Reggio Emilia Courses – 2027 Summer Session II

USAC Course Descriptions

Click the course title to view course details, description and availability. To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu

• Education for a Changing World

  Summer Session I

  General Education 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  The course will address education's role in society by examining some major philosophical and sociological foundations related to educational theory and practice. It will include the evolution of US education systems and practices and the role of society in shaping those systems. Topics may include issues such increasing global influences, multiculturalism, language, culture, geography, immigration, environment, and government as they connect to education in a changing world.

• Elementary Italian I

  Summer Session I

  Italian World Languages and Literatures 100-level 4 credits Taught in Italian

  Summer Session II

  Italian World Languages and Literatures 100-level 4 credits Taught in Italian

  This course is designed to help students acquire basic communicative competence by providing opportunities to develop basic language skills: listening, speaking, interacting, reading, and writing.

• Expressive Therapies: Foundations of Practice in Play

  Summer Session I

  General Education Human Development and Family Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course provides an overview of the use of expressive arts techniques in play therapy for the direct practice fields. Expressive arts in play therapy is an experiential and engaging form of intervention used within the social and behavioral sciences. This course is designed to introduce students to the role of expressive arts in play therapy programming as a therapeutic intervention and process in the helping professions. This course will focus on the therapeutic powers of play and the impact that play and expressive arts can have on client outcomes. Examples of expressive arts interventions in play therapy include processes such as photography, poetry, horticultural programming, music, dance/ movement, and visual arts. Exemplary educational programs from museums and community programs will be examined and reviewed in terms of their experiential processes and support of the expressive arts in practice. Experiential activities and local immersions will supplement class discussions for the course. Students will also can apply expressive arts and play therapy theories and philosophies discussed in class to actual scripted interventions and processes experienced in the class during practice plays.

• Food and Culture

  Summer Session II

  Anthropology Nutrition 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Food is a topic with which every student of every ethnicity has personal experience; it is so common that its cultural connotations tend to be overlooked. Food is often an area related to strong identity, whether positive or negative, of one’s ancestry. Cuisines are not just about sustenance, but also about cultural symbols that bind together people in ritual and as a community. How one participates in the act of eating (when/how) and why certain foods are to be prepared are learned and understood at the table.

  Food is of wide-ranging anthropological interest because, in eating, humans incorporate into our bodies the products of nature transformed into culture. This course explores connections between what we eat and who we are through cross-cultural study of how personal identities and social groups are formed via food production, preparation, and consumption.

  The course will initially explore the general topic of food and culture to present a background in which to discuss the specifics of identity and meaning. The role of food will be examined in several different communities. Several films will be used to discuss specific topics, such as festivals/rituals and food as family/community. Moreover, our topics and readings will be eclectic: food taboos; gender and kinship, voice and identity, symbolic and expressive culture, feasts, festivals, fasts, famine, religion and spirituality, race and ethnicity, nationalism, class and social stratification, politics of globalization, among others. Then, we will focus on foodways in Italy, using the tools of anthropology, history, geography, sociology, journalism, and marketing. Furthermore, we will use food as a lens through which to deepen understanding of your new home and neighbors for this term in Reggio Emilia.

  An additional element of the course will look at food and culture through film. Films viewed in class represent different cultures and practices and give us a wider view of the complex and fascinating topic of food and culture. Students will reflect on films we watch together and in independent research for a class project.

• Gender and Communication

  Summer Session I

  Communications Honors 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will approach issues of gender and communication, both verbal and non-verbal, through critical analyses of stereotypes, socialization, and male/female interactions using theoretical perspectives. Various social interaction environments such as workplaces, families, media, and friendships will be explored. A special look at the host culture will also take place.

  Honors-eligible: This course is eligible for honors credit. Membership in your home university Honors program and supplemental honors learning agreement is required to receive honors credit for this course. See USAC Honors page

• Gender and Communication (Honors)

  Summer Session I

  Communications Honors 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will approach issues of gender and communication, both verbal and non-verbal, through critical analyses of stereotypes, socialization, and male/female interactions using theoretical perspectives. Various social interaction environments such as workplaces, families, media, and friendships will be explored. A special look at the host culture will also take place.

  Honors-eligible: This course is eligible for honors credit. Membership in your home university Honors program and supplemental honors learning agreement is required to receive honors credit for this course. See USAC Honors page

• Health and Wellness Communication

  Summer Session II

  Communications General Health Sciences 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Students will explore the theory and practice of health communication and the areas where small group and organizational communication occurs. Students will also analyze how mass media influences engagement in these forms of communication. This course covers topics including the history of health communication, the complexity of patient-caregiver communication, social and cultural issues associated with health communication, and public health and its relationship with media. Students will develop skills in analytical and critical thinking through discussions and debates.

• Intercultural Communication

  Summer Session II

  Communications Honors 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will focus on major issues in intercultural communication and help students develop the skills necessary to build and maintain positive communication and relationships across cultures. Students will explore the definition, nature and manifestation of culture while examining their own values, traditions, and beliefs. Through active in-class and out-of-class activities, students will learn about the similarities and differences in communication behaviors and explore language usage, nonverbal style, and perceptions to see how they influence face-to-face communication between individuals of different cultures in the United States, Europe and the rest of the world. The course will also consider the ways that race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, age, region and physical ability inform the way in which identities and communities are shaped in a world saturated by media.

