Fall: Florence, Italy

Program Dates

• August 25 - September 4: Program starts at PCC 
• September 5: Group flight departs U.S. for Italy
• September 6: Group flight arrives in Florence, transfer to accommodations
• September 7: On-site orientation 
• September 8: Classes resume in Florence
• October TBA: Fall Break
• November 29: End of program. Group flight departs Florence for the U.S.

Program Fees

$10,890 (airfare included)

Excludes airline taxes & PCC tuition. Based on a minimum enrollment of 20 students.

Program Fee Includes:

• Roundtrip airfare between Los Angeles (LAX) and Florence (FLR) international airports
• Roundtrip transfers in Florence between airport and student housing
• Accommodation in furnished, self-catering, apartments within the historic center of Florence
• Welcome & farewell Dinners
• Pre-departure & on-site orientation program
• Guided walking tour of Florence
• Guided visits to select historical sites and museums in Florence & Rome
• Full-day excursion to Siena & San Gimignano
• 3-day/2-night excursion to Rome
• Access to on-site Student Center and the services of experienced Student Advisors
• On-site faculty, student support staff, and 24-hour emergency contact service
• Medical insurance policy
• Liability insurance

Program fee does not include:

• Mandatory U.S. government and airline-imposed departure taxes, fees and fuel surcharges of $490 (subject to change)
• Optional meal plan ($450) consisting of 25 vouchers for use at select Florence restaurants
• Optional Extra Protection Insurance Coverage, including increased medical insurance ($65) 
• Optional trip interruption or cancellation insurance 
• Passport and visa fees, if applicable
• PCC course registration fees
• Textbooks
• Personal expenses

Item:	Fee:	Deadline:
Enrollment Deposit	$450.00	Due immediately upon acceptance into program
Remaining Balance of Fees	$10,440.00	July 11, 2025
Airline Taxes (estimate)	$490.00	July 11, 2025
Total	$11,380.00
Optional Components:	Fee:	Deadline:
Meal Plan	$450.00	Before departure
Extra Protection Insurance Coverage	$65.00	July 12, 2024
Trip Interruption or Cancellation Insurance	varies	Within 21 days after deposit is paid

All students must submit a $450 deposit upon acceptance into the program and when completing the online enrollment form.

Program fee payments, including the deposit, will be made directly to our partner American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS). Program fees will not be collected by the Pasadena City College Study Abroad Office or by program faculty.

Payments may be made by check or credit card. Checks should be payable to “AIFS”. American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Please note: A $35 returned check fee will be charged on all checks returned by the bank for insufficient funds.  

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Group Airfare Package

The group airfare package includes round-trip airfare between LAX and FLR in economy/standard class, and round-trip transfers in Florence between the airport and student housing, on the regularly scheduled program dates. 

Participants wishing to purchase the airfare package (which is included in the program fee, excluding airline taxes) must select this option on the online enrollment form. AIFS cannot arrange airline tickets for students applying after June 12, 2025. Land-only packages, without airfare, may be offered to students accepted into the program after June 12, 2025. 

Tickets are exclusively on scheduled airlines (not charters). They are not endorsable to another carrier. Flights are not necessarily direct or non-stop, they cannot be rerouted, and frequent flyer miles are not applicable. No refunds are available for any unused portion of ticket. Once airline tickets have been issued to students, they can only be changed directly with the issuing agent - agent and airline-imposed penalties apply. 

A minimum of 10 participants is required for the group airfare package to be offered.

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AIFS Refund Policy

If a participant withdraws on or before Thursday, June 12, 2025, they will receive a refund for all fees paid less a $150 processing fee.  

If a participant withdraws after Thursday, June 12, 2025, but on or before Friday, July 11, 2025, they will receive a refund for all fees paid less the $450 deposit and any non-refundable deposits paid by the student or by AIFS on the student's behalf.

If a participant withdraws after Friday, July 11, 2025, they will receive no refund and the total program fee is due.

