Program Details
Location
Rome & Florence,
Italy
Term
Winter Break
Housing
Hostel
Hotel
Program Eligibility
Student Type
UofM Students
Student Year
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Graduate Students
Language Prerequisite
No Language Prerequisite
About
Immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of the Italian Renaissance with an intense winter term study of the art, architecture, and music of the era. This multi-modal course will include daily choral rehearsals, educational guided tours with art historians, and workshops with artists who carry the legacy of the Renaissance style and technique into our modern times, along with plenty of free time to explore these amazing cities on your own.
The course will begin with 7 days in the birthplace of the Renaissance—Florence—with an overview of the environment and economy in which it flourished. In Rome, you will focus on Renaissance polyphony, specifically on the music of the “Master of Polyphony,” Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina, in honor of his 500th birthday.
Program Model
Housing & Meals
Double Occupancy Hotel will be provided for every night. Breakfast included daily at the hotels. 7 other dinners included. Lunch and other dinners will be on your own. There will be a time between the Florence and Rome stays, where you may choose to travel to another city on your own. This is optional.
Transportation between Florence and Rome is included in the cost. You will be provided with unlimited Metro Cards for inner city transport to be used for class visits and personal sightseeing.
Application Deadline
September 23, 2024
Program Dates
December 29, 2024–January 17, 2025
Academics
This course will be a MUS 3xxx course which will earn 3 credits. It fulfills the following Liberal Education requirements:
- Arts & Humanities
- Global Perspectives
The course will also count as 3 credits of classroom instruction toward an Ensemble Minor.
Program Leader
This program is led by Professor Matthew Mehaffey, Director of Choral Activities. For more information, contact Matthew Mehaffey at [email protected].
Excursions
Potential excursions include guided study visits to collections of Renaissance visual art in Florence and Rome, including:
- Michelangelo’s David
- Uffizi Gallery
- Borghese Gallery
- Vatican Museum
- Mass participation and polyphony recital at St. Peter's Basilica
- the Sistine Chapel
- ancient Roman sites
Additionally, there will be 12 class sessions/rehearsals, including workshops on the performance practice of the “Roman School” polyphony, a concert in the town of Palestrina, supported by the Palestrina Foundation, and collaboration with the Italian choirs.
Program Fee
Winter Break 2025 Cost of Participation
The cost of participation generally includes tuition and registration fees, orientation, and international health insurance. It also includes housing, excursions and most meals. Contact the program leader for more information on the program fee details.
You will purchase your own flight to Italy with guidance from the program leader. Do not purchase until you receive confirmation from the program leader to do so. Group air tickets will be offered in the spring of 2024, but are not required. Cost estimate is listed in the budget, but actual fares may be higher or lower than estimated.
Transportation will be provided between Florence and Rome, and where needed during the course (class excursions, etc.)
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid is available through your FAFSA and Learning Abroad Center, as well as through School of Music Scholarships.
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
This program is considered part of spring enrollment for the purposes of registration and financial aid.
Bridging Loan
Bridging Loan, a no-interest/no-fees loan that funds the upfront deposit and flights costs, is available for this program for eligible students.
Cancellation Policy
If you wish to cancel your participation on this program, you must log into your Learning Abroad Center portal, go into your program, and submit a cancel request by selecting the "Cancel Application" button on the bottom of the checklist page. The date/time stamp of this cancellation request will determine the refund eligibility according to the above policy.
If you have questions about this policy please reach out to the department or program leader directly.
| Dates | Billing policy |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more prior to start date | Application fee + $500 confirmation deposit retained by the Learning Abroad Center + non-recoverable flights costs* |
| 89–75 days prior to start date | Application fee + $500 confirmation deposit retained by the Learning Abroad Center + non-recoverable flights costs* + 25% of remaining program costs |
| 74–60 days prior to start date | Application fee + $500 confirmation deposit retained by the Learning Abroad Center + non-recoverable flights costs* + 50% of remaining program costs |
| 59–31 days prior to start date | Application fee + $500 confirmation deposit retained by the Learning Abroad Center + non-recoverable flights costs* + 75% of remaining program costs |
| 30 days or less prior to start date | Application fee + $500 confirmation deposit retained by the Learning Abroad Center + non-recoverable flights costs* + 100% of remaining program costs |
*Non-recoverable fight costs refer to those costs billed as a part of the overall program costs. It does not include any flight costs paid by students directly to airlines, travel agents etc.
Winter Break 2025
Palestrina Choral Residency: A study of Renaissance polyphony and artWinter Break 2025 |
|
|---|---|
Program Fee
|
|
| Non-refundable deposit | $400 |
| Tuition and educational costs | $3,687 |
| International health insurance | $41 |
| Housing and/or meals | $1,026 |
| Transportation (if required and included in program fee) | $0 |
| Total Program Fee | $5,154 |
| Program discount for University of Minnesota and Big Ten students, if applicable | $0 |
| Total Program Fee with discount, if applicable | $5,154 |
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 siteCost estimate- students purchase their own flight with guidance from program leader. Fare may be higher or lower than estimate | $885 |
| Passport/photos | $150 |
| Visa/required documents | $0 |
| Travel clinic/immunizations* | $0 |
| Housing deposit | $0 |
| Total Estimated Cost Incurred Prior to Departure | $1,035 |
| Costs Typically Incurred After Arrival in Host Country | |
| Texts/materials | $0 |
| Housing and/or meals not included in program feeSome meals provided, estimated cost | $500 |
| Essential daily living expensesphone charges, misc. incidentals. | $25 |
| Total Estimated Cost Incurred After Arrival in Host Country | $525 |
Total Estimated Cost of Participation
|
|
| Total Estimated Cost of Participation | $6,714 |
| Spending money and personal travel Not included in financial aid calculation | $300 |
| 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.
Current US passport processing times are longer than normal. 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.
Apply
The COVID-19 vaccine series is strongly recommended, pursuant to CDC guidelines, but not required for participation in this program.
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
When you submit your online application, you will be assigned an application checklist that includes:
- First Step session
Next Steps
- After you complete all required application checklist items, you will receive an automated email message indicating your application is ready to be reviewed.
- Your completed application will be reviewed by the program leader in the sponsoring college/department.
- If admitted, the Confirmation & Payment Agreement form will be added to your checklist. Complete this form to secure your spot on the program. By submitting the form, you also give your approval for the program deposit to be billed to your UofM student account.
- Complete the confirmation checklist, which include the following items in additional to program-specific forms:
- Passport Information
- Emergency Contacts
- Health Information Form
- Online Health & Safety Orientation
- Release & Waiver
- You will receive information about additional steps from the sponsoring college/department.