Program Provider: Studio Arts Centers International (SACI)

Program Site: Studio Arts Center International campus in central Florence

Duration: Fall only. Fall semester runs from late August to mid December.

Description: To live in Florence is to spend every day in an active and breathing museum. With a population of about 500,000, the city is large enough to always find something to do, yet small enough to discover one’s own personal Firenze.

As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence contains more great artworks per square foot than any other city in the world. The program is housed in the Palazzo dei Cartelloni, a 17^th century landmark in the historical center of the city.This location places students in the vicinity of the Duomo, the churches of San Lorenzo and Santa Maria Novella, and is just steps away from the central market and the new Alinari photography museum.

Academics: Animation and Digital Arts majors can spend a semester at SACI, where they can take animation and digital media courses while also choosing from a wide range of studio and liberal arts courses.

Course load and Credit: Students take 4 or 5 courses per semester. The maximum number of units granted per semester is 14.

Accommodations: Students live in shared apartments with other students from the program.

Activities and Other Program Features: In addition to course-related field study, there are a number of ‘all school’ field trips that give students the opportunity to appreciate the history, art, and culture of Italy. Course work is supplemented by excursions to such sites as Arezzo, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, and Venice.

Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA. Applicants must have completed at least one semester of college-level Italian.

Estimated Semester Cost:

Tuition................................$13,300
Additional Expenses*............$14,043

Total...................................$27,343

Cost Updated: 3/31/09

Text Updated: 10/12/09

*Additional expenses include estimated costs for airfare, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, and personal expenses (which can vary greatly from student to student). USC financial aid, scholarships, and tuition remission may be applied to program costs. Please visit the Office of Overseas Studies for more detailed cost information.

Links:
SACI Florence

Italian Consulate in Los Angeles

Florence in Virtual Reality

Lonely Planet Italy

Lonely Planet Florence