After the final payment deadline the full program fee is due to AIFS even if an individual has not yet paid and no longer plans to participate in the program.

Non-refundable financial commitments have been made to secure your spot. If a participants withdrawals once the program has begun, there is no refund.

This refund policy applies whether a participant pays AIFS Abroad directly for all, part, or no program fees. 

Course Offerings

Participants must enroll in 1 Italian language class + 2 non-language classes (minimum) from the following list:

Course No.	Course Name	Units
Select one language class:
ITAL 001, 002, 003, 004	Elementary & Intermediate Levels	5
Select a minimum of two:
ENGL 009	Creative Non-Fiction	3
ENGL 024	Literature in Translation	3
ENGL 049B	Film as Dramatic Literature -- Social Contexts	3
SPCH 006	Argumentation & Debate	3
SPCH 010	Interpersonal Communication	3
SPCH 013	Introduction to Speech Communication	3

* All non-language classes are taught in English
* All courses are CSU/UC transferable* Honors Program credit for those who qualify

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ITAL 001 through 004 Elementary or Intermediate Italian: The purpose of these courses is to enable students to develop skills in understanding and speaking everyday Italian in different common situations; to read and write with accuracy using correct grammatical points; to learn about Italy, its history and its culture. The language instruction is a central part of the students' experience in Florence, and learning the language is an integral part of exposing oneself to that culture. Language and culture are inextricably intertwined and at the end of the trip, students not only will have improved their knowledge of the Italian language, but they will also have acquired a greater appreciation for Italian culture There is no better way to learn a language than in the target country. In Florence the students will be able to practice every day what they learned so they will improve much faster.

ENGL 009 - Creative Non-Fiction: English 9 starts with a question: What is Italy to outsiders except a place of glamour? There’s a reason why people say of Italian tourists elsewhere in Europe, “You can tell Italians by the quality of shoes they wear!” Perhaps a dumb example, but one which points to Italy and Italians being signified by the finer things (other examples—Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bianchi bicycles, and more). ENGL 9 explores that phenomenon, and has students produce articles on a series of topics in the creative non-fiction genre. Three areas of Italian life will occupy students’ attention: Food Culture (not forgetting the wine), Material Culture (beauty from fashion to cars to architecture), and Cultural Pursuits both high and low (from art and opera to football to the Giro D’Italia bike race). As a side theme, to take advantage of the glamour and style found in Italian life, not to mention literature, this course asks the question, “What is beauty”? This theorized concept will give a touchstone to measure Italian phenomena against.

ENGL 024 - Literature in Translation: English 24 will study fiction and drama which feature the intellectual shifts and tides which literature (and learned Italian life) has undergone over the 20th and 21st centuries. Despite being outside the literary mainstream due to its relatively small size, political polarization, and the division of language, Italy has figured into the 20th and 21st century’s intellectual movements starting with early twentieth century Modernism and working down to the present. This course seeks to understand the intersections between Italian nation-space, politics, and cultural/literary production and the grand literary movements in European letters.

ENGL 049B - Film as Dramatic Literature, Social Contexts: English 49B borrows on Italy’s rich cinematic history but gives it a specific focus: the rhetoric of war and the presence of remembrance in Italian cinema. The course’s investigations will go from WW1 to WW2 and up to the present as Italy and Italians use film to struggle with remembering their shifting positions in the two World Wars particularly, not to mention (some of the) people’s complicity in the horrible events foisted on the world by Nazi Germany. What should be remembered? How do cultures remember, and what happens to memory over time? These questions will be approached from an intellectual/theoretical context and the medium of film.

