Based at the International Center for the Study of Italian Language and Culture in the heart of Siena, Italy, Siena Italian Studies offers some of the most innovative programs in Italy that work to fully integrate the education of language, culture and service learning, in and out of the classroom. the programs offered by Siena Italian Studies are a 'gentle full immersion' in Italian life for highly motivated beginners, intermediate and advanced Italian language students. Language and culture make up an inseparable binomial, who can really say whether it's culture that generates language, or language that generates culture? This is the basis of Siena Italian Studies' version of Full Immersion: Culture, Content and Service (FICCS).
For us, it's not a form of 'torture' or trial-by-fire in which only those who can quickly overcome language barriers survive; on the contrary, it's a gradual and unforced process of discovering a new culture through continuous and constant exchanges with locals, a coming to awareness of the multiple linguistic and cultural capacities around us and within us. Our programs are intended for students with a wide range of motivations for studying abroad. From acquiring a mastery of the Italian language, to using a local Renaissance chapel as your art history classroom, to working alongside the city's volunteer medical assistance team, Siena Italian Studies provides you with the means to create an unforgettable experience abroad.