General Studies Program: Build Your Own Semester

About ISI Florence

Established in 2001, ISI Florence is a study abroad program rooted in the liberal arts tradition and internationally recognized for the high caliber of its faculty and wide range of student services. ISI Florence is committed to providing students with a safe and rewarding educational experience of exceptional quality both in and out of the classroom and is supported by endless opportunities for cultural immersion and exchange. True to its extraordinary setting in the cradle of the Renaissance, ISI Florence aims to inspire students to strive for learning which will make their semester abroad a life-changing experience.

With several thousand years of civilization woven into its legendary urban texture, Florence embodies all that the Renaissance sought to bring back to life. Bordered by its famous countryside of pine- and cypress-dotted hills, lush vineyards, and olive groves, the Florence of today is an innovative European cultural center, as well as a university city. While living in Florence, students will have the opportunity to walk the same medieval streets as Dante, look upon the great works of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and stand within the massive halls that housed Medici businesses, all built on top of Roman and Etruscan ruins. Iconic Via Tornabuoni offers insights into Florence’s thriving love of fashion in the shadow of Brunelleschi’s great dome, Santa Maria del Fiore. Surrounded by statuesque relics of the Renaissance and the push of progress, Florence offers both depth of ancient character and a melding of past, present, and future.

Build Your Own Semester

The BUILD-YOUR-SEMESTER program, also known as the General Studies Program, is open to all students and allows for maximum flexibility when choosing courses at the Institute. Students may freely choose from the curricular offerings and must enroll in a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 17 credits per semester and include one course in the Italian language. Students with advanced proficiency may alternatively choose an elective course taught in Italian.

For students who are uncertain of their proficiency in Italian, select the course that you feel is suitable for your course selection form. The Institute offers Italian at all levels from beginner to advance. Upon arrival, ISI Florence Italian faculty will administer a placement exam to ensure that you are in the appropriate level.

Once the appropriate Italian course is selected, students may choose freely from the wide variety of elective courses available. See our COURSES OFFERED pages for an up-to-date list.

Curriculum

Students can mix and match courses from among ISI Florence's full list of offerings. A typical semester for a General Studies student may look as follows:

• ITAL XXX – 4 credits (required)
• AAH 214: The Art of Florence: Exploring Visual Culture – 3 credits
• HUM 306: The History & Culture of Food: A Comparative Analysis – 3 credits
• VARTS 261: Introduction to Photography: Portfolio of Florence – 3 credits
• HIST 310: Ancient Rome: Civilization and Legacy – 3 credits

TOTAL: 16 credits

Curricular Concentrations
Students may design a program centered on a particular field of interest by creating a thematic study plan in academic areas such as history, studio art, and more. If interested in this option, students can consult their advisors at their home institutions to develop the customized curricular concentration that best fits their needs and interests. The complete list of the courses that would be appropriate to each concentration can be found on our website. 

Independent Research

For students pursuing an area of study that is not offered in our curriculum, ISI Florence has created the option of choosing an Independent Research course (3-6 credits). The Independent Research course is a student-centered learning experience that provides a deeper academic understanding of a specific topic. The course engages students in advanced research based on their interests with the support of a faculty mentor. As such, it is ideal for those who have previously studied a particular topic and would like to explore a more focalized aspect through individual research. For a modest additional fee, a unique independent study course in your chosen subject can be added to your course load.  Contact us to discuss independent research options.

Community Engagement and Volunteering Opportunities

As part of our initiative to help students gain valuable cross-cultural experience in an international environment, we promote many opportunities for community engagement, including credit-bearing internships, volunteer work, and service-learning activities. These projects give students invaluable hands-on understanding and extraordinary out-of-classroom exposure to the culture, language, and people of Italy.

The Internship and Practicum Courses are ideal for students who would like to give back to the local community, broaden their intercultural awareness and see different social contexts from a more comparative, global standpoint. 

Also, the numerous volunteering options available at ISI Florence are a rewarding way of integrating with the city and, at the same time, improving one’s Italian language skills through cultural dialogue and hands-on experience.

Student Services

The student services team at ISI Florence provides all students with a strong support system from the moment of arrival to the day of departure. Staff members are on hand to offer information and assistance so that students can make the most of their time abroad. Health and safety are of the utmost importance to us. Students are coached in personal safety, and the student services staff is available 24/7 to address illnesses, injuries, and any other needs that require special attention.

Living Accommodations

Students share apartments with other program participants. All apartments are located in the historical center of Florence and within walking distance of ISI Florence facilities. The apartments come with a fully equipped kitchen, communal living space, and wireless Internet connection.

ISI Florence Highlights 

• State-of-the-art centrally located facilities
• Expert and dedicated international faculty and staff
• Pre-departure and arrival assistance
• Comprehensive orientation program
• Informative student handbook and APP (For Apple & Android OS)
• Fully-equipped student apartments in the historic center of Florence
• Extra- and co-curricular field trips and volunteering
• Practical Italian language courses and workshops
• Wi-Fi access in apartments and at the Institute
• Emergency hotline available 24/7

Application

All students are required to submit a completed application and submit current transcripts and meet all prerequisite requirements. Admission is selective.
Apply now to begin the application and review process and discuss the program with an admissions specialist.