Viterbo Courses – 2025-26 Yearlong
Academics
You will enroll in 12 to 18 credits per semester comprised of language courses plus electives in Italian art, culture, and Mediterranean studies. All students must complete a minimum of one language course. Course availability is contingent upon student enrollment and is subject to change.
Click the course title to view course details, description, and availability.
Italian Language Courses
All students are required to take an intensive Italian language course, which allows for rapid acquisition of language and culture. Language courses generally have a maximum enrollment of 15 students each, but may vary by level. All language courses focus on the skills of speaking, reading, writing, and listening. You will enroll in one of the following courses during the first half of the semester:
- FallItalian 100-level 4 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 100-level 4 credits Taught in Italian
Elementary Italian I is a four-credit language course offered to students who are enrolled in USAC and have not taken any Italian courses at college-level before. This course is designed to help non-native speakers of Italian to acquire basic communicative competence by providing the opportunities to develop the basic skills of a language: listening, speaking, interacting, reading and writing.
- FallItalian 200-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 200-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course is designed to help learners of Italian to improve their communicative competence and critical thinking skills. It offers an intensive study and practice of the productive and receptive language skills in the oral and written modes. The course will allow students to improve their knowledge of grammar, wide their vocabulary and their understanding of cultural and social aspects of Italian life.
Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
- FallItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course focuses on developing students’ writing and reading abilities through the analysis and production of different types of texts. In addition, several grammatical topics will be reviewed to enhance and refine students’ grammatical competence as well as oral productive and receptive language skills.
Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
- FallItalian 400-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 400-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course is designed to help non-native speakers of Italian to obtain advanced level competency in the Italian language. It offers an intensive study and practice of the skills of a language: listening, speaking, interacting, reading, and writing. The course will allow students to investigate different cultural issues involving interaction with native speakers. The main emphasis of this track is on communication and, therefore, class attendance is essential.
Prerequisite: six semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
During the second half of the semester, students have the option to take additional language courses. You may choose from the following:
- FallItalian 100-level 4 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 100-level 4 credits Taught in Italian
This course is designed to help learners of Italian to develop basic communicative competence and critical thinking skills. This course will allow students to improve their knowledge of Italian grammar, enrich the vocabulary and develop the understanding of oral and written Italian.The main emphasis of this course course is on communication and, therefore, class attendance is essential.
Prerequisite: one semester of college Italian, or equivalent
- FallItalian 200-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 200-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course is designed to help learners of Italian to improve and deepen the knowledge of Italian grammar, provide a wider and more specific range of vocabulary, meeting the students’ communicative needs. It will allow students to recognize and discuss meaningful cultural and social aspects of Italian life.
Prerequisite: three semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
- FallItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course introduces some of the great writers and thinkers who have shaped Italian literature and culture over a thousand years of history. The selected texts will contribute to an understanding of Italian history, society, and culture through the analysis of the literary movements and the comparison of the most important authors and genres of each period.
Prerequisite: five semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
- FallItalian 400-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 400-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course is designed to help non-native speakers of Italian to obtain advanced level competency in the Italian language. It offers an intensive study and practice of the skills of a language: listening, speaking, interacting, reading, and writing. The course will allow students to investigate different cultural issues involving interaction with native speakers. The main emphasis of this track is on communication and, therefore, class attendance is essential.
Prerequisite: seven semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
You may also take part in a conversation course that runs the full semester.
- FallItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian 300-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course facilitates the language acquisition necessary to express oneself in daily situations and more challenging contexts. Therefore, it will help students become more confident about taking part in conversations in Italian either in everyday life or on a wide range of topics.
Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Italian, or equivalent
Courses in Italian Culture and the Arts
Fall Semester
- FallArt Film Italian 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will identify some of the essential themes and pivotal moments in contemporary Italian cinema since the 1940s. Students will develop a robust theoretical foundation to evaluate various films, including contemporary Italian films, not only identifying their significance as aesthetically valued works, but also as they bear witness to the past.
Prerequisite: one semester of college-level English composition recommended
- FallArt 100-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt 100-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course is centered on the sketchbook as an instrument for developing drawing and painting techniques and for learning how to observe and understand visual information. Students will use a variety of materials to document historic sites, building up a unique and personal record of the world around them. Individual and group instruction will be provided throughout, and attention will be paid to the progress and needs of each student as they learn the fundamental techniques of perspective and proportion and gain an understanding of the methods that can be used to reproduce a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. The course will be structured with in-class activities and outside workshops during which the medieval city of Viterbo will offer a treasure of architecture and artwork that will serve as inspiration.
