Build Your Own Semester Program
The most popular academic program at the Umbra Institute is the General Studies Program which allows you to Build Your Own Curriculum, providing for maximum flexibility as students create an academic program that best meets their needs and interests. Students build their own program by choosing from that semester’s courses offerings, enrolling full-time for 12-18 credits, which must include one Italian language course (or a course taught in Italian for advanced Italian language students).
See our courses page for an up-to-date list.
A typical semester for a General Studies student may look as follows:
ITAL 101: Elementary Italian – 4 cr
COMM 290: Intercultural Communication – 3 cr
ENG 325: From Literature to Social Media: Reading and Writing Italian Food – 3 cr
ENV 320: Water Resources: Environment, Society, and Power – 3 cr
PSYC 460: Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach – 3 cr
Total: 17 credits
Students who are uncertain of their proficiency level in Italian, select the course that they feel is most suitable on their course selection form. During Orientation, Umbra Italian faculty will administer a placement exam to ensure that they are enrolled in the appropriate level.
The Umbra Institute offers the following Italian courses:
- ITLN 101: Elementary Italian I – 4 cr.
- ITLN 102: Elementary Italian II – 4 cr.
- ITLN 110: Intensive Elementary Italian – 6 cr.
- ITLN 201: Intermediate Italian I – 4 cr.
- ITLN 202: Intermediate Italian II – 5 cr.
- ITLN 210: Intensive Intermediate Italian – 6 cr.
- ITLN 310: Advanced Italian: Conversation & Composition – 6 cr.
- LIIT 420: Il Racconto Italiano: Italian Short Story – 3 cr.
- ISIL 498: Independent Study in Italian Language – 3 cr.
Scholars Program
The Scholars Program offers students the chance to maximize their study abroad experience by engaging in an individualized research project under the mentorship of an Umbra Institute professor and utilizing the unique resources of Perugia and the surrounding region. The goal is to push students to expand their intellectual and personal boundaries to explore, discover, learn, and create new ideas in an international setting. Features of the Scholars Program include enriching coursework and field experiences, enhanced cultural immersion, and collaboration with other highly motivated students.
Click here for more information.
i-Courses
Many students at the intermediate level of Italian agree it would be extremely useful to begin to use what they have learned in a classroom setting, but understand that they are not fully prepared for an advanced course taught entirely in Italian. For these students, Umbra has developed the Italian Language Lab or i-Course. This one-credit lab can be attached to specific non-Italian classes to add a session in Italian. Thus, students enroll in the 3-credit course taught in English and add a 1-credit lab component, with this additional class hour taught entirely in Italian. The i-Course provides a bridge between intermediate proficiency and daily use of the language for increased and enhanced learning. The Italian portion is paced, carefully monitored and taught at the appropriate level for complete comprehension. It’s Umbra’s way to enrich and supplement the study abroad experience by adding a motivating Italian linguistic element to elective courses with a unique, tailored experience.
Independent Study and Research Courses
The Umbra Institute offers students options to pursue Independent Study and Independent Research. In some cases, this allows students to further specialize their academic programs to meet their specific needs and interests. Petitioning for an Independent Study is also an option when students find that a particular course is not being offered during their semester at the Institute.
To apply now for the General Studies program, click here!