"When we travel it is the country we are visiting that speaks to us, guides us, inhabits us." 
Tahar Ben Jalloun

Through a unique combination of classroom study, fieldwork, service-learning, workshops and weekend activities, we foster a hands-on engagement with aspects of the Italian way of life usually inaccessible to the visitor. Here is a detailed description of our semester program.

PROGRAM DETAILS
Choose between our Academic Program and our Internship Program.
Both Programs are tied together by the three Siena School for Liberal Arts cornerstones: Cultural Immersion, Italian Language, Home-stays
Our 16 week semester begins with a three-day orientation in a beautiful farmhouse in the countryside between Rome and Siena. The first three weeks of the semester are dedicated to learning Italian through an intensive Italian course that will help you quickly overcome the first hurdles of living in a new envioronment getting to know the host families and understanding the School's approach to learning, through a series of course presentations and workshops. All the teachers give an introductory lecture to their course during these three weeks, allowing students to meet them informally and discuss any questions they may have regarding the courses.

After the intensive Italian course our students follow either the Academic Program or in the Internship Program.
If you enroll in the Academic Program you are required to take Italian at the level chosen for you by the Siena School and three other courses, at least two of which belonging to one Area of Study. You may audit a fourth.
If a class has an enrolment of 3 or less it is automatically taught as an independent study, i.e. through tutorials. The student's choice of Area of Study made on the application is binding for the semester.
If you enroll in the Internship Program you are required to take Italian at the level chosen for you by the Siena School and an Art or Social Work placement (we discuss the different possibilities with you prior to your arrival in Italy).

Classes run from Monday to Friday morning. Most courses meet twice a week.

The School organizes one weekend trip for the whole group during the semester. The other weekends are free for individual travel or study. During the Semester students also have the possibility of volunteering in a variety of community projects. There is a nine-day break at midterm.

COURSES & AREAS OF STUDY
Italian Language:
Italian Language: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Italian Culture (Taught in Italian): History of Siena (intermediate and advanced), Italy and Its Regions (mandatory for all beginners)

Social Sciences:
Deaf Studies
Sociology

Fine Arts:
Book Art
Creative Writing
Drawing
Painting
Photography

Art History:
Art History I: Medieval Art
Art History II: Renaissance
Art History III: Artistic Techniques

Humanities:
Italian Literature (Independent Study)

Internships:
Service Learning
Art & Restoration Internship

DATES
SPRING 2009:   January 22nd - May 15th

Thursday, January 22: Arrive at the Airport, Orientation Begins
January 22 - 24: Orientation
Monday, January 26: Orientation in Siena and lectures begin
January 26  - February 13: Italian language immersion
February 16 - May 15: all other semester courses begin
March 21 - March 29: SPRING BREAK *(students are expected to leave home-stays during spring break)
April 10 - April 13: Easter and Long Weekend
May 1: National Labour Day
Sunday, May17: Departure, students must vacate housing