Purchase College, SUNY conducts a five-week summer program in Italy offering classes in Italian Language and also courses such as: Art History, Drawing, Anthropology, Italian Drama Studies, and Marine Biology. The program is located in Pisciotta, a small town on the Mediterranean coast about ninety miles south of Naples and even closer to the world-famous Roman and Greek monuments of Pompeii and Paestum. Students will pursue the intensive study of Italian language and culture in a beautiful and historic setting, while earning full undergraduate, graduate and in-service credit. Class size is small and students receive individual attention. With the exception of Italian language, all classes are taught in English.

Pisciotta is located in the recently established Cilento National Park, the Columns in Italysecond largest in Italy. Famed for its unspoiled mountains, forests and spectacular beaches, the National Park also features ancient and medieval archaeological sites, beautifully preserved hill-towns, and some of Italy's oldest groves of olive trees. Pisciotta is also within easy reach of the stunning Greek temples at Paestum and the historic and wildly picturesque medieval towns of Amalfi and Ravello. The unique buried city of Pompeii and the outstanding art collections of Naples are only two hours away. The program includes a two day excursion to Florence and concludes with three days devoted to the monuments of Rome and the Vatican.

Though the academic program is a demanding one, students will also have time to enjoy the slower pace of life in Pisciotta. The outdoor cafés and restaurants are delightful, and the nearest beach is just a fifteen minute walk down the hill. Hiking in the National Park is another option, and there is some nightlife in the area too.

FOR SUMMER 2015, students will choose from one of the following electives:

1. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES OF FOOD: ITALIAN GASTRONOMY with Professor Lisa Jean Moore

This course uses food, its production, consumption and representation, as a lens to understand politics, culture, sociality, identities, geographies, and economies. This course is locally situated but globally relevant since many of the concepts we discuss are being debated across academic disciplines and international borders. Taking the geographical area of Pisciotta, Italy as a starting point and ultimately ethnographic case study, this course engages students in the local and regional landscape. From visits to the local weekly market in the piazza to fieldtrips to the local mozzarella or olive oil (Ulivo Pisciottano) producers, we interpret how food as a way of life, has shaped the village. Additionally, we may visit the Marina di Pisciotta for the catch of 'Menaica Anchovies', a delicacy, which is part of the economic flow of the village

2. Landscape Photography: Creating a Personal Vision

4 credits / Summer (offered in Italy)
Students will explore the effect of landscapes and surroundings in Pisciotta, Italy. They will develop their personal vision by observing and leveraging landscapes and translating their experiences into powerful images. Working with digital cameras (a simple one is fine), students will create a personal photographic essay, depicting what they see through the lens of their surroundings.