LORENZO DE' MEDICI
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
COURSE CATALOGUE
2005
Established in 1973, the Institute consists of three main sections: the Academic Programs, the Art Institute of Florence and the Italian Language Institute of Florence.
The Institute offers its students a unique opportunity to study in Florence with university students from all over the world. It offers the only international academic program in Italy, which is primarily directed towards students who are interested in sharing the Florence experience with students of different nationalities.
The Academic Program offers a wide spectrum of courses from the Arts and Humanities and the Social Sciences. The academic content is solid and well structured and whenever possible is made pertinent to the study abroad experience. The course levels are flexible offering the student challenging advanced courses as well as those of introductory level. The faculty for the Academic Program is predominantly of Italian nationality but, consistent with the international flavor of the Institute, comprises instructors from diverse countries and backgrounds. All professors are fluent in English and hold higher degrees from major universities in the US and Europe.
The Studio Art programs are shaped to stimulate and develop the potential individual creativity of students, providing them not only with the technical skills, but also with the conceptual insight necessary for the development of artistic talent. The presence of students of all nationalities stimulates a cultural exchange and contributes to the development of a more rounded artistic sensitivity. The faculty for the Studio Art programs is international and both professionally and academically qualified. Our instructors nurture the creative process of art education, developing in their students not only skill and confidence, but also the aesthetic awareness, the conceptual abilities and the humanistic perspective necessary for a career in the visual arts.
Thanks to more than thirty years of experience and research in teaching Italian Language and culture to foreigners, The Italian Language Institute of Florence guarantees a high educational quality and has perfected an effective method of teaching. The small number of students per class and the varied teaching techniques enable each student to be an active participant of the learning process. The faculty of the Italian Language Department form an enthusiastic, cooperative team. They hold degrees from Italian Universities and are highly qualified to teach Italian language and culture to foreign students.
The programs offered at LdM are academically affiliated with various colleges, universities and institutes in the USA. Any student, regardless of sex, race, or ethnic origin, is considered for admission. Lorenzo de' Medici is registered and authorized in Italy by the Ministry of Public Education (decree dated December 2, 1989). The LDM Institute is also a member of FIYTO and of the European Federation of Schools (FEDE) which is an advisory branch of UNESCO.
The Institute's Premises
The Institute is located on several premises in the city's historical centre in the San Lorenzo area. The main building is situated on Via Faenza. This building dates back to the 13th century and was originally a convent connected to a medieval church, now deconsecrated and an integral part of the school. The original church, San Jacopo in Campo Corbolini, was founded in 1206 and for its first hundred years belonged to the Knights Templar. Rich in medieval frescoes and sculpture the church has been magnificently restored. The Institute's Restoration Department, both students and instructors, were fully involved in its restoration.
Semester Programs
The Academic Program offers the following semester course combinations:
1 - Free Elective Program (total of 15/16 credits)
2 - Six-Hour Italian + Three 3-credit Electives (total of 15 credits)
3 - Intensive Italian (9 credits) + Two 3-credit Electives (total of 15 credits)
4 - Super-Intensive Italian (total of 18 credits)
Semester Application Deadlines:
Spring Semester: November 15th
Fall Semester: July 1st
January Intersession Program
The Institute offers a three-week program in January with the following course combinations:
1 - One 3-credit Elective (total of 3 credits)
2 - Super-Intensive Italian (total of 3 credits)
3 - Combination of Two 3-credit Electives (total of 6 credits)
January Intersession Application Deadline:
December 15th
Summer Sessions
The Institute offers the following monthly academic programs:
1 - One 3-credit Elective (total of 3 credits)
2 - Combination of Two 3-credit Electives (total of 6 credits)
3 - Special Studio Art Workshops (one week in the countryside) (total of 6 credits)
4 - Super-Intensive Italian (total of 6 credits)
Summer Application Deadlines:
June Session: April 15th
July Session: May 15th
August Session: July 1st
Resources and Services
Library: our Institute includes a growing library with textbooks and further readings relating to all courses offered. The library is sufficient for ordinary research related to course work, such as reports and term papers. For advanced research, students may wish to register at the library of the British Institute of Florence. A reduced membership fee has been agreed for students from our Institute. In addition to a dozen periodicals, the school library subscribes to an American newspaper and an Italian newspaper.
