School of Humanities and Social Sciences

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The School
Today's globalized world needs flexible minds, able to move across disciplines, capable of tackling contemporary challenges with innovative humanistic approaches, respecting diversity, understanding, communicating and working with people from other cultures. VIU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences provides a response in this direction.

The School's academic program offers a high-level integrative multi-cultural experience to all students of the universities associated to VIU. Every semester, a different set of professors from different continents teach courses in the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences, i.e. human creativity, imagination and beliefs, and the analysis of human interaction, organization and institutions.

In the Semester Program students will find a blend of cross-disciplinary and disciplinary courses, many of which are on contemporary issues or adopting new approaches, comparing or studying cultures, dealing with issues on which VIU has Research Centers, such as Sustainability and Technological Innovation, and including courses on Venetian Art and Architecture, History of Ancient and Modern Venice, Italian Contemporary History and Culture and Italian for Foreigners.

The Semester Program

Are you a bright, enthusiastic student looking for new challenges?

Would you like to study in an international, interdisciplinary program and take innovative courses in Humanities and Social Sciences?

Are you interested in Venice and Italian language and culture and want to broaden your horizons?

The Semester Program at Venice International University is an exciting, innovative and challenging opportunity for students who excel academically and who are interested in living for a semester in an international and dynamic environment, communicating and working with people from other cultures. The broad spectrum of courses addresses contemporary issues and adopts new approaches to research.

Interdisciplinary
Today’s globalized world needs flexible minds, able to move across disciplines, capable of tackling contemporary challenges with innovative humanistic approaches. The program is pluri- and inter-disciplinary.
Sample courses from previous semesters:

Economics and Art

Power and Beauty

Justice and Development

Multicultural
Respect for diversity and mutual understanding are fostered through comparative and cultural studies. Group work in courses is encouraged to facilitate knowledge transfer among the different academic traditions.
Sample courses from previous semesters:

Venice and Globalization

Images of Japan

Cultural Myths and Stereotypical Cultural Images

Venice
Venice is a living pedestrian city with a rich merchant, political and literary history. It preserves its ancient urban form and an exceptional concentration of works of art and also many contemporary cultural opportunities. The city offers the possibility of experiencing the challenges of environmental and economic sustainibility and provides resources for courses in art, architecture, theater, cinema, music, industrial districts and more. Venice having been a great merchant city and a political myth, and, at the same time, a capital of Humanism and a Literary Myth, is the perfect place for the school.

The following courses are offered every semester:

History of Venetian Art and Architecture

History of Venice

Italian Contemporary History

Italian for Foreigners

Extra-curricular activities
Movie series – weekly screening of Italian movies with English subtitles
Enchanting night visit to the Basilica di San Marco
Day trip on Venetian Lagoon
Half-day trip to Port of Venice
Site visits related to courses in Venice and its hinterland.
Photographic competition

VIU Community
The majority of students live on campus with their peers from Europe, Asia and the U.S.
Italian interns help VIU students integrate with student activities in the city of Venice. A Virtual network of present and past students and professors is under development.

Academics
15-week program. 40-hour courses (exept Italian for Foreigners: 63 hours).
Credit only program. Courses recognized for credit by member universities.
Compulsory attendance. Mid-term break for independent travel in Italy and Europe.
SHSS courses have 15-20 students to facilitate group work and student presentations.

Logistics
Orientation provided at beginning of semester.
Accommodation available on campus on the Island of San Servolo, situated in the Lagoon of Venice just 10 minutes by boat from Piazza San Marco.

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences also promotes Intensive Seminars and Summer Schools.

Last modified 2008-10-17 10:38
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