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Design in Sicily
Design in Sicily (UofM Students)
Use the coastal town of Siracusa, Sicily as inspiration and context for your design courses. Engage in the design process with local and international designers through intensive design workshops, observe the Italian workforce and delve into the Italian culture as an intern at a local company.
Program Details
Location
Sicily,
Italy
Term
Summer Session
Housing
Apartment
Languages Taught In
English
Program Eligibility
Student Type
UofM Students
Student Year
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
GPA
2.5
Photos
Program Map
14.26
37.59
8
Program Locations
Accent Syracuse Study Center
Latitude
37.060300
Longitude
15.292800
MADE Academy
Latitude
37.065300
Longitude
15.287800
Mt. Etna
Latitude
37.762400
Longitude
14.993000
Catania
Latitude
37.507900
Longitude
15.083000
Taormina
Latitude
37.851600
Longitude
15.285300
City of Noto
Latitude
36.892400
Longitude
15.065200
About
Known for its unique blend of cultures especially in the arts, architecture, and food, Sicily is a fascinating place to spend a summer. With historical influences from the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and many more, it is a location unlike any other. The city of Siracusa, where the program is based, is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the outstanding Greek, Roman, and Baroque monuments, archaeological sites, and architecture. Spend the summer using your design skills to create your own images of this beautiful city and island. Further immerse yourself in the culture by interning with a local company and participating in intensive design workshops with local and international designers. This program integrates excursions to other areas around Sicily to bring course content to life.
Program Model
Housing & Meals
Students live in furnished apartments with shared bedrooms with other students on the program. Generally apartments are 2-4 bedrooms, with 4-8 students per apartment. Meals are not included, but kitchen supplies are available for students to cook their own meals.
Excursions
This program includes several excursions. Some possible excursions are Mount Etna, Catania, Taormina, Greek amphitheaters, and the Baroque city of Noto.
Flight
The Learning Abroad Center works with Village Travel, a local travel agency, to arrange a coordinated flight for program participants. The flight is optional, and is arranged for those who want to fly with other program participants. Group flight information is typically available by the program application deadline, if not before.
If you take the group flight, or are able to arrive before the group flight and wait, our staff will meet you at the airport and bring you to your housing at no added cost. If you do not take the group flight, you will need to make your own way to the ACCENT center upon arrival. Specific arrival instructions will be sent out prior to your departure.
For immigration purposes, you should purchase a round-trip ticket, since you must be able to show your entry and exit dates from Italy.
Program Structure
Program Level
3000 level courses
Courseload
Students take 9 credits in the summer.
This program appeals to design students who want to engage with Sicily in a meaningful way. Participate in the Italian Design Studio to really use Siracusa as your classroom as you use the city to work on your sketches, and explore the many ways that design is incorporated into this city. Internships in English give students the opportunity to participate in Italian work culture, and workshops allow students the opportunity to engage in the design process with local and international designers.
Coursework
Check out the Course List for brief course descriptions and University of Minnesota–Twin Cities course equivalencies.
This is an eight-week program. In the first six weeks of the program, you will take the Italian Design Studio: Image-Making course and the Internship in Sicily course. In the final two weeks of the program, you will take the MADE Labs course by enrolling in design labs through the MADE Academy. All students will take a conversational Italian language course to support their cultural experience throughout the program.
All courses will incorporate study tours which will allow you to learn about areas in and outside of Siracusa.
Full Course List
Design Studio in Italy: Image-making
Course ID
DES 3151
Terms
-
Summer
3
Credits
This 3-credit six-week design studio provides students from all design disciplines with an exploration of image making in design processes and practice. Course projects center around the theme of how meaning is created through both the still and the moving image, and will include explorations of meaning through a variety of forms of visual representation including drawing from observation and imagination, illustration, photography, video, and collage. Students will create visual projects in response to their Italian experience, honing their own sensibilities as designers in the rich visual cultures of Sicily and Rome.
Language Taught In
- English
MADE Workshops
Course ID
SCLY 3201
Terms
-
Summer
3
Credits
Physical making remains central to how we understand and design the world around us, even as we become a more digitally connected, global world. These project-based, making-intensive courses celebrate the act and craft of individual hand-making in community with other makers. The specific theme and project change each year and are determined by the expert instructors in consultation with MADE Academy leadership. They are taught by international designers at the MADE Academy, at the Academy of Fine Arts in Syracuse, Italy.
Language Taught In
- English
Internship in Sicily
Course ID
SCLY 3896
Terms
-
Summer
3
Credits
This course explores the world of work in Italy and how students respond to the challenges that they can expect to encounter while interning in Sicily. A list of potential internship placement areas can be found here.