This course has an additional fee
- FallEconomics Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringEconomics Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will analyze the past, present, and future of European integration based on historical, social, political, and economic factors. The process of European integration and its effects will be assessed at the international level considering the EU as well as examining key differences among European member states.
- FallArt Women's Studies / Gender Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt Women's Studies / Gender Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will cover various art-historical topics in ways that reveal the gender inequality that has influenced the art profession throughout history. Students will develop the theoretical and historical foundation to evaluate the gender imbalance in the arts effectively. This course will present neglected artists based on gender and encourage students to develop ideas for creating a more inclusive environment in the art community.
- FallPolitical Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringPolitical Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will explore critical issues related to Italian politics and its evolution in the European and global context from the end of the World War II until today, including Italian power dynamics in foreign policy and Italy’s role in the European integration process; the Italian constitutional framework and the role and evolution of Italian political parties; elections, the transformation of the political system after 1989, and representation through cinema and media; significant policies put forth by Italian governments, their evolution in Italian society, and their impact on the Italian people and representations in the media; and Italian foreign policy with a comparison to US policy.
- FallArt 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
The course offers an overview of Italian Art through the Etruscan and Roman culture from the early Iron Age (c. 1000 BC) to Late Antiquity (c. 400 AD). Lectures are thematically organized as well as chronologically progressive. The program also provides first-hand knowledge of the art and architecture of this period through on-site visits to archaeological sites, monuments, and museums in Etruria and Rome.
- FallAnthropology 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringAnthropology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Similar to folklore, music, visual art, etc., cooking/cuisine is a highly organized, self-reproducing symbolic expressive system. However, unlike the aforementioned, it also has an additional and concrete component, namely a direct nutritional/physiological and psychological impact on physical existence of its “practitioners.” This course will concentrate on several important themes such as the idea of cooking as an essentially human cultural/symbolic phenomenon transcending considerations of mere nutrition. And yet the nutritional component is vitally important for the culture/society expressing itself through its cooking. We will touch upon contemporary issues in an anthropological perspective, including the Mediterranean diet, public health, food production and distribution, and Italy’s role in the global food economy. Much of the course will be dedicated to the concrete analysis of cooking/regional meals in the cultural/symbolic, sociological, and physiological/nutritional perspectives indicated above. The course will emphasize not only regional styles of Italian cooking but also an all-important topic of typology and quality of regional/local produce. Finally, a considerable part of the course content is highly pertinent to both social and pure psychology, for not only cuisine itself is a strongly psychologically imbued social phenomenon, but the aspect of nutrition is essentially meaningless without psychology and psychoanalysis.
- FallItalian Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishFallItalian Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringItalian Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course offers a holistic view of Italian culture and society while focusing on important aspects of Italian culture, including food, music, religion, and family, among others. Analyzing these topics will provide students with the necessary tools and concepts to understand Italy as a complex, post-modern society.
- FallHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
The Renaissance was a period of great transformation across Europe and the world. Born from the ashes of the devastating plagues of the 14th century, a new era started emerging in the early 15th century. Guiding this transformation were the rediscovery of classical culture, new religious trends, systems of patronage and technological innovations. The rise of a new ‘humanistic’ culture quickly transformed the ways in which society and individuals saw themselves and thought of their relationship with the world. This course examines the changes that Italy underwent from roughly 1350 to 1600, exploring the relationship between a culture that was dismissing its medieval dress to embrace modernity, while social and political struggles still troubled the history of the peninsula, Europe, and the Mediterranean. We will study the origins of social and economic structures, ideas, and mentalities from Renaissance Italy and how these ideas connect to modern western culture. Specific attention will be given to the political and intellectual life in the Renaissance to utilize literary and artistic works as historical sources. The course will also refer to archive documents, architecture, and artworks that are available around Viterbo, between Lazio and Tuscany.
- FallArt History 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt History 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course explores critical debates on museums in society and the core functions of museum practice. This course will take several approaches to studying museums as an interdisciplinary course. Readings and lectures will provide perspectives on such topics as the history and philosophy of museums, types of museums, exhibit design, collections acquisition and management, the staffing and financing of museums, educational programs, and more.
- FallHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
In this course, students will study the civilization of ancient Rome as manifested in its history and cultural achievements. Knowledge of the Roman experience is essential for anyone who desires to participate as a self-conscious actor in contemporary Western civilization. Roman history marked a real turning point for the history of the entire Western world, strongly influencing every aspect of life: from society to the economy, from architecture to art, from verbal to figurative language. We owe ancient Rome fundamental models of characters (such as Caesar or Augustus) and entire architectural classes (such as amphitheaters, which have now become stadiums, or basilicas). It is to Rome's credit to have created an impressive social melting pot that has produced today's abundant cultural Western world.
