Chapter 3: Florence University of the Arts

Florence University of the Arts (FUA) is located in the heart of Florence, in the lovely and historic Santa Croce district. Situated between the Church of Santa Croce and the River Arno, the school is housed in a Renaissance palazzo once owned by the prominent Doni family, who were patrons of Michelangelo and other artists. The Palazzo Doni has been carefully restored to preserve its beauty and historical value while providing state-of-the art facilities.

All around the University are some of the greatest museums and monuments in the world. Within a short walk lie the Uffizi Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio, Brunelleschi's great Duomo, and countless legendary landmarks and artworks. Classes at FUA take advantage of Florence's artistic and historical riches, enhancing classroom learning with visits to local sites. FUA can provide you with exposure to the "real" Florence, the hidden treasures most people only read about.

All students, regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin or creed, will be considered for admission.

Faculty

FUA's is international and dedicated to teaching. All instructors are English-speaking and have experience teaching American students. A majority of the instructors are Italian, but the faculty is composed of instructors from diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

Facilities

The newly-restored palazzo contains the school's offices, classrooms, and computer lab, as well as a library of textbooks and reference materials for all courses offered. Original ceilings, including restored frescoes, adorn classrooms and offices, and the school boasts wireless technology throughout - illustrating once again Florence's blend of the old and the new.

Courses

FUA's Free Elective program consists of one Italian language course (3, 6, or 9 credits) in addition to 2 to 4 electives, for a total of 15 credits per semester. All students must take at least three credits of Italian language.

All courses are taught in English except for Italian language courses and those clearly specified "in Italian."

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

The first two alpha characters designate the division within the school. The second 2 alpha characters indicate the department within the division, and the third 2 alpha characters indicate the course within the department.

Fairfield University Course Numbering

Your grades and credits will be reported on a Fairfield University transcript. With few exceptions, course numbers will be identical to those at FUA. The letter prefixes will change, however. For example:

Transcripts

Grades will be recorded at Fairfield approximately 8 weeks after the completion of the semester, and you will receive a grade report at your home address. You will probably need an official transcript for your school, and Fairfield University will provide one official transcript at no charge. Upon your return from Florence, we will send you the instructions for requesting a transcript.

If your home institution will accept courses for which Fairfield does not grant credit (cuisine, for example), we will provide you with a Florence University of the Arts transcript showing those courses. Call us for more information.

Florence University of the Arts Policies

Like all schools and institutions, FUA has its own set of policies that must be followed by all students who attend.

Registration

Each student must carefully read the application regulations and fill out and sign the registration form on both the front and back. We will not accept any registration form that has not been properly completed. Before selecting courses, students must make sure they will receive credits from their home institutions. Students MUST obtain the signature of the person authorized to approve transfer credit from their home institution. Failure to obtain this signature does not exempt the student from the responsibility of obtaining course approval at the home institution.

It is important to provide alternate courses to avoid delays if first-choice classes are not available.

Students should make every effort to send their registrations to Fairfield University as early as possible, since once classes are closed, they cannot be over-enrolled. Once registrations are received at Fairfield University Study Abroad, they are sent to FUA. If students are enrolled in all their first-choice classes, no further action is necessary. If courses are closed, cancelled, or otherwise unavailable, the student will be notified and asked to choose another course.

Upon arrival at FUA, only one course can be changed (drop one course and add another in its place). Such changes must be completed during the first week of classes, or on the Friday of orientation for the summer program.

Closed Classes

Closed really means closed. FUA does NOT over-enroll classes.

Attendance Policies

1. Students who stop attending one or more classes without having formally dropped (contacting the Program's Academic Advisor and filling out the proper form and giving it to their advisor) will receive an F in those classes.
2. If a student misses between 10-20% of the scheduled classes during the course of the semester, the final grade will be lowered by one full grade.
3. If a student misses 21% or more of the scheduled classes, s/he will not receive credit for the course, and the grade will be an F.
4. Students who miss one or more exams will receive an F for that part of the course.
5. 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 Fs in all courses.

Mid-Term and Final Exams

The exact dates for Mid-Term and Final exams are listed on the syllabi that instructors give to their students during the first class meetings. The dates for these exams (whether they are written exams, oral presentations, critiques, etc.) 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 Executive Board 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.

Credit and Hours

A regular semester load is 15. Students must maintain a course load of at least 12 credits (NOT including noncredit courses, such as cuisine courses). Credits are awarded on the semester hour basis. A credit requires 3 contact hours per week for Liberal Arts courses and 6 contact hours per week for Studio Arts courses. The distribution of that time between class activities (such as lectures, laboratories, field trips) and outside preparation varies from course to course. All of the Studio Arts courses have a number of open studio hours, varying from course to course.