SPCH 006 - Argumentation & Debate: One of the focal points of SPCH 6 will be the assessment and critique of rhetorical appeals, reasoning, evidence, and styles present in the arguments and debates that have shaped Italian public discourse in the 20th and early 21st centuries. This will include analyzing speeches by prominent figures such as Benito Mussolini, whose rhetoric during Italy's fascist era shaped national identity; Alcide De Gasperi, addressing post-war reconstruction and Italy's path to democracy; Sandro Pertini, during Italy's democratic struggles and resistance against fascism; Pier Paolo Pasolini, discussing social issues in the 1960s; Umberto Eco, on culture, communication, and the role of media in shaping society; Emma Bonino, advocating for human rights and immigration reform; and Giorgia Meloni, reflecting contemporary Italian politics.

SPCH 010 - Interpersonal Communication: SPCH 10 will incorporate interpersonal and intercultural concepts and theories to analyze the complex interplay of social and psychological forces in communication. The course leverages the defamiliarization experienced while living and studying in Florence, Italy, to explore how cultural differences, geographical distance, communication media, and perceptions of self and others influence interpersonal and intercultural interactions within the Italian context. Through experiential learning, students will develop practical skills in cross-cultural adaptation, active listening, conflict resolution, and more. Living and engaging daily with peers in the program, as well as interacting with locals, students will refine their ability to navigate diverse social environments and apply theoretical knowledge to everyday communication challenges.

SPCH 013 - Introduction to Speech Communication: This course offers a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of communication theory within the context of Florence's rich Renaissance history. Students will engage with iconic Renaissance landmarks and locations throughout the city, using them as powerful examples of key communication theories such as ritual, collective memory, social identity, storytelling, and social influence. These sites will serve as touchstones for understanding how Renaissance thinkers and public figures shaped the foundations of modern communication practices. By immersing themselves in the city's intellectual and cultural history, students will analyze the role of public oratory, the rise of print culture, and the transformation of communication from a public to an academic discipline. Visits to the Florence Cathedral and other significant sites such as San Miniato al Monte will offer reflections on how communication has been used to convey cultural narratives, personal identities, and communal values. This course will not only deepen students' understanding of communication theory but also connect them to the enduring legacy of the Renaissance and its impact on how we communicate today.

Program Faculty

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Professor Brian Kennedy, English 

Dr. Kennedy has been a faculty member at PCC since 1997. He achieved the rank of Professor of English in 2017. He continues his work as a scholar and writer, having written, edited, or co-edited ten books. These range from the popular Canadian Best Seller Growing Up Hockey to the scholarly Mixing Memory and Desire: Why Literature Can’t Forget the Great War. Dr. Kennedy directs the PCC Honors Program as his current full-time assignment. He has been on five prior Study Abroad trips, all to Oxford, England.

Dr. Kennedy has extensive travel experience aside from these trips. He has visited approximately 42 countries from Brazil to India (twice) to Japan and Canada (home) to New Zealand and Australia. He has been to England seven times in total and has traveled all over the UK by car and train as well as visiting Ireland three times. He has also adventured in Europe including France, Italy, and Germany and also Eastern Europe including Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia, plus Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland and the Balkan countries of Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Slovenia, and Albania.

He is proud to say that he is an “enemy of the people” in the repressive dictatorship of Bulgaria. And that is because of what he wrote about hockey. But that’s a story to be told over a glass of wine.

• Email: bpkennedy@pasadena.edu
• Spring 2025 Office Hours - coming soon

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Professor Shane Underwood, Speech 

Underwood has taught in the English Department at Pasadena City College (PCC) since February 2009.  Over the years, he has instructed a range of composition, literature, communication studies, and honors courses at the college.  His academic specializations include rhetorical theory, communication theory, literary criticism and theory, and philosophical hermeneutics.  Furthermore, Underwood’s educational profile is a testament to his expertise and professional accomplishments. He holds a master’s degree in English literature, a master’s degree in communication studies, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies.  