- FallArt 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Photographers, like any other artists, have the responsibility of mediating reality for those who will view their pictures. Travel photography is the quintessential mediation of reality, since people looking at a travel reportage will probably never get to visit the places depicted. The job of travel photographers is then to show their own impressions of a place, representing what caught their attention and what they deemed important, rather than showing famous landmarks.
This course will help you to capture memories, learn to tell a story with images, and give your own impression of a place through photographic expression. In particular, the course will go through the basics of exposure management, getting to know the main features of your camera, managing studio lighting, and understanding composition. The course will also go through the work of the masters of travel photography to encourage students to find their own style of visual expression.
Spring Semester
- SpringArt Historic Preservation Journalism 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Documentary photography serves to preserve the memory of an object and make it visible, even in its absence. The photographer has the task of documenting cultural heritage and assets in a fair and objective way while also creating new perspectives that provide a better understanding of the work. Each image, without distinction, is more effective for our personal memory than the word, making images a fundamental tool for the documentation of cultural assets.
In this course, we will analyze the visual paths that have created our collective identity. Through the study of the "culture of the gaze,” students will analyze and study a variety of historic monuments - including sculpture and architecture - learning their history, style, origin, author(s), and concepts of restoration as well as the “visual language” of cultural heritage and the use of contemporary tools of image creation such as DSLRs, smartphones and tablets.
To attend the course, you will need a digital camera that allows full manual control of the functions (all DSRL or mirrorless models) with wide-angle and normal lens (18-55 basic lens), and a basic laptop with image software processing (like photoshop, camera raw, lightroom, etc...). Smartphones able to control ISOs, Aperture and Shutter Speed are also allowed.
- FallArt 100-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt 100-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course is centered on the sketchbook as an instrument for developing drawing and painting techniques and for learning how to observe and understand visual information. Students will use a variety of materials to document historic sites, building up a unique and personal record of the world around them. Individual and group instruction will be provided throughout, and attention will be paid to the progress and needs of each student as they learn the fundamental techniques of perspective and proportion and gain an understanding of the methods that can be used to reproduce a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. The course will be structured with in-class activities and outside workshops during which the medieval city of Viterbo will offer a treasure of architecture and artwork that will serve as inspiration.
This course has an additional fee
- FallEconomics Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringEconomics Political Science 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will analyze the past, present, and future of European integration based on historical, social, political, and economic factors. The process of European integration and its effects will be assessed at the international level considering the EU as well as examining key differences among European member states.
- FallArt Women's Studies / Gender Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt Women's Studies / Gender Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will cover various art-historical topics in ways that reveal the gender inequality that has influenced the art profession throughout history. Students will develop the theoretical and historical foundation to evaluate the gender imbalance in the arts effectively. This course will present neglected artists based on gender and encourage students to develop ideas for creating a more inclusive environment in the art community.
- FallPolitical Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringPolitical Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will explore critical issues related to Italian politics and its evolution in the European and global context from the end of the World War II until today, including Italian power dynamics in foreign policy and Italy’s role in the European integration process; the Italian constitutional framework and the role and evolution of Italian political parties; elections, the transformation of the political system after 1989, and representation through cinema and media; significant policies put forth by Italian governments, their evolution in Italian society, and their impact on the Italian people and representations in the media; and Italian foreign policy with a comparison to US policy.
- SpringArt 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will examine the development of Italian art and architecture from the late 14th to the 16th century, focusing on the major artists and architects of the Renaissance in central Italy. Renaissance Italy produced some of the greatest artists in world history, including Donatello, Piero Della Francesca, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Students will study the artwork in its physical and cultural context with visits in and around Viterbo as well as in Rome giving students the opportunity to experience first-hand what is covered in class.
- FallAnthropology 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringAnthropology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Similar to folklore, music, visual art, etc., cooking/cuisine is a highly organized, self-reproducing symbolic expressive system. However, unlike the aforementioned, it also has an additional and concrete component, namely a direct nutritional/physiological and psychological impact on physical existence of its “practitioners.” This course will concentrate on several important themes such as the idea of cooking as an essentially human cultural/symbolic phenomenon transcending considerations of mere nutrition. And yet the nutritional component is vitally important for the culture/society expressing itself through its cooking. We will touch upon contemporary issues in an anthropological perspective, including the Mediterranean diet, public health, food production and distribution, and Italy’s role in the global food economy. Much of the course will be dedicated to the concrete analysis of cooking/regional meals in the cultural/symbolic, sociological, and physiological/nutritional perspectives indicated above. The course will emphasize not only regional styles of Italian cooking but also an all-important topic of typology and quality of regional/local produce. Finally, a considerable part of the course content is highly pertinent to both social and pure psychology, for not only cuisine itself is a strongly psychologically imbued social phenomenon, but the aspect of nutrition is essentially meaningless without psychology and psychoanalysis.
