All instruction in BCSP courses is in Italian, and the courses are taught by University of Bologna faculty. In addition to the credits earned in the presession, academic year students complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit. Curriculum and Course Selection Students accepted into the program will receive information about the curriculum, including a description of BCSP courses and a list of University of Bologna courses that students have taken in the past. Final course selection occurs in Bologna at the beginning of the academic year. The faculty resident director serves as academic advisor.
Most students take courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
Although IU credit normally transfers to other universities, students from non-BCSP institutions are urged to consult the advisers on their campuses about the applicability of course work in the program to particular degree requirements. Italian Academic System Students in the program must be adaptable if they wish to succeed academically, for Italian universities differ in important ways from American universities, despite their common use of the lecture system. Some courses run the entire academic year. Grades are usually determined by a final oral examination covering readings and lectures alike, without the frequent quizzes and midterm examinations that encourage American students to keep up with their work. The Italian system therefore places a premium on self-discipline.