The City
Situated in a lagoon in northeastern Italy, and criss-crossed by more than 200 canals and 400 bridges, Venice serves as capital of Veneto —one of Italy’s wealthiest regions. The historic center of Venice, spreading out from the beautiful Basilica di San Marco, is built on a group of islets separated from the Adriatic Sea by a barrier of islands and peninsulas.
The University
BC joins Venice International University (VIU), an association of ten distinguished world universities—including Duke University, Universita Ca’Foscari di Venezia, Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia, Ludwig Maximilians Universitaet, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Tel Aviv University, Tsinghua University, Tilburg University and Waseda University. Located on the island of San Servolo, a ten-minute vaporetto ride from San Marco, VIU offers courses and seminars on a wide range of subjects— among picturesque buildings and a peaceful park overlooking Venice.
The Program
VIU’s undergraduate program emphasizes the humanities and social sciences. Except for Italian language courses, all classes are taught in English by international faculty from the partner universities—including two courses/semester taught by a BC professor. VIU offers three ‘core’ courses each semester: Italian for Foreigners, Italian Contemporary History, and Venetian Art and Architecture. Another 15–20 courses, taught by leading scholars, provide opportunities for students to complete a range of BC social science and humanities requirements.
Orientation & Housing
VIU offers a five-day orientation prior to each semester. Students stay in double rooms in a residential hall on San Servolo. Laundry facilities and a cafeteria are available.
Activities
Semester events may include guest seminars, city and museum tours, Italian cooking classes, soccer tournaments, and rowing lessons at the historic Bucintoro Rowing Club.