Volterra-Detroit Foundation

University of Detroit Mercy Open Enrollment Program Summer 2018

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International study program
Volterra 2018
[art, history and culture]

 University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture & Volterra-Detroit Foundation
OPEN ENROLLMENT ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Program at a glance:
A six week open enrollment program (May 5 2018 – June 18 2018) at the Volterra International Residential College in Volterra Italy, organized by the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and the Volterra-Detroit Foundation.
The [art, history and culture] program in Volterra makes a natural connection to the local tradition and culture, while embracing the personal artistic potential. Given the scale of the city and the small size of the program group, students enjoy complete immersion in the Tuscan life; their everyday routine becomes a significant part of the learning experience. The Social History of Art and Italian Language and Culture courses offer an enhanced, reflective insight into the foreign study experience amplified by daily observations and interactions. The Alabaster Sculpture course gives students a unique experience of the ancient artistic technique, and its modern interpretation.  The Social History of Art in Italy course (HIS 3170) fulfills the Detroit Mercy Core Curriculum 5A Objective.

The Italian Language and Culture course (ITL 1150) fulfills the Detroit Mercy Core Curriculum 5D Objective.
Eligibility:
  • Program is open to 2nd, 3rd or 4th year students from US or Canadian universities.
  • Minimum 18 years of age
  • Minimum GPA required 2.75 on the 4.0 scale.
  • No previous Italian lanuage experience required.
Application deadline: Feb 2 2018 
Number of seats in the program is limited. The seats will be filled on the “first come first served” basis.
Application documents required:

  • Filled out application form (download)
  • Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application (download) (not necessary for UDM students)
  • Official transcript or student copy of the transcript from the university where you are currently enrolled. (not necessary for UDM sctudents)
  • Copy of the name page of the US/Canadian passport.
  • One (1) professor’s recommendation letter.
  • Non-refundable deposit of $100. It will be credited towards the Residency Fee. It will be refunded if the student is not admitted to the program.
With questions or inquieries please email Wladek Fuchs, Director of International Programs UDM School of Architecture. Within two weeks after we have received your application we will send you the admission decision and complete program information package.
The program application and all correspondence, including payments, should be sent to the following address:

Wladek Fuchs
Director of International Programs
School of Architecture UDM
4001 W. McNichols Rd.
Detroit, MI 48221
Quick links:
Program schedule
Program curriculum
Program cost
Program schedule:
First day of the program (arrival in Volterra):
First day of classes:
Last day of the program (departure)
Program length:
During the program there will be four mandatory excursions: Florence, Siena, Pisa and Rome. Students are encouraged also to plan additional travel before and/or after the program.		 May 5 2018
May 7 2017
June 18 2017
6 weeks
Program curriculum/courses:
All students are required to take 9 credits (three courses).
Academic credit for the courses in Volterra is confered by the University of Detroit Mercy, an educational Partner of the Volterra-Detroit Foundation. All students must fill out the Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application form to receive academic credit for the courses completed during the program. Download Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application form

ITL 1150 Italian Language and Culture
Professor: Giulia Munday (Volterra)
3 credits
Using the communicative approach, this course emphasizes the fundamentals of practical vocabulary, useful phrases, pronunciation, grammar, and the ability to understand, speak, read, and write simple Italian for practical use. Using fundamental sentence structures, students practice speaking and holding simple conversations in class and within the Italian community of Volterra. The students have an opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills during the everyday interactions and interviews with the artisans in Volterra. Lectures and discussions are also included covering the Italian culture, geography, customs, and art in Italy

HIS 3170 Social History of Art in Italy
Professor: Devon Stewart
3 credits
This course surveys the architectural and artistic developments of central Italy, from the ancient Etruscans, to the Romans, to the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and on to modern expressions of what it meant to live and produce art in this unique place. Making use of the excellent location in Volterra, trips will be made to local sites and museums, as well as visits to the major artistic centers of Pisa, Florence, and Siena. During the course of the program the students will walk along Etruscan walls and visit their tombs, see Roman engineering marvels, trace the development of painted one-point perspective, learn how to construct monumental domes, bring theatricality into painting and sculpture, and, first of all, understand how art and culture are used to promote social and political aims, in the past and in the present.

FA 3910 Alabaster Sculpture
Professor: Alessandro Marzetti (Volterra)
3 credits
 A studio course introducing students to the basic issues in the creation of sculpture. After preliminary studies in clay models, students will work with alabaster for the execution of the completed sculpture. Students will become familiar with both the additive (clay) and the subtractive (alabaster) sculpture concepts. They will be introduced to a variety of traditional and modern sculpture techniques, and the complete finishing process required for the final piece. The course will be taught by the masters of alabaster sculpture in Volterra, where the tradition of the craft goes back to Etruscan times, 2,500 years back.  Attention: this course is not mandatory for non-architecture students.
Program cost:
Detroit Mercy discounted tuition rate (per credit hour):
Program Fee:
Residency Fee (accommodation in Volterra)*:
Mandatory excursions:
ISIC card (includes travel and health insurance – mandatory, but arranged individually by the students)		 $550
$300
$2,000
$550
$99
(*) Residency Fee includes the mandatory health insurance for the alabaster course students, and the membership of the Associazione Volterra-Detroit Italia, which entitles to discount in the majority of the shops in Volterra.
Other optional or refundable fees:
Meal plan (10 meals/week, optional *)
Damage deposit (refundable):		 $900
$200
(*) Meal plan includes 10 meals per week (lunches and dinners). It is realized in selected restaurants/bars in Volterra. There is also a student kitchen in the building where you can cook your own meals.
Suggested personal budget for other expenses:
Roundtrip airfare
Passport fee
Additional food money
Pocket money/ additional travel		 $1,000
$110(renew) or $135 (new passport)
$300 – $1,500
$1,000
Payments schedule: Amount, deadline and form of payment
Program deposit (will be credited to the residency fee) $300 – Feb 2 2018, with the program application.
 Residency fee, mandatory excursions, damage deposit $2,750 – March 15 2017, by check payable to University of Detroit Mercy
Tuition By the Detroit Mercy standards
Meal plan (optional) $900 – April 15 2018, by check payable to Volterra-Detroit Foundation