Padua Language & Liberal Arts Program

A thriving and ancient university city with few tourists, Padua offers a unique opportunity for study abroad. Headquartered at the BU Padua Academic Center, the program is run in cooperation with the Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD). The BU Padua Academic Center is located in the historic center of Padua and within walking distance of most university departments. The program includes excursions in and around the Veneto region, as well as to other major Italian art cities.

Program Curriculum

In order to be admitted to the Padua program, students are required to have completed at least two semesters of college-level Italian or the equivalent. Note: Syllabi are for course approval and reference only. Students will receive up-to-date syllabi when their courses begin.

Intensive Language Program Courses at the BU Padua Academic Center

Students enroll in one course listed below. Upon completion of the Intensive Language Program in the first month, students below fifth-semester Italian (LI 306) enroll in a consecutive language course as one of their electives.

CAS IT 310: Stylistics (4)

Understanding Italian society though its language. Introduces students to techniques and theories of translation. Studies various sectors of the language: poetic and rhetorical, colloquial and dialectical, legal and scientific, the language of the media, and nonstandard language. Syllabus

CAS LI 211: Third-Semester Italian (4)

(Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Italian, or placement exam results.) Intended for students with a satisfactory background in elementary Italian who require extensive review of basic structures, verbs, and related essentials. Review, emphasis on composition skills, and conversation. Reading and discussion of short articles and stories. During the intensive language period (September or February), class work is complemented by small, informal conversation groups led by students from the Università degli Studi di Padova. Syllabus (CAS LI 211/212)

CAS LI 212: Fourth-Semester Italian (4)

(Prerequisite: three semesters of college-level Italian, or placement exam results.) Intended for students who wish to build active use of Italian in speaking, writing, and reading. Discussions in Italian on everyday themes. Development of reading and writing skills through analysis of contemporary texts and conversation. During the intensive period (September or February), class work is complemented by small, informal conversation groups led by students from the Università degli Studi di Padova. Syllabus (CAS LI 211/212)

CAS LI 303: Self-Expression in Italian (4)

(Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Italian, or placement exam results.) Building and expansion of vocabulary through development of writing skills and discussion in Italian on topics of current interest. Review of fundamental grammatical topics and idiomatic patterns. Reading of a contemporary Italian novel or short fiction and articles from Italian magazines and newspapers. During the intensive period (September or February), class work is complemented by small, informal conversation groups led by students from the Università degli Studi di Padova. Syllabus

Watch a video from this course, of students reading an interview with world-known writer and director Pier Paolo Pasolini.

CAS LI 306: Advanced Italian Practicum (4)

Fine tunes a student’s ability to use Italian through emphasis on written and oral proficiency. Reading and discussion of a novel, non-fiction, and magazine articles. Syllabus

Elective Courses at the BU Padua Academic Center

Students above fifth-semester Italian may enroll in three elective courses, and students below fifth-semester Italian may enroll in two elective courses at the BU Padua Center or UNIPD. We recommend that full-year students take a combination of BU courses and one or two UNIPD courses.

Art History

CAS IT 341: Introduction to Art History: From Giotto to Tiepolo (4)

Concentrates on Italian painting from Giotto to Tiepolo and explores various genres, from sacred to secular art. Site visits. UP faculty. Syllabus

CAS IT 520: Art Seminar on Masterworks of the Italian Renaissance in Venice/Tuscany (4)

(Prerequisite: at least one previous Art History course.)

(Fall semester) Course concentrates on the Italian Renaissance in Venice. Focus is on major Venetian painters, architects, and sculptors. It is specially designed for art history and architecture students. UP faculty.

(Spring semester) Course concentrates on the Italian Renaissance in Tuscany, represented also in Padua in the painter Giotto and the sculptor Donatello. Focus is on major Tuscan painters, architects, and sculptors. It is specially designed for art history and architecture students. UP faculty. Syllabus

History

CAS HI 260: The Venetian Republic (4)

(Formerly CAS HI 324.) Traces the rise of Venice from its scattered settlements to the height of its imperial glory. Lectures and detailed guided visits to sites in and around the city illuminate the history of Venice through its rich cultural heritage. Syllabus

CAS HI 330: Modern Italian History (4)

Provides an overview of modern Italian history from the unification to World War II. UP faculty. Syllabus

CAS IT 290: The Veneto: History and Culture (4)
CAS IT 344: Topics in Italian Music History (4)

Examines the history of music in Italy from 1600 to 1850. The course is based on listening comprehension and the discussion of various excerpts with different functions (religious, secular, and theatrical music) and the composers and institutions to which they are linked. UP faculty. Syllabus

CAS IT 401: History of the Jews in Italy (4)

The course will be concentrated around the history of the presence of Jewish communities in Italy from its origins (II century B.C.) to the present day, with particular emphasis placed on the Fascist period and on Emancipation. During the 42 hours of the course (divided into 21 lessons) the students will approach the subject from a chronological point of view and, will explore some of the most interesting aspects of the history of the Jews in Italy. The focus of the course will be the relationship between the Jewish minority and the Christian majority in the cultural, economic, social, and religious arenas. Students will also explore particular aspects of the Jewish culture and way of life in Italy. UP faculty. Syllabus

