 The Civilization of the Mediterranean
Sicily, Italy
3 or 6 undergraduate credits
May 24 – June 14, 2008
Professor Bernardo Piciché
$1,520 + airfare + VCU tuition
Registration deadline: March 17, 2008
Program description and application [PDF]
The Office of International Education and the School of World Studies are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for students to explore ancient and new civilizations of the Mediterranean. The program takes place in Sicily, Italy and will allow students to discover history and culture of the Mediterranean life. The location is perfect for a course on Mediterranean studies since Sicily is the hub of the Mediterranean and all types of civilizations are concentrated in this area. Participants in this course will spend three weeks at the University of Messina studying social geography, general history, politics, economics, comparative literature and religion.
Course and credit options:
INTL 491: In the Footsteps of Heroes: Introduction to the Civilization of the Mediterranean. This course can be either 3 or 6 credits. Credits are valid for the major in Mediterranean Studies and for the minor in Italian (students who want credits for Italian will receive some extra work, such as texts, readings and field work, from the study abroad director).
Course description: This course will trace the origin of Western Civilization and reveal a multitude of splendid Mediterranean traditions. The majority of Mediterranean civilizations “set foot” in Sicily at some point in history: Phoenicians, Ancient Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, French, Aragonites, Spanish and continental Italians. This class will explore the history and culture of these societies.
 Program cost: $1,520 + airfare + applicable VCU tuition
The program fee is $1,520 and includes the following:
- Accommodations
- Study visits and tours
- Ground transportation
- On-site program director support
- Application fee and deposit
- Pre-departure orientation
- VCU administrative fees
- International student identification card
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
- Airfare
- VCU tuition and fees
- Meals (three meals a day in the university dining hall will cost approximately $705)
- Passport application fee
- Personal expenses during the program (estimated at $1,400)
- Anything not specifically mentioned above
Please budget for these additional expenses.
Airfare: Airfare is not included. The professor will advise students about travel arrangements between the United States and Messina. Students must be in Messina on Saturday, May 24.
Eligibility: Students must have a 2.0 GPA in order to participate in the VCU summer study abroad program. This program is open to all students and is especially recommended to students specializing in international studies, history, literature, architecture, anthropology, religious studies, art history, geography or Italian.
 Registration deadline: March 17, 2008. Applications will be accepted until the deadline or until participant space is full.
Activities and excursions: Messina will be the base for this program; however, there will be day trips on Fridays to Palermo, Catania, Milazzo, Taormina, Reggio Calabria, Syracuse and Mount Etna. Weekends are free for personal exploration. Prices will go down, if the group decides to use public transportation for the excursions.
Accommodations and meals: Students will stay in double rooms at the University of Messina. A kitchen is available if students do not want to eat at the dining hall. The program will include several excursions to other locations of particular interest. During these excursions, participants are expected to pay for their meals.
Program director: The program will be led by Dr. Bernardo Piciché of the School of World Studies. He is the director of the Italian program at VCU and coordinator of the program of Mediterranean Studies. Dr. Piciché previously worked in Sicily and is very knowledgeable about the culture and sites that will be visited.
Every effort is made to provide updated and accurate information at the time of publication. The sponsors reserve the right to make necessary changes to the programs and costs.
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