On-Site Program Requirements

Introduction to Italy and Italian Culture

OSPFLOR 15, Lunchtime Talks: Cracking the Italian Code is a mandatory lecture series that introduces students to the cultural, social, and political dynamics of contemporary Italy within the broader framework of its historical legacy. Meeting once a week over lunch, the course features lectures by Stanford faculty and invited experts on topics ranging from Renaissance art and political thought to cinema, fashion, and national identity. Each session combines scholarly analysis with insights into lived experience, equipping students with the critical tools needed to interpret the debates, traditions, and contradictions that define modern Italy. Optional afternoon site visits, led by the course TA, further extend these discussions into the Florentine context. Food is provided. 

Language Requirement

All students are required to study Italian in Florence, regardless of their placement (beyond-second-year students are exempt, but an advanced oral communication class is available upon request). For more details on classes and Italian language activities, please see The Italian Language Experience.

Course Credit

All Florence courses grant credit toward Stanford graduation, and many also count toward undergraduate major/minor requirements and fulfill Ways.  Students must enroll in at least 12 units of Program courses. Courses at local institutions must be taken above 12 units. Please refer to the BOSP Find Courses page for course information. Enroll through Axess.