undertake serious study of Europe.

All participants must have taken at least Italian 101 before leaving the United States. Knowledge of Italian assists students in participating in the daily life of Italy, so they continue to study the language during their time in Bologna.

Courses at the Dickinson Center are taught by faculty from Bologna and by the Center’s resident director, a member of the Dickinson faculty. The curriculum focuses on Europe and includes courses in international relations, history, economics, sociology, political science, fine arts and Italian studies. Independent study that focuses on a specific research topic is also a possibility.

Students who have completed at least two years of college-level Italian also may enroll in additional courses at the University of Bologna and at the Accademia di Belle Arti.

Gain a Unique Perspective on Europe!
All participants can expect to come away with an understanding of European history and culture and an appreciation of Italy’s role within Europe. Students engage in interdisciplinary study of the contemporary issues facing Europe and use Italy as a window through which to view Europe at-large.  Academic excursions enhance the program. In the past, faculty members have taken students to Rome, Florence, Assisi, Urbino, Naples and to other areas of interest.

Programs and Courses
Dickinson College hosts two programs in Bologna. Students may spend a full academic year in Italy, or take part in a language-intensive Summer Immersion Program.

All students who attend for the academic year must complete a four-week intensive language course at the University of Bologna upon arrival. These courses are geared to the participant’s level of fluency. Courses typically offered at the Dickinson Center during the fall and spring semesters are listed below. The mix may change from year to year.

Economics 248: The World Economy
Fine Arts 132: The Arts of Italy
History 232: Modern Italy
Sociology 230: Italian Society
Political Science 290: The European Union
Interdisciplinary Studies 300: Bologna Practicum
Italian 101-104: Elementary Italian
Italian 116: Intermediate Italian
Italian 225: Intensive Italian Expression
Italian 270: Italian in a Cultural Context
Political Science 250: Comparative Western Systems
Political Science 290: Contemporary Eastern Europe
Political Science 276: Italian Politics
History 358: Diplomatic History of Europe
History/Economics 314: European Economic History
Economics 248: The World Economy
Political Science/International Studies 270: The European Union

A limited number of academic year students may also enroll in graduate-level courses at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies on a space-available basis.

The Summer Immersion Program
This five-week, language-intensive program is open to intermediate-level speakers and combines classroom study with direct experience in Italian culture and language. Students are expected to speak only Italian during the program. Classes are held for three hours each weekday. For two days each week, participants are paired with Italian students from the University of Bologna to work on projects that will take them into the city for interaction with local residents.

The Summer Immersion Program is designated as Italian 220. Students must complete at least three semesters of college-level Italian to qualify.

Academic Credit
Most students who successfully complete the academic year in Bologna are limited to earning no more than nine course credits, depending upon their selected courses. The Summer Immersion Program is worth one credit.

Internships
Qualified students may complete internships in Bologna. Recently, students have gained valuable experience working with the following organizations:

• APS Agenzia Progetti di Sviluppo (a private consultancy for small businesses)
• BOLOGNA 2000
• Centro Documentazione Donne (Bologna’s Women’s Center and Library)
• DATAPROJECT (software house of sports-related software for statistics, training and video editing)
• Galleria d’Arte Moderna (Bologna’s museum of modern art)
• Hoffmann (toy store specializing in foreign toys)
• Libreria Giannino Stoppani (children’s bookstore)
• Museo Civico Medievale (Bologna’s medieval museum)
• Profingest (private master’s program in business administration)
• PROGECO (private consultancy specializing in international-development projects)
• S.T.E.P.RA. (local economic-development agency of the province of Ravenna)
• Testoni Fioravanti Middle School (public middle school)
• UNIDO The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (promotes the industrial development of third-world countries)
• Università di Modena, Facoltà di Economia, Dipartimento di Economia

• Aziendale (home to the International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations)

On-Site Administration
Prof. Doug Stuart serves as the resident director of the program. Prof. Ruhl oversees the Center staff, plans and leads the academic program, advises students and teaches. Dickinson faculty members serve as resident directors for the Summer Immersion Program.

Housing
Participants in the academic year program live in apartments carefully chosen by the Director and staff.

All participants receive a food allowance and may eat in local trattorie or at the University of Bologna’s cafeteria but, for the most part, they shop in the city’s open-air markets and try their hand at cooking in one of the world’s culinary capitals.

All students in the Summer Immersion Program are housed with Bologna families. Host families provide meals twice a week, and an allowance is provided for other meals.

* This is the program fee for 2008-09; the program fee for 2009-10 will correspond to on-campus tuition and fees and will be determined during spring 2009.

Program Fee Includes
• tuition and fees
• room and board
• pre-departure and on-site orientations
• academic excursions

Program fee does not include primary health insurance, airfare, passport, visa, immunizations, optional travel, personal expenses, meals and housing during vacations, books and supplies.

Special Requirements
2.8 GPA
Students must complete at least Italian 101 before studying abroad

Links

Bologna Handbook

Photos for the Bologna Program

University of Bologna

For more information, contact
Prof. Sylvie Davidson
Department of French and Italian
Dickinson College
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013-2896
Phone: (717) 245-1598
E-mail: davidson@dickinson.edu