At PCC, Underwood is highly regarded for his mentorship and training of student researchers in the Honors Program and his advisement of the Critical Theory Club. Underwood’s commitment to his students and his teaching have been formally recognized throughout his career. He was the recipient of the prestigious PCC Risser Outstanding Teacher Award in 2013, followed by the PCC Honors Distinguished Faculty Award in 2017. More recently, he received the 2021 Recognized Educator Award at the University of California, Irvine, and the PCC Honors Distinguished Service Award in 2023.   

Underwood has extensive global travel experience that is invaluable in leading a diverse study abroad program. In addition to co-leading the 2019 and 2024 Oxford Study Abroad Programs, he has traveled throughout many countries that include Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, India, Qatar, Morocco, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Greece, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and Canada. His travels have given him firsthand knowledge of a wide range of cultures and ways of life, making him well-prepared to co-lead the 2025 Florence, Italy, Study Abroad Program.

• Email: srunderwood@pasadena.edu
• Spring 2025 Office Hours
  • Tuesdays 7:45 - 9:15 pm in C-252A
  • Wednesdays 1:45 - 3:45 pm in C-252A
  • Thursdays 1:00 - 3:00 pm in C-252A

Meals & Accommodations

Accommodations in furnished, self-catering, apartments located within the historical center of Florence. You will stay in twin rooms with typically 4 to 6 PCC students sharing a two or three bedroom apartment. Apartments include kitchens for meal preparation, with cooking equipment, plates, glasses, and utensils. Laundry facilities are available on-site. Linens and free wireless internet are provided. 

If available, single rooms will be offered on a first-come first-serve basis for an additional supplement of $1950.

Optional Meal Plan:

A package of 25 meal vouchers for use at select Florence restaurants is available for an additional fee of $450.

Excursions & Activities

Orientation Program

• A series of pre-departure orientations covering topics such as "To Do" action items, banking, cell-phone options, adaptors, what to pack, airport security, customs & immigration, and more.
• On-site orientation upon arrival covering topics such as general acclimation to Florence, safety and security issues, cultural differences, travel, and cultural activities
• Local walking tour covering housing and classroom location and local amenities
• Sightseeing walking tour of Florence with a professional, English-speaking guide 

Local Activities

Guided visits to a number of historical sites and museums, including the Palazzo Vecchio, Duomo, Uffizi Galleries, Galleria Dell' Accademia, and more!

Additional activities will be available in Florence, either at no additional cost or for a subsidized fee. Activities may include a cooking class, opera, and soccer match. 

Excursions

SIENA & SAN GIMIGNANO

Guided day-trip to the enchanting Tuscan towns of Siena, famous for its Palio horse race, and San Gimignano, the medieval city of beautiful towers. Round-trip transportation and local guide included.

ROME (3 DAYS/ 2 NIGHTS)  

In Rome, there is visible evidence of the two great empires of the western world: the Roman Empire and the Christian Church. Home of the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, history comes alive as you stroll through the piazzas of Italy’s ancient capital. Your time here will include a guided sightseeing tour, entrance to the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, and a guided tour of the Vatican museums. Round-trip transportation, twin-room hotel accommodations, and breakfast are included.

Independent Travel

Use your free weekends to travel around Italy and to Europe’s great cities. Local staff will assist you in choosing destinations and transportation. Student favorites include Rome, Venice, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Berlin. The program will have a Fall Break in October. This is a great time to explore!

ITALIAN-AMERICAN SCHOLARSHIP
The Italian American Scholarship Fund provides awards and scholarships for the study of Italian to PCC students. To qualify for this scholarship, you must have completed an Italian language course at Pasadena City College. Qualified students are invited to apply to support their Florence program costs. $1,000 award.

Visit https://pasadena.academicworks.com/opportunities/4795 to learn more about the scholarship.

To begin your application, go to https://pasadena.academicworks.com/users/sign_in and log-in with your LancerPoint credentials.

Application Period: TBA

Financial Aid may be available to those who qualify. Grants, loans, and scholarships may be used to pay program fees.

Apply immediately. You should allow up to eight weeks for your financial aid request to be processed.

More About Financial Aid options at PCC