Program Package

$4,750/person

Fee includes:

(does not include airfare to Florence, Italy)

  • 6 credits (HIST 120 3 credit and ITAL 221 3 credit)
  • 14-night double occupancy lodging (check in December 27, check out January 10)
  • Travel Insurance
  • Some group meals
  • In-country public transportation
  • Guided tours, entrance fees and cultural activities

Participants are responsible for:

  • Participants are responsible for transportation to and from Italy, passport/visa fees, individual sightseeing and incidental expenses, and all meals except those listed above. If a student decides to stay in Italy after the program end on January 10, they are responsible for the additional cost.

December 27, 2026 - January 10, 2027

Online course work: January 11-17, 2027

Location: Florence, Italy

Fees need to be paid at time of registration.

Pre-trip orientation: TBA


Open only to students traveling to Italy.

Courses:

HIST 120: Intro to Environmental History: Climate, Crisis, Contagion (satisfies CO9)

ITAL 221: Italy and Its Culture (satisfies CO11)

Professors:

Ned Schoolman, History and Erica Westhoff, Italian

About the Experience:

This Wintermester study abroad program immerses students in Italian history, culture and environment while living and studying in Florence. Combining classroom learning with site visits and field based experiences, students take complementary courses in environmental history and Italian culture, gaining an interdisciplinary perspective on Italy from antiquity to the present. Spend two weeks exploring Florence!

Highlights of two weeks in Florence:

  • Explore the UNESCO World Heritage center.
  • Examine how the Arno River shaped the city's development, trade, and urban planning.
  • Visit the palazzi of the Medici and Pitti families and discuss how elite families controlled resources, agriculture, and landscapes.
  • Take guided tours of the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia to study Renaissance and contemporary art.
  • Visit local markets such as the Mercato Centrale and Mercato Sant’Ambrogio.
  • Learn about Italy’s food heritage through a cooking class.
  • Study seasonal foods, regional agriculture, and contemporary sustainability initiatives.
  • Investigate the historical evolution of vineyards, olive groves, and rural settlements.
  • Examine the history of the Arno, its flooding, river management, and climate adaptation.
  • Visit key sites associated with the 1966 Florence flood.
  • Study historical forestry practices and changing human-environment relationships.
  • Discuss how climatic events affected Florence during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
  • Explore connections between aesthetics, ecology, and political power.
  • Investigate biodiversity and changing land use within Florence.
  • Learn about contemporary environmental challenges in Tuscany.
  • Examine Florence's approaches to tourism management, transportation, and preservation.

Things to Consider:

There is a lot of walking (at least 4-5 miles every day) during the program. There are many cultural differences to understand and respect. The passport must be valid before travel.

Cost:

$4,750 (including $500 deposit, refundable only if class is cancelled) must be paid to the University in advance. It covers domestic transportation and housing, activity fees, accompaniment of faculty, travel insurance, tuition and admission processing fees, excursions and some group meals. International flights, as well as lunch and dinners, are not included.

Contact:

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the program!

click to expand/collapse Registration and Information

  • Deposit and registration through MyNevada
  • It is required each student register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which is a free service provided by the U.S. Department of State https://step.state.gov/.
  • Additional University travel documents are required to be completed prior to departure (no exceptions). Contact Academic Credit Options at ACO@unr.edu. Program pending approval from the University Travel Office.

University credit, included in the fee, will be earned in:

  • 3 credit course HIST120 and 3 credit course ITAL221

For registration assistance, please contact ACO.

For course content information, please contact the course instructor.

click to expand/collapse Deposit and Fee Payment Schedule

A $500 non-refundable deposit must be paid to obtain permission to register in this program. Deposit is applied toward total program fees of $4,750. All fees are required to be paid in full at time of registration.

click to expand/collapse Drop and Refund Policy

If you drop the program, for any reason, and a replacement participant cannot be found to take your place, a refund may not be possible. Due to the costs and logistics of travel programs, refunds will consist only of that portion of the payment that is retrievable from the various agencies used in providing the program.

click to expand/collapse Passport Requirements

It is imperative participants acquire valid U.S. passports and any other required travel documents. Passport processing may take 10-12 weeks, so plan accordingly. Depending on the country, you may be required to apply for a visa. The cost of visas can vary widely across countries. Check with the U.S. Department of State. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you should check with the embassy of your home country and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection department to determine if you need to take any action on your passport.

click to expand/collapse Standard Responsibility Clause

The University acts as an agent for the companies and individuals whose services have been engaged in the carrying out of the tour and, in consequence, accepts no responsibility for accidents, damages, baggage losses, delays due to strikes or to faults of any company used for carrying out this tour. Prices are subject to change without notice. The right is reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time prior to departure or in the course of the tour. In the unlikely event that the services or accommodations are not available as stated, due to reasons beyond our control, we will make every effort to provide accommodations of equal standard and quality for your safety and convenience. After the initial nonrefundable deposit, refunds will consist only of that portion of the payment retrievable from the various agents. If the final payment is not received by Dec. 1, 2026, it will be assumed the participant has withdrawn from the trip.

click to expand/collapse Potential Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study- and intern-abroad programs worldwide.

Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship

The Fund for Education Abroad provides financial support for U.S. undergraduates to study overseas, with a preference toward rigorous, immersive academic programs and under-represented students.

Golden Key Joan Nelson Study Abroad Scholarship

The Joan Nelson Study Abroad Scholarship is a $5,000 award given to a Golden Key International Honor Society member to be used toward overseas study.

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Study Abroad Grant

The Society awards 75 study-abroad grants of $1,000 to students who have earned a GPA of at least 3.75 on a 4-point scale. Applicants do not have to be society members but must attend an institution with an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter.

Student Loans

You can use either regular FAFSA loans or special study-abroad loans to help finance your trip. You also can use military scholarships and some other academic scholarships.

Notes:

  • Dates and costs are subject to change depending upon rate increases and currency exchanges.
  • A portion of program fees may be used to pay hosting expenses.