Computer and Internet Services: students have free access to computers and Internet facilities at school.
Orientation: at the beginning of each session, students are required to attend an orientation meeting which consists of general information about the city and the school, guided walking tour of the school premises, Italian language placement test and academic field trips information. Students will also receive information about final registration, attendance and conduct policies.
Student Advising and Counseling: the school provides the students with an advisor to assist them with any kind of personal or general problems which may arise. The advisors hold daily office hours and organize activities for their students. The Dean of Students is responsible for the school's counseling service.
Italian Language Tutoring: students can sign up for free weekly Italian tutoring with some of our Italian Language Department professors.
Italian Conversation Exchange: students can meet with Italian students who would like to exchange conversation.
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
All of our courses are taught in English, with the exception of Italian language and those courses which clearly specify "In Italian". Each class attempts to maximize the unique opportunities offered by the city of Florence. All courses aim to provide students with the enhancement of their social, intercultural and professional opportunities.
Course Load
A student enrolled in a Semester program normally has a course load of 15 to 16 credits, with the exception of Super-Intensive Italian, which provides 18 credits. During the Summer and the January intersession, the limit applied is of 6 credits per term.
Credits are awarded on a semester hour basis. A semester hour of credit means the successful completion of 3 hours of class time (or 3 contact hours) per week for all the Liberal Arts and some Studio Art courses (most Studio Art courses require 6 contact hours per week). The distribution of time between in-class work (i.e. lectures and labs) and outside activities (i.e. museum visits, field trips, open studio hours) varies from course to course. Open studio hours of Studio Art classes also vary from course to course.
Course Numbering System
Undergraduate courses (100 to 399): general courses accepted in fulfillment of requirements for the Bachelor's degree.
100-299 Lower division courses
300-399 Upper division courses
Grading System
The following grading system applies to all our courses:
A = 93 - 100% A- = 90 - 92% B+ = 87 - 89% B = 83 - 86% B- = 80 - 82%
C+ = 77 - 79% C = 73 - 76%C- = 70 - 72% D = 60 - 69% F = 0 - 59%
W = Withdrawal
F = Fail
"F" is a fail grade. It indicates that:
a) All the course requirements are complete but unsatisfactory by the end of the term.
b) The student has dropped the course(s) or has withdrawn from the Program without a valid cause and/or without immediately notifying the Registrar.
c) The student has stopped attending a course without having completed the official withdrawal forms.
"W/F"- Failing to withdraw within the designated date
Students who drop a class after the designated date, will receive a W/F on their transcript.
"W"- Official withdrawal
A "W" is assigned when a student, following the proper procedure, drops a course after Final Registration, or in case of Official Voluntary Withdrawal from the Program.
Courses that are officially dropped before Final Registration will not appear on the student's transcript. Details regarding add/drop/withdrawal dates and procedures will be provided during the orientation session of each term.
Incomplete
Our Institute does not grant Incompletes under any circumstance.
Pass-Fail
Our Institute does not offer courses on a Pass-Fail basis. All classes officially registered for and letter grades received will appear on the students' transcripts notwithstanding their intent to transfer grades and/or credits to their home institution.
Attendance Policy
- Attendance is mandatory for all courses.
- Students who stop attending one or more classes without having formally dropped
them (by filling out the proper form and giving it to their advisor) will receive an "F" in those classes.
- Students who miss 20% of the scheduled class hours will have their final grade lowered by one full letter grade.
- Students who miss more than 20% of the scheduled class hours will not receive credits for the course(s) and their final grade(s) will be "F"(s).
- Students who miss one or more exams will receive an "F" for that part of the course.
- Students who need to leave the Program before the end of the term must fill out an Official Voluntary Withdrawal Request form and submit it to their advisor. In this case, they will neither be eligible for credits nor receive any refund. Students who leave the Program without filling out the appropriate form will receive "F"s in all courses.
Auditing
Our Institute does not offer the possibility to audit a course. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to attend a course without registering for it and receiving a transcript with final grades and credits.
Mid-Term and Final Exams
The exact dates for Mid-Terms and Finals are listed on the syllabi that the instructors hand to the students during their first class meetings. The dates for these exams cannot be changed under any circumstances.
