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DIRECT ENROLLMENT 2023 Open for applications

Gustolab International and the Borromini Institute offer students, faculty and independent scholars a base in the heart of Rome to pursue field studies in the disciplines that are changing the world, from food systems and sustainability to interdisciplinary studies of place, people, cities and technology.

 

In our programs (spring, summer and fall semesters), the integration of coursework, fieldwork, and projects gives participants a unique perspective for engaging Italy. This engagement is driven by personal experience in markets, neighborhoods, and rural areas as well as reflection on important and timely academic issues.

 

Each program includes courses from our 4 clusters as well as academic internships in Rome. We also offer Italian language courses in collaboration with the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Rome.

what is included in our programs

All our programs include:

  • experiential activities, practicums, overnight field studies outside of Rome and other regions of Italy, meetings with specialists and experts
  • shared housing in furnished apartments in the Rome city center
  • group airport pickup and transfer, check-in support, housing orientation
  • a student services coordinator to support you in your new life studying abroad and to provide cross-cultural education and mediation.
  • the opportunity to receive an official transcript from Portland State University (PSU), our School of Record.
  • and more!

COURSE OFFERINGS IN THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL

 

Dates: Thur, January 12 – Saturday, May 6, 2023 (16 weeks inc. 1 week break).

Program Fee:  US $ 15,918. Additional fees may apply.

Students take 2 core courses and one or two electives for a total of 10 or 13 credits. 


CORE COURSES

ITA 101/102 ELEMENTARY ITALIAN LANGUAGE

Spring, Italy

Open to: all majors

GLi collaborates with the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Rome to provide Italian Language courses. This course teaches Elementary Italian Language as well as Italian Conversation.  Courses are applicable towards most U.S. universities language requirements.

OCL 210 SUSTAINABLE ROME

Spring, Italy

Open to: All majors. Recommended for students in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Development, Urban and Public Affairs, Community Development, Agricultural Science
The course presents Roma as a laboratory for sustainable urbanism where 2700 years of continuous inhabitation has left valuable material for today’s designer to study and learn from. Taught in the classroom and onsite in the field, the intended result is that students develop a rich understanding of the operational technologies of cities and a critical attitude towards the negative impact these technologies have on our environment. Students will learn and use basic analytic techniques and terminology through readings, lectures, seminars and local site visits and apply these observations and interpretations in the creation of the required short video.

ELECTIVES

GLI 201 ITALIAN FOOD AND CULTURE

Spring, Italy

Open to all. Recommended for students interested in food studies, food systems, sustainability, environmental studies, cultural tourism, gastronomic studies, food heritage, sustainable hospitality, agribusiness, communication, nutrition, anthropology, sociology, food science, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The course will examine food and nutrition from historical, political, economic, cultural, and culinary perspectives. Students will start with a general introduction to Italy and Italian food and wine with an emphasis on regional traditions. They will also examine contemporary issues, such as the Mediterranean diet success, and food production, distribution, and consumption. Wine and specific food products, both artisanal and mass-­­produced, will be tasted and discussed, and their cultural significance evaluated. Field trips and some cooking classes are included, aimed at helping students understand traditional food production techniques and ingredients that blend together to produce the Italian food culture. Throughout the course, meetings with experts (restaurant owner, nutritionists, farmers, sommeliers…) will help students to make connections between history, economy and people’s food practices and reach informed conclusions about the Mediterranean diet. In the second half of the course, the class will be divided into small teams to attend in-depth cooking labs with a noted Italian chef. Students will gain awareness of the vast historical and cultural heritage of Italian cuisine, develop an understanding of the practice and rituals of meal preparation and consumption specific to Italian and European cultures, and learn how to cook in a sustainable way.

HRL 201 CONTEMPORARY ITALY: CULTURE & SOCIETY

Spring, Italy

Open to all. Recommended for students interested in History, Anthropology, Sociology, European studies, Italian Studies, Cultural Studies, communication, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

This course aims to give an overall image of contemporary Italian society through the analysis of general aspects such as language, family, politics, religion, interaction between economic and social progress. Stereotypes and clichés related to Italian culture will be analyzed and challenged. The main goal of the course will be to deliver an up-to- date approach to a wide range of topics shaping the contemporary Italian culture, stimulating a fruitful confrontation with the original culture of the participants.

INT 101 ONSITE ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP (80)

Spring, Italy

Open to all majors and minors. Recommended for students interested in gaining experience working in a vibrant international setting on cutting edge issues.

Our academic internships are field‐based learning experiences combining study, observation, and placement with an organization. The Onsite Academic Internship includes 80 hours of academic internship experience carried out in parallel with other coursework.

Students receive mentoring from the Gustolab International’s academic advisor and learning facilitator. Additionally, they will receive guidance from their internship site supervisor. Internships are unpaid, and focus on developing skills and academic insights in new settings, languages and cultures.

TMD 101 COMMUNICATING CULTURE

Spring, Italy

Open to all. Recommended for students interested in Technology, Communication, Cultural Studies, History, Anthropology, Sociology and Italian Studies.

The course introduces students to technological achievements in Italian history and  provides an investigation of innovative communication practices in contemporary Italy’s cultural and creative sectors.

Dates: Friday, May 26 – Saturday, July  22, 2023 (8 weeks)

Program Fee:  US $ 9,520. Additional fees may apply.

