Harvard Summer Program in Abruzzo, Italy
Italian language study amid the scenic and culinary pleasures of Abruzzo
Faculty: Elvira Di Fabio, teaching assistants, and guest lecturers
(8 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
Dates: June 17–July 23, 2008
Application deadline: March 3
Cost: $7,000
Study Italian with Harvard faculty while living in the charming city of Vasto in Italy’s Abruzzo region. The program includes intense grammar review, with emphasis on reading and conversation skills. Learning extends beyond the classroom, where students can enjoy the majesty of the Apennine mountains and the sparkling waters of the Adriatic while getting to know the region’s food culture by interacting with those who “live Vasto.” The course includes a daily average of five hours of class time at least five days a week. Class time (whether it be in a traditional classroom or in the “living lab” of the community) is supplemented by special seminars on varying topics of relevance to the geographical region.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Consortium of Italian Teachers Teaching Abroad. Lessons are held in Vasto Centro at the Istituto San Gabriele. The program includes a traveling seminar. Last year the seminar was hosted by the Carla Rossi Academy International Institute of Italian Studies in Monsummano Terme (Pistoia), directed by Professor Marino Balducci, PhD.
Course of Study
ITAL S-52 Study Abroad in Abruzzo, Italy: Mapping the Cultures of Italy—Food for Thought
Sapore, which means “taste” in Italian, shares the same root as sapere, which means “to know.” This course gives students a taste of the knowledge that is found in the language of food, what we have coined glottogastronomia. Abruzzo, renowned for its gastronomic specialties both in Italy and abroad, is the perfect setting for this sort of study. A complete, intensive grammar review is coupled with a dossier of readings including Dante and Tabucchi, covering literary comestibles and excerpts on the history (Artusi) and sociology (Il Galateo) of Italian cuisine. Regional differences are emphasized through research, which may include interviewing local shopkeepers and participating in activity-based learning. As a course project, students’ cultural, linguistic, and culinary discoveries are digitally documented, allowing for the visualization of data. If only data could be tasted!
Prerequisites: at least two semesters of college-level Italian or the equivalent; applicants may be asked to take a placement test before being accepted into the program
Course Credit
For Harvard College students, this program counts as a full-year course (8 credits) of degree credit, at least half of which may be counted for concentration credit, pending approval of the concentration’s undergraduate advisor. This program also satisfies the Foreign Cultures Core requirement.
Transfer credit. Harvard Summer School courses and credits are accepted toward degrees at most colleges and universities. Since degree requirements vary among schools, students are advised to obtain transfer credit approval from their home institutions before registering for Harvard Summer School courses.
Faculty
Elvira Di Fabio, Senior Preceptor and Coordinator of Italian Language Instruction, Undergraduate Advisor in Italian, and Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies, Harvard University
Guest lecturers on Romance languages and literatures will be announced.
Application
Students must be at least 18 years old to apply. The application materials, outlined below, are due March 3:
- an application form (download* form)
- official transcripts (sent directly from schools to the address below; unofficial copies not accepted)
- a $50 nonrefundable application fee
- a supplementary statement describing coursework in Italian, travel experience abroad (not a prerequisite), and interest in the program
Applications should be addressed as follows:
Nicole García
Office of International Programs
University Hall, Ground Floor South
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Students are notified of admission decisions by mid-March.
Cost
The cost of the program is $7,000, plus a nonrefundable $50 application fee. In addition, students are responsible for a health insurance fee (approximately $150; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States) and for transportation to and from Abruzzo. The program fee covers the following:
- tuition
- room and some meals
- excursions (including meals when appropriate)
Payment Deadlines
For admitted students, a nonrefundable deposit of $700 must be received by April 15 to secure a place in the program. Payment in full is due by May 15. A $100 late fee will be charged for payments received after this date.
Funding
Harvard College students are eligible for scholarships through the Harvard Office for International Programs (OIP). Students may consult the OIP website’s money page or contact the OIP for details. To apply for a study abroad scholarship through OIP, you will need to provide information about the program’s budget. Download* the program budget.
The Harvard College Financial Aid Office summer study webpage also provides information about assistance.
Other Harvard students may be eligible for financial assistance through their Harvard financial aid offices. Harvard students are also encouraged to apply for a Diaco Memorial Grant. Students enrolled at other institutions should consult their respective financial aid offices.
Accommodations
Students are housed in a hotel in Vasto Centro, a five-minute walk to the classroom and a 10-minute bus ride to the beach in Vasto Marina. The comfortably furnished rooms are double occupancy and have private bathrooms with showers and secure entrances. Single rooms are available upon request for an additional fee. Students have limited access to the Internet.
Additional Information
Contact Elvira Di Fabio, edifabio@fas.harvard.edu; (617) 495-5478; fax (617) 496-4682.
Students with disabilities should contact the disability services coordinator as soon as possible: (617) 495-0977, (617) 495-9419 (TTY), or disabilities@dcemail.harvard.edu. Request-for-accommodation forms and supporting diagnostic documentation must be submitted by April 25. More information about disability services, including request forms and guidelines for documentation, will be online by early February 2008.
Students applying for admission to Harvard’s study abroad programs should understand that although the University provides reasonable assistance and support to facilitate the participation of qualified students in its programs (including students with disabilities and health impairments), some of our programs are located in parts of the world where accommodations may not be readily available. Students are encouraged to be forthcoming with the disability services coordinator about any specific needs and functional limitations so that the Summer School can collaborate with those students in a way that fosters their safe participation and allows them to fully appreciate any barriers that they may face, depending on the location and rigors of the particular program.
Harvard Summer School is aware of the risks associated with international travel. Should the US Department of State issue a travel warning for any of the countries in which a study abroad program is planned, the program in that country may be canceled.
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