CAS IT 402: Making of the European Union (4)
CAS IT 403: History of the Italian Cinema (4)

The purpose of this course is to consider the history of Italian film-making from the 1940s to the 1980s from the point of view of the scripts based on Italian romances and novels (from the Decamerone by Boccaccio to Moravia , Pavese, and others). UP faculty. Syllabus

International Relations

CAS IR 322: Topics in Italian and European Politics (4)

Multidimensional approach to political scientific study, with a focus on European and Italian perspectives on democracy. Special attention on the modernization of Italy, the political role of the Veneto area, and the structure of democracy across the U.S. and Italy. Syllabus

Language

CAS LI 303: Self-Expression in Italian (4)

(Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Italian, or placement exam results.) Building and expansion of vocabulary through development of writing skills and discussion in Italian on topics of current interest. Review of fundamental grammatical topics and idiomatic patterns. Reading of a contemporary Italian novel or short fiction and articles from Italian magazines and newspapers. During the intensive period (September or February), class work is complemented by small, informal conversation groups led by students from the Università degli Studi di Padova. Syllabus

Watch a video from this course, of students reading an interview with world-known writer and director Pier Paolo Pasolini.

CAS LI 306: Advanced Italian Practicum (4)

Fine tunes a student’s ability to use Italian through emphasis on written and oral proficiency. Reading and discussion of a novel, non-fiction, and magazine articles. Syllabus

CAS IT 310: Stylistics (4)

Understanding Italian society though its language. Introduces students to techniques and theories of translation. Studies various sectors of the language: poetic and rhetorical, colloquial and dialectical, legal and scientific, the language of the media, and nonstandard language. Syllabus

Literature

CAS IT 343: Contemporary Italian Literature (4)

(Recommended: previous coursework in literature.) A seminar that covers contemporary Italian literature from the turn of the twentieth century to the 1960s. UP faculty. Syllabus

Elective Courses at the University of Padua (UNIPD)

In addition to the BU courses, students may choose one to two 4-credit courses from UNIPD. Students who wish to take a course at UNIPD should be fairly confident in their Italian language skills. Please note that the UNIPD course listings are not available until shortly before the beginning of the academic year in October for the fall semester, or March for the spring semester. For this reason, Boston University Padua cannot guarantee the availability of a particular course in a given semester. In any given semester, UNIPD offers more than 200 courses in the humanities and social sciences. For more information about the courses offered by UNIPD, please visit their website or email us directly.

Some courses that have been taken by students at UNIPD in the past are listed below:

Facoltà di Lettere:
  • Medieval and Renaissance Literature
  • Contemporary Italian Poetry
  • History of Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature
  • Early Modern European History
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures (German, French, Spanish)
  • History of Italian Cinema
  • History of Photography
  • Film Studies
Facoltà di Scienze Politiche
  • Contemporary Italian History
  • European Political Organizations
  • European (EU) Studies
  • History of Journalism
  • History of Political Thought
  • History of Political Institutions
  • International Relations
  • International Law
  • Political and Economic Geography
  • Political Parties and Pressure Groups
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Program Details

Requirements
  • Minimum of two semesters of college-level Italian language or the equivalent
  • Admissions requirements for all programs
Program Dates
  • Fall Semester: early September to mid December (in rare cases, some courses at the UNIPD may end after Jan. 1)
    • Depart U.S.: September 1, 2011
    • Program Arrival: September 2, 2011
    • Depart Italy: December 21, 2011
  • Spring Semester: late January to late May
    • Depart U.S.: January 25, 2012
    • Program Arrival: January 26, 2012
    • Depart Italy: May 26, 2012
Cost
Credits
  • Upon successful completion of the program, students earn sixteen Boston University credits. Students must enroll for a total of sixteen credits.
Housing
  • Students live in Italian households. Households selected for program participants represent a wide range of incomes and situations, from a grandmother living alone to a couple living in the city to a suburban family with young children. Students are given a monthly stipend toward the cost of local transportation and meals. They are encouraged to eat at the university cafeterias, called “mense,” where meals are available at nominal cost. Students eat breakfast every day and three evening meals a week with their hosts. Students are given an ID from the University of Padova, which allows them to access department libraries and mense, and to have discounts in cinemas and stores in Padua, as well as in a number of museums.
Application Deadlines
  • Fall Semester: March 15
  • Spring Semester: October 15

Download a description of the Padua Language & Liberal Arts Program.

Program Faculty & Staff

The Boston University Padua programs are administered by staff in both our Boston and Padua offices. In Boston, a program manager facilitates the admissions and pre-departure procedures, and maintains contact with students prior to their arrival in Padua. The office also houses administrative personnel who are responsible for everyday operations. In Padua, the staff comprises a resident director and administrative, academic, and housing personnel.

Faculty & Staff Profiles

Mary Ogburn, Program Manager

Overseas Staff

Faculty

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