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Director Fall 2012: Professor Rebecca Ammerman, Department of the Classics
The cultural achievements of ancient, medieval, and renaissance Italy have a central place in the study of western civilization, and the city of Venice, the site of the longest-lived European republic, played a pivotal role in that history. The Venice Study Group is open to students who have a strong interest in Italy's cultural heritage and in its position within the world of modern culture. The interdisciplinary program of study is designed to give students direct experience with Italy's cultural past and a critical look at its present. Students will have the opportunity to study at first hand archaeological sites and museums, the music, art and architecture of Venice, historical collections and archives etc. By participating in the study group, students should acquire a deeper sense of the temporal developments of western civilization as well as a better understanding of contemporary Italy.
Program structure and course credits
All courses are taught by the director or specialists residing in Italy and are open to study group students only. Instruction is in English except for the language component. Colgate's affiliation with the University of Venice gives students access to the University’s dining halls and libraries. In addition, several other excellent libraries in Venice are open to students. The study group is also affiliated with the Venice Institute where it rents classroom space.
Students are required to register for the four study group courses and are not permitted to exercise the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading option. All students will take Italian language at the appropriate level, as described below.
Italian Language (Italian 102Y, 201Y or 202Y)
These language courses are designed to improve students' ability to understand, speak, read, and write Italian. Considerable emphasis on conversational practice on selected aspects of contemporary life in Italy. Italian 202Y includes literary readings as well. Taught by local adjuncts.
The Arts of Venice During the Golden Age (Art History 311Y; Music 311Y)
A study of the history and artistic achievements of Venice, especially architecture and painting from 1200-1900 as well as music. Visits to churches, museums, and other monuments in the area. And attendance at local concerts. Concentration credit in Art History. Taught by local adjuncts.
The Archaeology of Italy (Classics 234Y)
A study of Italian archaeology and the basic concepts and methods that archaeologists use to investigate the past. A weeklong field trip to Sicily and southern Italy and another to Pompeii and Rome, as well as other shorter trips, will be taken in conjunction with this course. Concentration credit in Classics. Taught by Director.
The Age of Augustus (Latin 224Y)
An introduction to the literature and culture of the Augustan Age, that period of Roman history in which the empire was established and many of its best-known artists flourished. Readings include Vergil, Ovid, Livy, Petronius, Suetonius, and others. The fieldtrips to southern Italy, Rome, and Aquileia provide a broader context for appreciating the history and literature studied in the course. Concentration credit in Classics. Taught by Director.
Field trips
Courses in the Venice Study Group meet at various historical and cultural locations as a matter of routine. There will be some day-trips as well as at least two longer field trips in support of the courses.
Calendar
Basically following the Colgate calendar, the term will run from the end of August to late December 2012. The calendar includes two vacation breaks. Cultural life and extracurricular activities
The city of Venice, a virtual living museum, has a rich cultural life and inexhaustible opportunities for exploration. The autumn season is particularly active with artistic exhibits, film festivals, theatrical productions, operas, and concerts. The nearby cities of Padua and Verona also have an extensive cultural life. There are several athletic clubs in Venice (including that of the student association of the University of Venice). Students may also join local choral groups.
Living arrangements
Housing arrangements will be made by the director before the arrival of the students, who will live in furnished apartments with other Colgate students. They will be responsible for their own meals, except for occasional group meals on the field trips. They may cook in their apartments, eat at the University cafeteria, or at any of the various eateries in the city.
Standards of conduct
Students’ conduct is expected to reflect positively on the group and to support the goals of the program. Academics are to be taken seriously. Attendance in classes, field trips and performances is required, including the weekend events. Norms of behavior (regarding cleanliness, noise, safety, etc.) should be those of adults in an Italian residential setting rather than of students in American college dorms or apartments.
Extra costs
Costs above Colgate’s tuition are estimated at approximately $1500 for round-trip travel to Venice, plus room and board and other expenses in Venice. These will vary but the total cost of the study group is likely to be $6,000-$7,000 more than the cost of an on-campus semester, not including the August component.
Students who take the intensive Introductory Italian course in August will have additional expenses of $1,500 for tuition and housing and $650 for food.
(These figures are approximate, depending partly on the dollar-euro exchange rate. More precise figures will be available later.)
Estimate of student expenses
Prerequisite course work and selection criteria
Students from all majors and from any graduating class are welcomed. In order to participate in the program, students are required to have knowledge of elementary Italian.
This language prerequisite may be fulfilled with (a) three years of high school study, (b) by completing Italian 101 and 102 at Colgate, or (c) by taking the intensive Introductory Italian course in Venice during August 2012, one month before the start of the program. (This August course grants Italian 101 credit.)
Factors that impact the selection process include interest in Italian cultural heritage (e.g. as demonstrated by prior courses in Latin, Italian, European history, art history, music history, archaeology, etc.), academic standing, disciplinary record, and recommendations from faculty.
Information sessions and application procedure
Application forms are available in the Department of the Classics, 01 Lawrence, and the Off-Campus Study Office, 101 Lathrop. Inquiries may be directed to Prof. Rebecca Miller Ammerman via email (rammerman@colgate.edu).
Information meetings for those interested in the Venice study group will be held on Tuesday, November 8 at 11:30 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m. in 112 Lawrence.
Applications are due in the Department of the Classics, 01 Lawrence by Friday, November 18, 2011.
General information
Sponsoring departments
Course-related materials