CATANIA, ITALY

Exploring Ancient Sicily at Palike

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Program Description

Catania serves as the base for the program, which introduces students to the concepts of archaeological field research and introductory and advanced drawing and gives them hands-on practical experience at the site of Rocchicella di Mineo, ancient Palikè, and the most important sanctuary of Sicily’s indigenous Sikel people. Students will travel as a group to several other important sites and have weekend opportunities to explore the island on their own.

APPLY NOW FACULTY-LED APPLICATION

Program Dates and Deadlines:
Term Year Application Deadline
(or as space permits)		 Start Date/Check-in End Date/Check-out
Summer 2025 February 28, 2025 May 11, 2025 June 15, 2025

 

Information Sheet

Open to All academic disciplines
Language of Instruction English
Level of Study Undergraduate and Graduate
Credit Offered FAU credits
Program Primary Subject Art History, Archaeology, & Drawing
Sponsoring College College of Arts and Letters

 

Program Course Offerings:

  • ARH 2952 or ARH 4957 Art History Study Abroad (3 credits) 
  • ART 4905 Art History Directed Independent Study (3-4 credits)
  • ART 4906C Directed Independent Study in Art (3-4 credits) 
  • ARH 1300  Drawing Foundations (3 credits)
  • ART 4311C RI: Advanced Drawing - (3 credits)
  • ARH 6913 Directed Independent Study - program course listing for graduate students (3-4 credits) Required for graduate students participating on the program for the first time

Course Eligibility & Requirements:

Students participating on the program for the first time must take at least 6 credits. Students returning to participate for a second time may take  4 credits.

Program Eligibility & Requirements

  • Must have a 2.5 overall GPA at the time of application
  • Must be in good academic standing at the time of application
  • Sophomore standing for undergraduate students
  • 1st year for graduate students
  • Must be eligible to take FAU courses during the study abroad program term
  • See Policies & Procedures page for more information
 

 

In-country Program Faculty Leaders: Brian McConnell and Corey Lamb

Education Abroad Contact: Stephanie Pack

College of Arts & Letters Coordinator

Dr. McConnell email: mcconnel@fau.edu

Phone number: 561-297-4827

Professor Lamb email: lambc@fau.edu

Email: spack2014@fau.edu 

 

Location

Catania is an ancient port city on Sicily's coast. The city's wide central square, Piazza del Duomo, features the whimsical Fontana dell'Elefante statue and richly decorated Catania Cathedral. In the southwest corner of the square, La Pescheria weekday fish market is a rowdy spectacle surrounded by seafood restaurants.

Housing

Students will stay in a hotel that is centrally located in Catania. 

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Program Cost and Funding

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information 

 

Program Cost

$4,622.00 + tuition for the summer courses associated/required for the program

Program fee payment deadlines: 
1ST PAYMENT:      $2,400.00 due no later than March 14, 2025
2ND PAYMENT:     $2,222.00 due no later than April 4, 2025

Accepted participants will receive detailed payment instructions from the Education Abroad team via email prior to deadlines. 

Program Fee Includes:

  • Accommodations from check-in through check-out date
  • Transportation to and from the dig site
  • Dig site supplies 
  • Most meals
  • Activities and museum visits 
  • Guest lectures

Program Fee Does Not Include :

  • $200 administrative fee paid at time of application submission
  • International flight
  • Tuition for courses/credits taken on program (FAU in-state and out-of-state rates apply)
  • Personal spending money

TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION, HEALTH AND SAFETY

Passport and Travel Documentation

  • A valid passport is required for all international travel. You need a passport to board an international flight and to enter the country. Passport cards will not be accepted as form of I.D. You may be denied boarding if you travel with a passport that appears damaged or altered.
  • Review up-to-date details HERE. Routine processing times can take 6-8 weeks, and expedited applications in 2-3 weeks. Processing times does not include the time it takes for shipping. Processing times begin when your application is received by a passport agency or center, and do not include mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for your application to be received by passport agency, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive your completed passport after agency mails it to you. Therefore, you should add an additional 4 weeks to you passport application processing time.
  • Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Check the Country Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.  
  • If you are applying for a passport for the first time, you need to renew your passport, or you have any other passport questions, you can find information on the Travel.State.Gov website. In addition, several U.S. Embassies and Consulates provide information to assist applicants in collecting the documentation needed. For a list of Embassies, please visit U.S. Embassy.gov.
  • Non-U.S. Citizens may need additional travel documentation. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you should research the study abroad program destination and your home country to determine if a visa or additional travel documentation is required. 

International Health Insurance

All FAU students participating on an FAU Faculty-led Program will be registered in international health and travel insurance coverage through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). This mandatory insurance ensures that students have access to medical and emergency support services while abroad. This is included in the program cost. The 2025 Coverage plan will be available in January 2025. Participants can review the current 2024 plan HERE for reference.

Health and Safety Resources to Explore Prior to Traveling Abroad

Pre-departure Orientation and Meetings

All students must attend pre-departure sessions prior to study abroad. Education Abroad and your program faculty leaders will provide you with further details pertaining to dates, times, and location in the semester before your program. 

1) Mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Education Abroad office. This session will cover general international travel related topics such as health, safety, insurance, and travel tips. 
2) Mandatory pre-departure meeting hosted by program faculty leader. This session will cover program and location specific information such as arrival, expectations, itinerary, and course overview.