School of Humanities and Social Sciences
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 Semester Program
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:
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
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:
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.