BU’s four Padua programs take place in a lively town that’s home to one of the oldest universities in the world. The Padua Internship Program, offered only in fall semesters and designed for those with all levels Italian language skills, provides students with the opportunity to develop their professional skills in one of Italy’s top economic and communications hubs. Classes are taught at the BU Padua Center, where students take elective courses in English or Italian and participate in an academic internship for credit.
Requirements & Considerations
- All students must enroll according to, and remain in compliance with, the Boston University Study Abroad Course Load Policy.
- No previous coursework in Italian is required
- Students wishing to take electives in Italian need to have completed 4th-semester Italian or the equivalent
- Some courses may carry prerequisites
- Admissions Requirements for all programs
Curriculum
This program is open to students with all levels of Italian language skills. Students with no prior knowledge of Italian enroll in First Semester Italian. All students will choose two or three content courses in English or Italian from the variety offered at the BU Padua Center. Additionally, all students will take the internship course which is comprised of class instruction and internship placement 15–20 hours a week for 12 weeks.
Please note that a minimum enrollment is necessary for a BU Padua course to be offered for the semester, and availability is subject to change. All courses are taught by local faculty.
Required Courses
Required Course List
Italian Language
Students with no prior knowledge of Italian are required to enroll in First-Semester Italian.
- CAS LI 111 First-Semester Italian (4 credits)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Individual in Community
- Begins with a Core Phase of 2-weeks with 2-hour session, 4 days a week. At the end of the Core Phase the course is scheduled with 2-hour sessions twice a week.
- Aims at presenting communicative functions and exposes students to real life situations and language (at work, in town, at university, etc.).
- Includes specific vocabulary sessions and some cultural aspects of Italy, so that students can better integrate and comprehend Italian language and culture. On-site activities are part of the course.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Internship Course
The internship course focuses on the main cultural, historical, political and economic issues related to the Italian job market. Thanks to an intercultural perspective, the main internship-related topics will be discussed on both national and local levels in comparison with the US work environment. Special attention will be given to the greater Padua area and the Veneto region that host the internship program and placements.
The internship course begins with a 2-week Core Phase and a 12-week Internship Phase. The Core Phase is devoted to class instruction, while during the Internship Phase students participate in internships with local organizations in the greater Padua area, about 15-hours per week, Monday-Friday. During the Internship Phase students meet with the Internship course professor for a tri-weekly class session, for a total of 4 sessions.
Students enroll in an internship placement in either English or Italian. Placements are contingent upon a students' past experiences, language abilities, and available opportunities in a given semester. Flexibility is essential. Internship placements are determined with the assistance of the BU Padua Internship Coordinator.
Internship Course numbers depend on the fields of specialization in which students complete their internship and accompanying academic work.
- CAS AH 505 Internship in Arts and Arts Administration (4)
- CAS LX 451/452 Internship Linguistics Research (4)
- CAS CAS PO 405/IR455 Internship in International Organizations and NGOs (4)
- CAS PO 401/451 Internship in Politics/International Relations (4)
- SHA HF 390 Field Placement in Hospitality Administration (4)
Elective Courses
Students choose two or three courses from those offered at the BU Padua Center, taught in English or Italian.
Language Courses
- CAS LI 211 Third-Semester Italian (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Individual in Community
- 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.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- 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.
- Syllabus
Courses Taught in English
- CAS AH 349 Between the Lily and the Lion: Art in Renaissance Padua (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Historical Consciousness
- Introduction to art history with regard to notable works of art and architecture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Padua, Venice and Florence. Exploration by on-site visits and experience of the cultural context in which works were created.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CAS HI 263 Modern Italian History (4)
- This course follows the history of Italy’s rapid transformation from agricultural economy to industrial and post-industrial country. Starting from Italy’s “liberal” period of 1870s through World War I, the course then introduces students to Fascism and the Mussolini era. From post-war republicanism, the course moves on to the 1970s, and traces the historical roots of current economic crises and issues. On-site classes are part of this course.
- Syllabus
- SHA HF 323 The Italian Food Industry: Economics, Culture, and Society (4)
- The Italian food industry from economic, cultural, and social perspectives. Special attention paid to producers, product quality and certification, and relationships to the land and regional cultures. How is the industry evolving to offer consumers up-to-date products while remaining anchored in Italian tradition? Taught through a combination of lectures, seminars by industry experts, case studies, and company visits.
- Syllabus
- CAS IR 334 European Politics and Policy Challenges: Italy and the United States (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Individual In Community
- Social Inquiry II
- Explores the birth of the European Union and the Europeanization concept. Through a comparative approach, students explore important topics for the EU, including migration, human rights and security policies, gender distribution in the political institutions, foreign and environmental policies.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CFA MH 340 Italian Music: From Renaissance to 20th Century Avant-Garde (4)Effective
Fall '23- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Historical Consciousness
- The course examines the history, evolution, and main aesthetic features of Italian music from the 16th century to the mid-20th century. Italy played a central role in the development of music, witnessing the birth of opera, the cantata, oratorio, sonata, concerto, and symphony, all of which were disseminated internationally, creating a cohesive, international musical style. The main aim of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive view on the making and developments of the main Italian music genres, from Renaissance to post-WWII Avant-gardes.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Courses Taught in Italian
Please note: Some courses may carry language prerequisites as indicated in course syllabi.
- CAS HI 260 The Venetian Republic: Rise and Fall of a Global Power (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Historical Consciousness
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- Research and Information Literacy
- Founded around the 5th-6th century by former Roman fleeing the barbarian invasions, Venice has been for centuries one of the strongest and most powerful political entities. Venice was for centuries one of the most powerful political global powers until its fall in 1797.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CAS LI 355 Italian Migrant Literature (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- Writing-Intensive Course
- Prerequisite: 4 semesters of college level Italian or the equivalent
- While at the end of the Nineteenth Century and the first half of the Twentieth Century, Italy was a country of emigration, recent history shows that it has become the country of destination for many people. This change concerns diverse aspects of life at various levels: social, anthropological, economic, but also linguistic and cultural. The course introduces students to different aspects of Italian migrant literature (e.g. history, style, topics) from its appearing in the late Eighties to today. Students will approach literary works written by authors with different intercultural backgrounds.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Housing & Student Services
The Collegio Don Mazza Residence is a private college and has 3 main residence halls in close proximity to each other.
- All students live in furnished double rooms with en suite bathroom
- Students will room with another student from the program or an Italian student
- Partial board included: 5 dinner meals a week (Monday-Friday)
- Communal coffee rooms and possibility to use communal kitchen for breakfast preparation
- Weekly cleaning service
- Wi-Fi, study halls with air conditioning, library, conference room, information center, music room, newspaper and TV room, gym for residents only.
- Irons and coin operated laundry facilities
- Housing locations are within 2 miles of BU Padua Center.
Program Dates
- Fall Semester: late August to late December
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: March 15
This program is rolling admissions; applications are reviewed once all application materials are received, prior to all deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are received by the BU Study Abroad office. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as some programs and internship tracks have limited space and may fill up before the deadline. Submitting a complete application prior to the application deadline, does not guarantee acceptance. Students will be emailed an admissions decision within three weeks of a completed application.
Information for BU Students Awaiting an Admissions Decision and exceptions to the standard admission calendar for all students can be found here.
Cost & Financial Considerations
- 2023/2024 Tuition and Fees: $28,625
Cost includes tuition, housing, partial board, program related activities, administrative fee, overseas medical insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage. - Estimated program budget, including cost of living expenses.
- Grants and Scholarships available.
