Director Fall 2009: Professor Albert J. Ammerman, Department of Classics
Program prerequisites | Course descriptions | Living arrangements |
Extra costs| Deadlines | Helpful links
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 development of western civilization as well as a better understanding of Italy today and the challenges that Venice will have to face in the twenty-first century.
Courses
All courses are staffed 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. Readings on selected aspects of contemporary life in Italy. Italian 202Y includes literary readings as well. Offered every year.
The Arts of Venice During the Golden Age (Art History 311Y; Music 311Y) A study of the history and artistic achievements of Venice, especially music, architecture and painting from 1200-1900. Vists to churches, palaces and museums in the area. Major credit in Art History.
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 Pompeii and Rome, as well as other shorter trips, will be taken in conjunction with this course. Major credit in Classics.
Venice: The City on Water (Unst 325Y) The course focuses on the exceptional character of Venice as a city built on water. It begins with an examination of the environmental setting of the Lagoon of Venice and then traces the long history of the city’s development from its origins to the present day. Special attention is paid to the on-going give-and-take between the city and the sea, which has resulted in the complete transformation of the lagoon over the centuries, and the challenge of “saving” a city at sea level from flooding in the twenty-first century.
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 2009. Two vacation breaks will be built into the calendar.
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.
Costs
Costs above tuition are estimated at approximately $1,400 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 $5,000-$6,000 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 $1,950 for tuition and housing and $1,000 for food and other expenses. (These figures are approximate, depending partly on the dollar-euro exchange rate. More precise figures will be available later.)
These increased costs are used in calculating the aid packages of students who receive financial aid, provided this is their first study group experience. Students who are planning extensive personal travel will need to increase their budget accordingly.
Estimate of student expenses
Prerequisites
Students from all departments 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 2009, one month before the start of the program. (This August course grants ONLY Italian 101credit.)
Factors which enter 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), academic standing, disciplinary record, and recommendations from faculty.
Information sessions
All students interested in applying to the Venice Study Group should attend one of these information sessions: Monday, November 3 at 5:00 p.m., or Tuesday, November 11 at 9:00 p.m. Both sessions will be held in Dana Arts Center, Room 122.
Deadlines
Application forms are available in the Off-Campus Study Office, 201 McGregory. Inquiries may be directed to the Off-Campus Study Office, 201 McGregory (OCSIP@mail.colgate.edu) or to Albert J. Ammerman (aammerman@mail.colgate.edu). Applications are due in the Music Department 102 Dana, by Monday, December 1, 2008 addressed to Professor Godwin.
Helpful links
General information
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