Summer 2018

Summer 2018 Study Abroad in Montepulciano, Italy

Study geography abroad in Montepulciano, Italy, a beautiful, historic Tuscan hill town, for 5 weeks in Summer 2018 through the KSU in Tuscany program! From May 17-June 21, 2018, I'll be teaching two geography courses at KSU's facility, a refurbished fortezza, in Montepulciano:

GEOG 1101: Introduction to Human Geography (satisfies a social science general education requirement, and is also a prerequisite for many upper division geography courses).
- We live in a dynamic world! This section of Introduction to human geography provides students an opportunity to explore global geographic patterns of resources, population, culture, and economic systems and their local level impacts while being immersed in a foreign culture and landscape. We will explore defining concepts in geography by focusing on the stories of real people, global trends and interregional linkages, and contemporary topics that transcend borders, and how these patterns affect the local level. In essence, how do global patterns shape local lives? While in Italy, inside and outside of the classroom, we will see how broader concepts occur on the rural and urban Italian landscape, allowing us to compare and contrast these patterns with our home culture.

GEOG 3312: Geography of Europe (satisfies an upper division related studies requirement for many majors, and is also included in the European Studies minor and the European Union Studies certificate).
- Europe has profoundly shaped our modern world! In this course we will explore the geography of Europe while immersed in the landscape of Italy. Course coverage encompasses the entire region: its physical setting and environment, population and migration, languages and religions, cultures, and geopolitical organization within the framework of broader global processes restructuring the landscapes of modern Europe. Attention is also given to historic and contemporary features of the diverse urban environments in which most Europeans live, work, and play. While in Italy we will discuss and observe specific examples of concepts as they occur on the rural and urban Italian landscape. The textbook used for this class explores the history of the modern European Union. The EU serves as the central framework for the teaching of this course. We will analyze the following thematic components of modern Europe: environment, culture, population, economics, and political geography. We will study the various member states of the European Union as well as their neighbors.

The program is conducted in English and each class meets for 2.5 hours in the morning and afternoon for two days each week. There will also be full-day field trips to other famous places two days each week. Weekends (Friday to Sunday) are free for you to explore the region around Montepulciano or to travel on your own. Other courses will also be offered by other KSU professors during Session I (May 17-June 21, 2018), so it's possible to mix and match two courses in two different disciplines. Courses during Session I include:

GEOG 1101: Introduction to Human Geography: Viewing the World from Europe
GEOG 3312: Geography of Europe: Perspectives from Italy on the European Union
PHIL 2010: Survey of Philosophy
PHIL 4950: Love, Pleasure, Friendship and the Good Life
ARH 1107: Art and Society
ARH 2750: Art Survey I: Ancient to Medieval
ENG 2112: Gothic World Literatures
WRIT 3160: Argumentative Writing: Cultural Memory in Italy
SCI 1101: Science, Society, and the Environment

During Session II (June 28-August 2, 2018), a whole different slate of courses are being offered:

ART 1107: The Arts in Society
ART 4490: Documentary Photography: The Italian Landscape and the Culture of Tuscany
PSYC 1101: Introduction to General Psychology
PSYC 3355: Cross-Cultural Psychology
SCI 1102: Science, Society, and the Environment
SCI 4490: The Science Behind Wine
MATH 1101: Mathematical Modeling in a Historical and Cultural Context
MATH 4490: Discovering the Art and Beauty of Mathematics in Italy

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the program or to express an interest in the program.

How to apply for this program?

To apply for this program, please visit the official program page through the KSU Education Abroad Office for Session I or Session II.

Why go?

In addition to completing courses in an amazing location, this is your opportunity to visit many famous bucket list places in Italy (field trips to each of these cities, and many prominent sights within them, are included as part of the program):

Rome
Florence
Siena
Pisa
Lucca
Orvieto
Lake Trasimeno
And so much more!

You'll also have weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) free to explore on your own! You might choose to remain in Montepulciano, explore some of the other nearby towns and countryside of Tuscany, or travel further afield to places such as Milan, Venice, Genoa, Naples (and Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast), San Marino, the Italian Lake District (including Lake Como and Lake Garda), the Italian Alps and Dolomites, the Italian Riviera (including Cinque Terre), or visit another country, and much, much more!

More reasons to go?

Immerse yourself in a new culture
Learn through experience while earning 6-7 credit hours
Explore the actual geographic landscapes you're learning about in class
Experience first-hand masterpieces of art, architecture, and great historic venues
Build your resume
Make new friends
The opportunity to study abroad is a life-changing experience! Check out these testimonials from KSU students who have participated in previous education abroad programs, including Montepulciano!

Where is Montepulciano?

Montepulciano is a medieval and renaissance hill town in the Italian province of Siena, in southern Tuscany, about 1 hour south of Florence and about 2 hours north of Rome. The town sits high on a limestone ridge (1,985 ft.) overlooking the surrounding region. Check out this Google Map (be sure to view the accompanying photos)!
Where is the Fortezza di Montepulciano (our classroom building)? Here it is on a Google Map (be sure to check out the Street View and accompanying photos)!

More Information about Italy

Italy Guide from RickSteves.com

Contact