Cañada College .... College of San Mateo .... Skyline College
Information Meetings
If you are interested in learning more about our Florence Semester, plan to attend an information meeting that includes a colorful graphic presentation:
SMCCCD District Office Board Room
3401 CSM Drive, San Mateo (near CSM)
- Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 7:00 pm
- Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 7:00 pm
- Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:00 pm
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- Open to students who have completed at least 12 degree-applicable units with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Low cost flights and living accommodations in shared apartments in central Florence
- Courses in Art, Biology, Humanities, Italian, Music, Philosophy, and Italian Life and Culture that are transferable for Bachelor's degree credit
- Full-day excursions to Siena and Pisa; Museum Pass providing unlimited entry to major Florence museums
- Extensive cultural program including concerts, cinema, museums
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Study abroad is an enlightening, maturing and life-changing experience. Living in a different culture, students are challenged to re-examine themselves, their attitudes, and their values as they learn to understand a new culture. In Florence, more than in any other Italian city, students see first-hand the taste, elegance and aesthetic sensibility that marked the Renaissance. History and language come alive, and students are uniquely situated for new perspectives on business and economics.
Florence is a wonderful city in which to live and study. Situated on the River Arno, this city of half a million people has an immense wealth to offer the discerning visitor—from the architecture of Giotto, the painting of Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci to the Ponte Vecchio, the 14th Century bridge across the Arno lined with shops, jewelers, gold- and silversmiths, one of the delights of all Europe.
People come from all over the world to visit the churches of Florence, but the city is far more than just a constant reminder of art history. Florence is a busy city throbbing with Italian vitality, a city for young people, with cafés, shops and cinemas. Student life is very much in evidence.
California resident students pay the regular community college enrollment fee ($20 per unit) for Semester in Florence courses. California nonresidents also pay a non-resident tuition fee.
The AIFS program fee of $6,545 pays for living accommodations in a shared apartment in central Florence and an extensive weekly program of subsidized cultural and social activities, with on-site services of the AIFS Program Coordinator and local office. For an additional fee of $495, vouchers for 30 lunches or dinners are provided. The AIFS fee includes medical and fee refund insurance, full-day visits to Siena and Pisa by private bus with local guide, and a museum pass with unlimited entry to major Florence museums.
Additional costs are involved for optional round trip air transportation ($795 plus taxes and airline fees), optional pre-program European tour ($995), optional mid-semester tour of Sicily ($995), required $250 refundable damage deposit, meals other than as specified above, textbooks, passport fees, and personal expenses such as laundry. Students should plan on having $2,500 or more in spending money to cover expenses beyond enrollment fees, the AIFS program fee, and plane tickets.
Many students may be eligible for financial aid (grants/loans) to assist them in paying the cost of their Semester in Florence educational program. Early application for financial aid is essential as processing can take up to twelve weeks. Interested students should contact the Financial Aid Office at College of San Mateo (even if they currently attend another college).
Students must enroll in at least 12 units, including Italian Life and Culture. Course offerings include the following:
College of San Mateo
BIOL 100 Life Sciences (3)
BIOL 130 Human Biology (3)
ITAL 111 Elementary Italian I (3)
ITAL 112 Elementary Italian II (3)
ITAL 121 Advanced Elementary Italian I (3)
SOSC 680 Italian Life and Culture (3)
Cosumnes River College
ART 300 Elementary Drawing and Composition (3)
ARTH 309-A Art Survey: Renaissance to 19th Century (3)
ARTH 309-B Art Survey: Renaissance to 19th Century (3)
MUFL 311 Survey of Music History and Literature (3)
MUFL 315 Jazz History (3)
MUFL 330 World Music (3)
SOSC 499 Italian Life and Culture (3)
Diablo Valley College
POLSC 220 Comparative Politics (3)
POLSC 250 International Relations (3)
SOCSC 111 Money, Power and Politics in the U.S. (3)
SOCSC 162 Italian Life and Culture (3)
Santa Rosa Junior College
HUMAN 13 Introduction to Religious Studies (3)
PHIL 6 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
PHIL 20 History of Western Philosopy (3)
SOCS 48.14 Italian Life and Culture (3)
All courses offered are fully transferable to the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems for baccalaureate degree credit.
Most courses are applicable toward general education/breadth requirements through CSU-GE and/or IGETC certification.
Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Residential space and class sizes are limited. Students are encouraged to apply early. Priority application deadline is Friday, September 26, 2008. Application deadline is Wednesday, November 5, 2008. The program may close prior to the published deadline if classes are full. Final fee payments are due Friday, December 5, 2008. Remember that it is important to apply early for financial aid.
Details including cancellation and refund policies are included in the program brochure that students should obtain and read carefully before submitting their application and deposit.
The AIFS non-refundable application fee ($50) and enrollment deposit ($400) are due with the application. The AIFS fee balance and refundable damage deposit are due by Friday, December 5, 2008, along with optional fees if chosen. American Express, MasterCard and Visa cards are accepted.
Community college enrollment fees must be paid at the time of registration
before departure.
Instructor: Michael Bucher
Michael Bucher is a professor of biological sciences at College of San Mateo. After earning a bachelor's degree in general zoology from the University of California at Los Angeles he was a National Science Foundation Fellow studying Tropical Ecology at the University of Costa Rica and subsequently received his M.A. in Vertebrate Zoology at U.C.L.A. Prior to coming to CSM he taught for Santa Monica College, the Wilderness Foundation and Seattle University. Having enthusiastically explored Central American and European countries and their languages, he has previously taught in the study abroad program in both Costa Rica and Florence, Italy. As Principal Investigator he recently led a NSF-funded research project for curriculum reform at CSM. He takes a lively interest in the evolution of animals, finds its extension in the evolution of ideas held by human animals about life, and delights in Florence as a stimulating vantage point from which to consider the interplay of science, art and history.
Visit http://gallery.me.com/mcbucher for places one will see as part of the program, on one's own with a little effort, or easily reachable during the mid-semester break.
Cosumnes River College, Diablo Valley College and Santa Rosa Junior College faculty will teach a variety of courses which supplement College of San Mateo's offerings, and Italian guest lecturers will participate in the Italian Life and Culture series in which all students will enroll.
Additional information on all aspects of the Florence program is available in a brochure which contains required application forms. To request a brochure and application, call (650) 574-6595, or contact:
Christianne Marra, President's Office
Bldg. 1, Room 101, College of San Mateo
1700 West Hillsdale Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94402-3784
Information Meetings
If you are interested in learning more about our Florence Semester, plan to attend an information meeting that includes a colorful graphic presentation:
SMCCCD District Office Board Room
3401 CSM Drive, San Mateo (near CSM)
- Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 7:00 pm
- Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 7:00 pm
- Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:00 pm