Students have the choice to enroll in some or all of the following available courses: 


CORE COURSES

ITA_101 or ITA_102 ITALIAN LANGUAGE (4 credits, taught by Borromini Institute faculty) Applicable towards most U.S. universities’ language requirements.

 

OCL 200 Sustainable Roman Urbanism and Agriculture (3 credits, taught by Borromini Institute faculty experts in sustainable urbanism and Italian food studies) 

This 8-week intensive summer course looks at Rome past and present, through the perspective of environmental and cultural sustainability. After a general introduction to Italy and its regional traditions the course will examine contemporary issues of sustainability related to urban space, social equity, energy, mobility, waste, water and agriculture with lessons devoted to the success of the Mediterranean diet, food production, distribution, and consumption.


INT_101 Academic Internship (80 hours, 3 credits, a curricular internship in a local business with course material overseen by Borromini Institute faculty) 

Our academic internships are field‐based learning experiences combining study, observation, and placement with a local organization. The Onsite Academic Internship includes 80 hours of academic internship experience carried out in parallel with other coursework. Students receive mentoring from the Borromini Institute’s Academic Advisor and Learning Facilitator to create customized placement options linked to students’ fields and interests.


Dates: Friday, September 1 – Saturday, December 9, 2023 (14 weeks)

Program Fee:  US $ 17,020. Additional fees may apply.

Students take 2 core courses and one or two electives for a total of 10 or 13 credits.


CORE COURSES

ITA 101/102 ELEMENTARY ITALIAN LANGUAGE

Fall, Italy

Open to: all majors

GLi collaborates with the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Rome to provide Italian Language courses. This course teaches Elementary Italian Language as well as Italian Conversation.  Courses are applicable towards most U.S. universities language requirements.

 

OCL 210 SUSTAINABLE ROME

Fall, Italy

Open to: All majors. Recommended for students in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Development, Urban and Public Affairs, Community Development, Agricultural Science
The course presents Roma as a laboratory for sustainable urbanism where 2700 years of continuous inhabitation has left valuable material for today’s designer to study and learn from. Taught in the classroom and onsite in the field, the intended result is that students develop a rich understanding of the operational technologies of cities and a critical attitude towards the negative impact these technologies have on our environment. Students will learn and use basic analytic techniques and terminology through readings, lectures, seminars and local site visits and apply these observations and interpretations in the creation of the required short video.

ELECTIVES

GLI 299 FOOD PRODUCTION: OLIVE OIL, WINE

Fall, Italy
Open to: All majors. Recommended to: social science, agricultural science, business disciplines

Food Production: Olive Oil and Wine focuses on two of Italy’s signature products – as they are being produced in sites across Italy. Emphasis is placed on the local production of these crops and the processes transforming them into market commodities. Discussions and readings are situated within historical, cultural and economic contexts. Students participate in two forms of fieldwork. They assist in harvesting and related activities at nearby farms. They also accompany their instructor on an educational tour, from Northern to Southern Italy, of farms and markets exploring local production processes.

 

HRL 101 SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ITALY

Fall, Italy
Open to: All majors. Recommended to: sociology, politics, anthropology and urban design disciplines.
The Social Justice in Italy course is well suited for students interested in fields including: civil rights law, gender-based violence, immigration law; public policy and public administration concerning issues for marginalized populations (e.g., homelessness, education, job training/placement, housing, residency status, post-incarceration reentry, voting rights, etc.); social work and human services; teaching and educational leadership and policy. The course will combine lectures and seminar meetings with “practicum” field experiences working with local non-profits.

 

INT 101 ONSITE ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP (80)

Fall, Italy

Open to all majors and minors. Recommended for students interested in gaining experience working in a vibrant international setting on cutting edge issues. Our academic internships are field‐based learning experiences combining study, observation, and placement with an organization. The Onsite Academic Internship includes 80 hours of academic internship experience carried out in parallel with other coursework. Students receive mentoring from the Gustolab International’s academic advisor and learning facilitator. Additionally, they will receive guidance from their internship site supervisor. Internships are unpaid, and focus on developing skills and academic insights in new settings, languages and cultures.

 

TMD 101 COMMUNICATING CULTURE

Fall, Italy

Open to all. Recommended for students interested in Technology, Communication, Cultural Studies, History, Anthropology, Sociology and Italian Studies.

The course introduces students to technological achievements in Italian history and  provides an investigation of innovative communication practices in contemporary Italy’s cultural and creative sectors.

Application process & Eligibility

We accept applications from university students (both undergraduate and graduate) from all fields of study. Scholars, researchers & professionals are also encouraged to inquire. 

 

 

DEADLINES

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis. The recommended deadline for applying are:

For Spring:  September 15

For Summer:  February 15

For Fall: February 15

 

 

Applicants are encouraged to apply by the recommended deadline, as there are several advantages to doing so including receipt of an admissions decision early enough to allow for sufficient travel planning time to save on airline tickets, and sufficient visa processing time.

 

Learn more about the application process.

 

The Gustolab experience is unique and unlike other study abroad experiences I learned the value of Italian culture and being immersed into a new environment I’ve come more independent and stronger.

Student, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


JOIN our community

We have served students from over 50 academic institutions from 5 geographic areas

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