Make-Ups
Only when incapacitating illness makes attendance at an examination impossible may a student be granted a make-up. The request should be made promptly by presenting a medical certificate to the student's advisor who will then contact the Board of Directors for final approval. authorized make-ups must be scheduled in agreement with the instructor and the advisor who will proctor the make-up examination, and the set date must not exceed a one week extension period, otherwise the missed exam will be graded with an "F".
Final Transcripts
Final transcripts are released by the Registrar's Office within one month after the end of each academic term. All classes registered for and grades received will appear on the transcript not withstanding the student's intent to transfer credits to the home school. Our Institute reserves the right to withhold the transcripts of students who violate contract agreements related to academic and/or housing issues (i.e. any balance or debt incurred) and/or whose behavior is considered detrimental towards the school and other students.
Academic Disputes
All grades are considered final. A student who thinks that a grade has been assigned unfairly, due to a miscalculation, or a procedural and/or judgment mistake, should bring this to the attention of the instructor. If, after discussing the matter with the professor, the student still believes he/she has been wrongly evaluated, he/she must confer with his/her advisor, and submit a written statement of the case listing all the grades received up to that point along with his/her attendance status. The advisor will then meet with the Dean of Students and, finally, with the Board of Directors whose decision shall be final.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
Pre-Registration Procedure
The completion of the registration process implies that the student understands all the policies and regulations of the Institute, accepts them and pledges to abide by them.
Each student must carefully read the application regulations and fill out and sign the registration form on both the front and the back. We will not accept any registration form which has not been properly completed.
Before selecting courses, all students must make sure they will receive credits from their home institutions. Once they have received approval, students should fill out their pre-registration form. Any time conflict and/or credit limit violation resulting from course selection cannot remain on a student's schedule and must be immediately resolved.
Faxed registrations will be considered valid documents only if the original forms are received by LdM soon afterwards. Before mailing any form and payment, however, please ask for an update on course availability. A student's application is considered complete when the student has filled out all the required forms and has paid all the required fees.
Late applicants will be considered only if the courses they choose are still available. Please note that respecting all deadlines does not necessarily guarantee that students' requests will be granted. This is due to applications being processed as they are received.
Once we receive the original course registration form, we will process the course selection and notify the student about course approval. In the event that any of the courses originally selected by the student is not available (i.e. closed due to class size limit or cancelled due to insufficient enrolment), the student will automatically be enrolled in the alternative(s) selected. This is why it is extremely important that all students receive approval for all the courses listed in their course registration form, alternatives included. Should neither the first choice nor the alternative be available, the student will be notified and asked to select another course.
Final Registration and Add/Drop Procedures
Once course selections (including alternatives) have been made, only one course can be changed after arrival in Florence. A change consists of dropping one class and replacing it with a different one. Such a variation to the course schedule can be performed only once and during the first week of classes for the Semester programs; during orientation for the Summer sessions and January Intersession. The only exceptions to this rule are the following:
- Change of course schedule by our Institute due to last-minute changes.
- Placement tests results that may create an overlap in students' schedules.
A variation in course level is not considered a change.
Once classes start, students must attend only those courses they have pre-registered for. In the event that they wish to add/drop one class, students will have to fill out the appropriate form and wait for the Registrar's approval before starting to attend the course they have requested to add.
Students are required to provide an alternative choice in case their first choice does not become available. If the alternative addition choice is not listed, the student's request will not be considered valid. Once approval has been granted, the course change will be considered finalized.
After Final Registration, adding a course will no longer be permitted. Students will however be able to drop a course, but will receive a "W" on their transcripts for each class they drop. After 9 weeks from the beginning of the Semester Programs, after the second week of classes for the Summer Sessions, and after the first week of classes for the January Intersession, students will receive a 'W/F' grade on their transcripts for each class they drop.
No final grades or credits will be given for courses for which the student is not officially registered.
Studio Art Courses
Many of the Studio Art courses list two time blocks. Students enrolled in those courses must attend both time blocks. Students enrolled in intermediate-advanced level Studio Art courses are required to attach to their registration form a letter with a description of their previous work experience. In addition, they are expected to bring slides of their work. We strongly recommend that students do not mail the slides, which can easily get lost or arrive after the deadline for applications.
Placement exams for Studio Art courses are nonetheless mandatory for any student wishing to attend a level higher than beginning.
Studio Art placement tests are administered during the first week of classes. Students will be provided with the exact meeting time during orientation.