Introductory lectures are given in Siena and Florence prior to these trips. Students are accompanied by an art history professor and at least one other professor who lecture on course-related topics and events marking the artistic, social and political development of Italian society. A paper in art history is required to receive credit. It is designed for those students who prefer the communicative approach with less intensive emphasis on language structure. Starting with basic grammar structures, this course advances quickly, meeting six hours a week.
Conversation is central to every lesson.
Students reach a solid level of linguistic competence. Use of the language is perfected and a solid level of expression is attained through the choice of the most appropriate vocabulary and the use of complex tenses. Only students completing Italian 204 in Siena are admitted to this level. The course is based on textual analysis of readings from contemporary authors, newspapers and magazines. It concentrates on the revision of the most complex syntactic structures and use of synonyms and idiomatic expressions.