Honors in Italy: The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Would you to like read the works of great writers on a hillside in Tuscany this summer? Would you like to explore the secrets of Italian culture and its influence on American thought? Would you like to walk the streets of Florence, Venice, and Rome with an art historian?  If the answer is yes, then Honors in Italy might be for you. 

Honors in Italy is built around two courses:

1. HON 3970-101  “Imagining Italy” which is taught in the charming Tuscan town of Arezzo. For three weeks in June, you will discover how Italian culture has influenced writers, filmmakers, and artists from John Adams to Henry James, from Mark Twain to Martin Scorsese. Dr. Randolph Lewis, an Associate Professor in the Honors College, teaches the course with an ideal blend of intellectual challenge and enjoyment. "Our classroom is all of Tuscany," Dr. Lewis says. “What could be better?”

2. AHi [course # TBA]. Honors in Italy includes almost two weeks of trips to Florence, Venice, and Rome, where art scholar Kirk Duclaux will lead students on walking tours of the art and history of Italy. Students will receive 3 hours of upper-division general education credit if they complete a paper for Dr. Allison Palmer, OU Art History, after their return.

Important Dates:

Honors in Italy takes place between May 31 and June 30, 2008. Students meet in Rome for several days before heading to Florence, Arezzo, and Venice. The program does not conflict with the two three-hour courses in Honors at Oxford. Classes in Arezzo meet Monday through Thursday each morning, leaving plenty of time to explore Italy.

How to Apply:

Please return the application to the Honors College by February 29, 2008. Applications should be sent to Lisa Tucker (ljtucker@ou.edu), Application Coordinator, Room 100, David Boren Hall. Phone: 325-9088 / Fax: 325-7109

Cost:

Honors in Italy costs approximately $3200. This amount includes in-country travel, housing, some meals, guided tours, and on-site advising and assistance.  Not included would be the OU enrollment costs for which you would be charged OU tuition and fees.  Please note that all standard OU scholarships, tuition waivers and financial aid would be applicable. International travel costs are not calculated in the above total, but accepted students may be eligible for the President’s International Travel Fellowship.

Testimonials from OU Honors students:

“I really enjoyed the “Imagining Italy” course because it allowed me to learn about Italy not only inside a classroom, but also by exploring the streets of Arezzo. It was not like any ordinary class that is taught in a building at OU. Instead, it was filled with exciting adventures at vineyards, sanctuaries, and jousts. It made the learning experience one that is unforgettable. The trip was amazing for all of us. I remember all the great times I had in and out of class.”

‘I thorougly enjoyed the course. I am amazed at the amount I learned in such a short period of time. I liked the thought-provoking readings. The applied learning/teaching methods blended smoothly into a knowlege of Italian culture.  The readings and writing assignments tied in nicely with the things I saw on the streets and offered a glimpse of what lies behind closed doors.”

“I have found a good deal of myself on this trip and during this course. I even cried a little at the end of Life is Beautiful. Thanks!”

“This class was exactly what I expected from an Honors class abroad… I really enjoyed this course.”

“Without exception, I found the material covered in class to be interesting. I was also pleased with the varied structure of the class, with the meetings in the park, and the field trips to the olive farm and LaVerna (Saint Francis’s mountain retreat).”