- FallItalian Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishFallItalian Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in ItalianSpringItalian Studies 200-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringItalian Studies 300-level 3 credits Taught in Italian
This course offers a holistic view of Italian culture and society while focusing on important aspects of Italian culture, including food, music, religion, and family, among others. Analyzing these topics will provide students with the necessary tools and concepts to understand Italy as a complex, post-modern society.
- SpringHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will cover topics related to Italian and European Medieval history, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. Students will develop a solid theoretical and historical foundation to effectively analyze the cultures, traditions, social and religious structures that evolved into modern Europe. This course will challenge students to evaluate political, social, cultural, demographic, and economic transformations during the Middle Ages in its various facets in Italy, Europe, and around the Mediterranean. Field trips and firsthand experience include visits to Rome, Tuscania, Viterbo, and other cities.
- FallArt History 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringArt History 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course explores critical debates on museums in society and the core functions of museum practice. This course will take several approaches to studying museums as an interdisciplinary course. Readings and lectures will provide perspectives on such topics as the history and philosophy of museums, types of museums, exhibit design, collections acquisition and management, the staffing and financing of museums, educational programs, and more.
- FallHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringHistory 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
In this course, students will study the civilization of ancient Rome as manifested in its history and cultural achievements. Knowledge of the Roman experience is essential for anyone who desires to participate as a self-conscious actor in contemporary Western civilization. Roman history marked a real turning point for the history of the entire Western world, strongly influencing every aspect of life: from society to the economy, from architecture to art, from verbal to figurative language. We owe ancient Rome fundamental models of characters (such as Caesar or Augustus) and entire architectural classes (such as amphitheaters, which have now become stadiums, or basilicas). It is to Rome's credit to have created an impressive social melting pot that has produced today's abundant cultural Western world.
- SpringEnglish 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course will develop writing skills and the ability to focus on an aspect of travel writing. Students will read and discuss classics of travel writing and travel journalism articles. Students will focus on a topic related to travel writing each week and develop skills in all aspects of the travel writing process.
Prerequisite: one semester of college-level English composition, or equivalent
To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu
Internships
For eligibility requirements and application information, see the USAC internship page.
For more information about placement options, see the Viterbo internship page.
- FallInternships 300-level 3 credits Taught in EnglishSpringInternships 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
USAC skills-based internships abroad are designed to complement a student’s program of study while providing a structured work or field experience under the direction of a professional supervisor and with the oversight and support of an on-site USAC internship coordinator.
USAC internships facilitate the academic and professional development of students through:
1) the practical application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a professional work environment.
2) the further development of practical competencies essential to the ongoing work of the placement site.
3) the cultivation of a network of professional contacts.
USAC internships will expose students to the workplace culture, norms, and expectations of their respective placement site and host country, deepening cross-cultural understanding and helping students develop intercultural communication and language skills in an internationally focused organization or other professional work setting.
Through the consistent participation in the processes and practices of a professional field, students will acquire a working knowledge of that field and will apply that learning to their own career and academic choices and goals.
This course has an additional fee
Workshops
(Not for credit)
- FallSpring
Each session will begin with a brief introduction 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, pizza, main courses with veggie sides, and desserts.
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!
Please note: This workshop is not suitable for students on a gluten-free or vegan diet, as many recipes will feature traditional dishes from all the Regions of Italy.
This workshop has an additional fee.
This workshop requires a minimum enrollment of 9 students to run.
Host University Courses
Attending a host university course is a great option for students looking to expand their academic experience abroad. By auditing a class at the Università degli Studi della Tuscia, USAC students can experience firsthand the academic style of Italy, immerse themselves in the academic community of Viterbo, and get to know local university students with similar academic interests. Courses are taught in Italian.
While it may be possible to earn academic credit for host university courses, the Università degli Studi della Tuscia does not provide an official university transcript for courses completed by USAC students. Instead, they may provide a letter verifying participation in the course and the grade received. Be sure to work with your home university academic advisor to determine if host university courses will be accepted for credit. Please note that the Università degli Studi della Tuscia may follow a different academic calendar than USAC. This means that final exams may take place after the USAC program has ended. It may be possible to arrange early exams, but USAC cannot guarantee this. Additionally, there may be supplementary fees associated with host university courses that are not covered by USAC program fees.