WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL MINOR?

The International Minor is a full semester study abroad experience offered Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. This program consists of 3 weeks of Auburn University on-campus, classroom-based studies followed by 12 weeks of study headquartered in the Chigi Palace, Ariccia, Italy, a small community located less than 20 miles from Rome. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, undergraduate students earn 16 semester credit hours and the International Minor. An individualized program of study can be developed for graduate students.

Click here to view a video about the International Minor.

WHAT WILL THE INTERNATIONAL MINOR DO FOR YOU?

As an Auburn graduate, you will enter a global marketplace in an increasingly interdependent world. It is important that your training include opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to be competitive in the global economy. The International Minor offers this added dimension to the exceptional educational experiences you already are receiving at Auburn by providing you with the expertise and experience expected by an increasing number of employers, as well as a unique credential designed to complement your bachelor’s degree. See what Auburn students are saying about the International Minor.

... To be given the opportunity to study in an ancient Italian palace and to travel almost every weekend to a destination unknown...it doesnt get much better than that! ...It is amazing how a trip across the world can change you so much. I learned how important and interesting it is to get to know another culture you were once unfamiliar with. I also developed a deep love for the Italian people and their way of life. This trip is a trip of a life time and it is something that every student that is able should be a part of.
Mary Kate Coleman, Interior Design (Business Minor), Summer 2006 (interior designer with Neena McNeeley Interior Designs, Mobile, AL)

The three months I spent abroad with the CHS@AU in Italy program were some of the best months of my life! My experience far surpassed any expectations I had... The teachers invested in our lives and made sure we received well-rounded instruction on various aspects including Italian culture, history, art, food, fashion, interior design, and the language. I loved our field trips to Pompeii, Sienna, Florence, and Milan...I have a new understanding of what it means to be an international student; therefore, I'd love to work with international students in the U.S. in the future. I also have a broader perspective on the world and other cultures. Each girl who studied abroad with me, and each teacher I studied under, holds a special place in my heart...I am so thankful I spent my last collegiate semester abroad with the CHS@AU in Italy program. My life is forever changed!
Joy Beth Bodie, Marketing, Fall 2006 (applying to graduate school in Higher Education Administration)

The program in Ariccia is amazing. The Antonini family has been so wonderful and inspiring. We have only been here for a week but we have done so much, learned so much, seen so much, and grown so much already. Last week we visited the neighboring towns of Marino, Castel Gandolfo, Lake Nemi, Albano, Genzano and this past weekend we went to Rome. We also got to know the wonderful town of Ariccia. We have so much to look forward to and I cant wait!
Colleen Williams, Human Development and Family Studies, Fall 2007 (accepted a position with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, NY, NY)

 ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN THE INTERNATIONAL MINOR?  

If you are a juniors, seniors, or graduate student with at least a 2.5 cumulative, ungapped GPA you are eligible to participate in the program. Second semester sophomores may be considered on a case by case basis that requires a screening/interview process for final approval. Preference is given to students majoring in one of the College of Human Sciences majors, though students from other Auburn schools and colleges, as well as students from other universities, are welcome to apply.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

An Auburn University faculty member teaches a required three week on-campus course to prepare students for the study aboad experience. Another faculty member coordinates the integrated curriculum in Italy. Additionally, Italian faculty members lecture on topics such as,

• Conversational Italian
• Art and architectural history
• Italian history
• Philosophical underpinning of Italian culture
• Italian educational system
• Italian family and child development trends
• Italian cinema
• Interior design and fashion industries
• Mediterranean diet
• Italian wine and olive oil industries
• Regional food
• Italian tourism

Between 15 - 20 field trips, some that change seasonally to take advantage of weather conditions and special events, are planned to enhance the value of the lectures and discussions and may include visits to

• Milan and the fashion and interior design industries
• Florence/Siena and other Tuscan towns
• Rome neighborhoods, art museums, fountains and sculptures, churches, and ancient archeological sites
• Castelli Romani towns of Frascati, Nemi, and Castel Gandolfo
• Pompeii
• Anzio landing site and American World War II cemetery
• Cinecitta' Film Studios
• Assisi and other Umbrian hill town
• Tivoli's villas
• Etruscan sites and/or museums in Lazium
• Wineries and olive oil production facilities
• Italian elementary and high schools
• World Food Programme

Additionally, ample time is built into the schedule to allow students to travel on their own. During past semesters, students have elected to visit Italian sites such as, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, Sicily, and Venice. They also have travelled to other European locations -- Amsterdam. Athens, Barcelona, Interlaken, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, and Vienna, to name just a few. View our Weblog to see where students are traveling.

WHERE CAN YOU OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?

For more program information, please contact:
Dr. Carol Warfield, Chair, International Minor Committee, 308 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849; T (334) 844-1329

For a Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy; Italy Handbook, program application, or a scholarship application or to place a deposit, please contact:
Academic Affairs; 266 Spidle Hall; Auburn, Alabama, 36849; Phone: (334) 844-3790