Florence, Italy

at-a-glance:

Vanderbilt University in Florence offers an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Italian culture, Italian language, and to deepen their understanding of Italian society through the study of art history, economics, political science, and literature. Vanderbilt University in Florence, a program jointly administered by Vanderbilt University and CET, is open to students from all schools during the summer term and to Vanderbilt students only during the spring and fall terms.

academics

Vanderbilt's Florence program is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of Italy's art heritage. The program takes advantage of the rich artistic treasures of Florence, and all courses incorporate excursions to local sites. While focusing heavily on art history, the program also offers some coursework in other area studies including history, political science, and economics. 

Vanderbilt University and CET is affiliated with the Università degli Studenti di Firenze (The University of Florence), an institution whose roots trace back to 1321.  The University offers Vanderbilt in Florence students the use of its small library, computers, and modern language laboratories.

Academic Links:

Online Course Catalogue

Vanderbilt Course Evaluation List

CET Web Site

student life

CET's center has recently relocated to Viale Belfore 56, which is west of the train station and just a few blocks from living accommodations and the historical city center. Most of the class work for this program will take place at the CET Center but students will go on several visits around the city for art history courses and take some Italian language classes at the University of Florence.  

Students will be interested to check out the many sites in Florence. Popular places to visit include The Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), Bartolomeo Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune, The Ponte Vecchio, the Medici Chapel, the Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo's David, Pitti Palace, and Santa Croce church, containing the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Dante.

housing

CET offers students two options for housing. The first option is a total immersion experience: an Italian home-stay.  This is the best way to practice Italian and avoid the tourist-heavy part of Florence, but there is an added cost.  If you are interested in this option, please express this to GEO early in the pre-departure process. 

The second option for housing is to live in apartments. CET leases apartments in the same neighborhood as the CET Center, which is just on the edge of the historic city center.  Apartments will house multiple program participants with Italian roommates and will be fully furnished including linens and kitchen items. CET apartments and classrooms are within a twenty-five minute walk to the Piazza del Duomo, the Uffizi, the train station, and the Palazzo Vecchio.   

During the fall and spring terms, four lunches per week are included in the program cost.  For your other meals, you may choose to eat at the Università degli Studenti di Firenze cafeteria or at one of the many restaurants available in Florence .  You may also use your apartment kitchens to cook meals with your roommates. 

location

Florence offers an ideal location from which to view Italy's rich artistic and cultural legacy. You will not only be surrounded by beautiful art resources, you will also be uniquely immersed in contemporary Tuscan life. Some say central Tuscany is the most beautiful area in all of Italy.  The countryside is, of course, one reason; but so is its architecture and artistic treasures - the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Lorenzetti, Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli, Cellini and so many others.  Their magnificent paintings, sculpture and frescoes are all within easy reach during your term in Florence.

expenses

Program Costs: Semester Costs; Summer Costs

application

Vanderbilt-In-Florence Application