  Honors-eligible: This course is eligible for honors credit. Membership in your home university Honors program and supplemental honors learning agreement is required to receive honors credit for this course. See USAC Honors page

• Intercultural Communication (Honors)

  Summer Session II

  Communications Honors 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will focus on major issues in intercultural communication and help students develop the skills necessary to build and maintain positive communication and relationships across cultures. Students will explore the definition, nature and manifestation of culture while examining their own values, traditions, and beliefs. Through active in-class and out-of-class activities, students will learn about the similarities and differences in communication behaviors and explore language usage, nonverbal style, and perceptions to see how they influence face-to-face communication between individuals of different cultures in the United States, Europe and the rest of the world. The course will also consider the ways that race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, age, region and physical ability inform the way in which identities and communities are shaped in a world saturated by media.

  Honors-eligible: This course is eligible for honors credit. Membership in your home university Honors program and supplemental honors learning agreement is required to receive honors credit for this course. See USAC Honors page

• Internship

  Summer Sessions I & II

  Internships 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  Description not available at this time.
• Introduction to Italian Language I

  Summer Session I

  Italian World Languages and Literatures 100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Italian

  Summer Session II

  Italian World Languages and Literatures 100-level 1 credit Taught in English and Italian

  This course will introduce students to Italian language topics, including a general introduction to everyday vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Students will learn and practice speaking and pronunciation in groups and with guidance from the instructor.

• Italian Cuisine

  Summer Session I

  Summer Session II

  Each session will start with a brief intro to the day's recipes and ingredients, followed by plenty of time to dive into cooking and food preparation. Together, we’ll learn to create classic and modern Italian dishes, including antipasti, pasta, main courses with veggie sides, and desserts. You’ll also get tips on pairing each course with the right wine. Our focus will be on enjoying the experience, with attention to traditional Italian dining customs. Sharing meals together will be one of the best parts of the workshop! This workshop is not suitable for students on a gluten-free or vegan diet, as many recipes will feature traditional dishes from southern Italy or the Emilia Romagna region.

  This workshop has an additional fee.

  This workshop requires a minimum enrollment of 5 students to run.

• Italian Culture

  Summer Session I

  Italian World Languages and Literatures 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course focuses on various aspects of Italian culture, encompassing its recent history, geography, regional differences, demographics, social institutions, commonly practiced norms and values, and contemporary social, economic, and political issues. Through lectures, readings, discussions, and observation research projects, students will develop an understanding of Italy and reflect on their own cultural knowledge, beliefs, and Italian cultural experiences.

• Italian/International Educational Approaches: Reggio and Montessori

  Summer Session I

  General Education Human Development and Family Studies 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course will examine the Montessori and Reggio Emilia educational approaches through inquiry-based dialogues and discussions, audiovisual presentations, critical thinking activities, and site visits. Focusing on Reggio Emilia’s role in designing and sustaining infant-toddler centers and schools, students will study this educational approach in theory and practice, examining the environment as a third teacher, the value of observation and documentation, graphic languages of expression, inquiry as theory-building, and collaboration. The course also includes an overview of the Montessori method and philosophy of education, where students will examine Montessori’s life, work, and research on child development as well as the application and analysis of the Montessori philosophy and method, a study of Montessori materials and of the fundamental methods used in Montessori classrooms.

  Other areas of focus include motivational methods, teaching "discipline," managing the classroom for the individualization of learning activities, and applying and integrating these methods into the traditional classroom; diversity, assessment, special needs planning; curriculum design and implementation; developmentally appropriate strategies for socialization in group settings; strategies for teaching in the areas of practical life (everyday living), sensory education, art, music and movement.

• Lifespan Human Development

  Summer Session II

  Human Development and Family Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of human development across the lifespan, adopting a systemic perspective that connects biological, cognitive, socioemotional, cultural, and educational dimensions. Students will explore key developmental stages—from infancy to late adulthood—while examining how contexts such as family, school, community, and society shape learning and wellbeing. Special attention is given to contemporary issues in education (e.g., diversity, gender and race, digital tools), and to influential pedagogical approaches such as Reggio Emilia, outdoor education, and adventure education for at-risk youth.

• Models of Teaching

  Summer Session II

  General Education 400-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course is the study of various models of instruction with an emphasis on application in classrooms. This course provides students with theoretical and practical understandings of how to use models of teaching to both meet and exceed the growing expectations for instructional practices and student achievement.

• Nutrition Across the Lifespan

  Summer Session I

  Nutrition 300-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course addresses nutrition from both social and biological perspectives and will challenge students to conceptualize its effects at each stage of the human life cycle. Students will analyze how nutrition is influenced by cultural, environmental, psychosocial, physical, and economic factors. Students will also develop skills to identify the needs of people in in various age groups. This course is designed to engage unique perspectives to build upon theoretical concepts within the field and provide students with a unique experience to study how nutritional needs vary among people of different cultures.

• Psychology of Adolescence

  Summer Session II

  Psychology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English

  This course examines adolescence as a distinct and evolving stage of human development across historical and cultural contexts. It explores the biological, cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of development from the onset of puberty through emerging adulthood. Through critical reading, discussion, and applied case studies, students will analyze both universal developmental processes and culturally specific pathways to adulthood.

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