Language Taught In
- English
Program Dates
Submit the online application and complete the assigned application checklist according to the appropriate deadline:
Orientation Dates & Locations
| Term Abroad | Orientation Date & Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2022 | March 31, 3:30-5:30pm | Virtual |
Summer 2022
Application Open Date: September 15
Application Deadline: March 1
| Schedule | Date* |
|---|---|
| Depart US | May 19 |
| Arrive in Sicily | May 20 |
| Classes End | July 16 |
| Depart Sicily | July 18 |
Fees
University of Minnesota participants pay the program fee instead of on-campus tuition and fees for the term they are abroad.
Fees or tuition from home institutions may be added to or differ from the University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center fees listed on this page.
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
Cancellation Policy
Before you apply to or confirm your participation on this program, review the Learning Abroad Center's Cancellation Policy to inform yourself of the timeline and financial obligations for canceling.
Summer 2022
Design in SicilySummer 2022 |
|
|---|---|
Program Fee
|
|
| Non-refundable deposit | $400 |
| Tuition and educational costs | $7,653 |
| International health insurance | $100 |
| Housing and/or mealsIncludes rent and utilities, but no meals. | $1,922 |
| Transportation (if required and included in program fee) | $0 |
| Total Program Fee | $10,075 |
| Program discount for University of Minnesota and Big Ten students, if applicable | $-500 |
| Total Program Fee with discount, if applicable | $9,575 |
Estimated Additional Expenses
|
|
| Costs Typically Incurred Prior to Departure These costs may need to be paid before your financial aid is disbursed for your term abroad. | |
| Transportation to and from program siteRoundtrip airfare to and from Sicily. | $1,800 |
| Passport/photos | $150 |
| Visa/required documentsNo visa required for students traveling on US passports. | $0 |
| Travel clinic/immunizations*Required COVID tests for entry into Italy and entry back into the US. | $150 |
| Housing deposit | $0 |
| Total Estimated Cost Incurred Prior to Departure | $2,100 |
| Costs Typically Incurred After Arrival in Host Country | |
| Texts/materials | $50 |
| Housing and/or meals not included in program fee$125 per week for meals. Budget an additional $500-700 in case of required quarantine due to COVID. Contact the LAC to have this added to your SACE. | $1,000 |
| Essential daily living expensesIncludes the cost of a required cell phone. | $600 |
| Total Estimated Cost Incurred After Arrival in Host Country | $1,650 |
Total Estimated Cost of Participation
|
|
| Total Estimated Cost of Participation | $13,325 |
| Spending money and personal travel Not included in financial aid calculation | $800 |
| Additional Notes & Information | |
| * Immunizations Note: This estimate is based on approximate cost of travel-related vaccinations and medications required for entry or recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your costs may be higher or lower depending on your travel clinic, the specific immunizations and medication prescribed, and your insurance coverage. | |
Prepare
Complete pre-application advising.
Due to COVID-19, current US passport processing times are significantly delayed. If you do not have a passport, or your passport expires less than 6 months after your return date from your time abroad, apply for a new passport now, and pay for expedited processing.
Apply
The COVID-19 vaccine and booster are required by the host country and/or on-site partners and facilities for most study abroad programs. Complete your COVID-19 vaccine doses immediately.
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
After you submit your application, you will receive an email notification confirming that your application was received. Submitted applications are assigned an application checklist, which will include the following items:
- Application Essay
- Italy Internship Application
- Italy Cover Letter & Resume
Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.
If you do not meet the GPA requirement for this program you will be required to submit two additional application items—the Low GPA Essay and Special Circumstances Recommendation. Both items will be added to your checklist after you start your application, and you will be notified when they have been added.
Application Review Process
After your application checklist is complete, your application is reviewed by our program team. You will be notified of an acceptance decision by email. If accepted, you will be assigned a confirmation checklist, which you will complete to confirm your participation in the program. If you decide not to continue with the application process, log into the online application system and submit a Cancel Request.
After You Apply
Before your program begins, review these resources.
Health & Safety
Learn more about staying healthy and safe abroad, including mental health and wellness, international travel insurance, and safety precautions.
Power of Attorney
Consider designating someone as your power of attorney to act as your legal representative while you’re abroad.
Student Identity
Consult our resources on student identities as you prepare for your abroad experience.
Travel Resources
Ready to go abroad? Our travel resources will help you pack and learn what to expect.
Program Contact
For further information or questions about this program, send an email to
Jackie Gmiterko
or call at
612.624.1537
Contact Program Alum
Below is a list of additional students who participated in past program sessions. They are ready and willing to answer your questions about this program. Feel free to contact them during your decision-making process or anytime during your pre-departure preparation to get a student perspective.
Azalea, Summer 2021, Landscape Design major/Urban Studies minor
Claire, Summer 2021, Architecture BS major/Public Interest Design minor