Italy UGA
Qualified St. Lawrence University rising juniors and seniors who have declared/intend to declare a major or minor in Art and Art History are eligible to spend the fall or spring semester with the University of Georgia's program in Cortona, Italy. The program offers a variety of studio courses in painting, ceramics, drawing, book arts, jewelry and metalwork, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, and photography. In addition to coursework, students will have the opportunity to participate in course-related field trips, weekend field trips, and cultural activities within the local community. Cortona is a small city of 22,000, located in Arezzo, in the heart of Tuscany. The UGA program hosts approximately 50 students from a variety of institutions each semester and has been in existence since 1970.
- Based in Cortona
- Fall or Spring semester
- Pre-requisites: 3.0 GPA recommended; only open to Juniors and Seniors who intend to major or minor in Art and Art History. Must have taken AAH131, AAH116 or AAH117, and one upper-level studio course. Students are encouraged to take one semester of Italian prior to participation.
- Enrollment caps may be limited to less than 15 per semester based on space limitations.
- Intended for Art and Art History majors and minors
- Live in student housing on the program's campus
Apply to Study in Cortona, Italy
Location Academics Co-Curricular Housing Calendar Orientation Program Contacts
Location
Cortona is a small Tuscan town, about twenty miles south of Arezzo, with a rich historical and cultural environment in which students can easily immerse themselves. Cortona is built on the crest of Monte Sant-Egidio and is surrounded by a massive ancient city-wall that for the most part corresponds to or is made up of walls constructed during the time of the Etruscans. Other remains of Etruscan and Roman buildings can still be seen within the city walls. The architecture of Cortona is often a mixture of periods and styles, revealing layers of history. Cortona's painting tradition was dominated by the Sienese tradition throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The flowering of artistry has been constant throughout Cortona's history.
Academics
In addition to the required Art History course, students choose electives in studio courses in painting, ceramics, drawing, papermaking and book arts, jewelry and metalwork, sculpture, contemporary sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, photography and Italian language and culture.
Students must be enrolled full-time. Studio courses as well as the required Art History course transfer as 1 SLU unit while other courses transfer as .83 SLU units. Students who enroll in fewer than three studio courses may need to take more than four courses to be considered a full-time student. Those who do not take three studio courses should be aware that they will be behind units toward graduation.
Course credit from the University of Georgia's Cortona program transfers back to SLU, provided you have received course approval from the department chair of the particular academic department in question. Some courses at Cortona have already been pre-approved by St. Lawrence and can be found on the Registrar's website. Please keep in mind that these are just the courses that have been pre-approved, but students may enroll in other courses as well, and seek approval (as described above) after they have been accepted.
Please Note: In order for your credits to be transferred to St. Lawrence, you must request and pay for an official transcript through the University of Georgia.
Co-curricular
The program includes day-long field trips every Saturday throughout each semester to nearby locations such as Perugia, Assisi, Arezzo, Florence, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Siena, Ravenna, and others. It also includes overnight trips to Rome and Venice and possibly other cities depending on the semester. In addition, there are a variety of cultural activities with the local community and an end-of-semester exhibition of student and faculty work.
Housing
All students on the Cortona program will live in the John D. Kehoe building– a converted monastery located on the UGA Cortona campus. Students will receive continental breakfast in the residence, and three group dinners per week are held downtown. Students will be provided a stipend/voucher for all other meals.
Calendar
See the University of Georgia's website for more information about program dates. The Fall semester typically begins in late August and ends in late November. The Spring semester typically begins in late January/early February and ends in late April.
Orientation
Pre-departure: The CIIS office organizes in-depth orientation sessions on-campus prior to the student's participation in the program. This includes a program specific session(s) in which the students will learn more about the program, local culture, academic expectations, and any other important information. There is also an orientation session led by the CIIS office on culture shock, pre-departure preparations, as well as safety and security while abroad.
On-site: The program in Italy begins with an Orientation session in Rome or Oxford in the United Kingdom, where the group spends several days before traveling to Cortona.
Program Contacts
If you are interested in learning more about the Italy program please contact one of the following people.
CIIS Office: Kim Longfellow, Assistant Director of Off-Campus Programs - Questions about eligibility, program logistics, and other off-campus opportunities.
Faculty Coordinator: Melissa Schulenberg - Questions about program academics.