Since FSU International Programs offer a unique opportunity for freshmen to opt for a first semester or first year abroad, the curricula largely feature many gen eds that all first and second years are required to take. Whether you end up in Florence, London, Panama, or Valencia, spending a semester abroad is a life-changing experience that nearly all past participants encourage for prospective students.
As a communication girlie, Florence is by far the best of the FSU study abroad locations to spend a full semester. With communications having a bundle of courses offered here every semester, you can not only take intro-level courses, but you also have the opportunity to take upper-level courses within the major. The best part about taking these classes abroad is the unique spin professors take on them by using Florence as their classroom. Let’s dive into the best communication classes offered at FSU Florence, as well as some other fun classes that fulfill FSU major-wide requirements.
com 4561: social media campaigns
COM 4561, titled Social Media Campaigns, is a course focused on dissecting social media’s role within businesses as well as learning how to use it within a professional setting. In this course, students are tasked with creating a specific campaign and creating social media posts focused on the message and target audience. The great part about taking this class abroad, especially if you’re not super interested in studying social media to begin with, is that the class takes over the FSU Florence Instagram and decides on the content that gets published.
com 3930: special topics in communications (fashion & media)
COM 3930, known as Special Topics in Communications, focuses on fashion & media here at FSU Florence. Taught by a highly connected native Florentine, the course focuses on identifying trends and understanding Italian luxury brand identities, as well as the marketing strategies they employ in their media presence. The class focuses solely on Italian designers, which includes recognizable brands, allowing for a deeper understanding of these companies that students will bring back home with them.
rtv 3101: writing for the electronic media
Writing For The Electronic Media, or RTV 3101, focuses on digital publishing and helping students develop the skills needed to write shorter, yet engaging pieces. ItaliaNoles, a fully FSU student-published magazine from FSU Florence has, in the past, been done on a volunteer basis. However, this semester is the first that they’ve incorporated magazine production into a course. Students in the class are expected to work together as an editorial team to write, produce photographs, accept, and edit incoming submissions, as well as fit the content into a conceptual and overarching theme for the magazine. Although it may sound daunting, this course is perfect for the communication girlies looking to pursue journalism or a related field.
hft 4866: international wine and culture
Although shocking, International Wine & Culture (or HFT 4866) can be applied toward a diversity credit for all FSU students. Yes, the course includes tastings. And, yes, it all tastes amazing! The class focuses very heavily on different methods and styles of wine production as well as analyzing current events happening within wine culture that many students are otherwise unaware of. At the end of every lecture, which is centered around a thematic element related to a type of wine or production style, there is a tasting following the theme that entails students to practice their understandings of the attributes of wine that determine its quality. Although the wines featured in the course are not limited to Italy alone, the lectures typically focus on Italian wine growing and can be applied on weekend school trips within the country that include wine tastings or pairings at meals.
All of the courses listed above barely scratch the surface of the plethora of options students are offered at FSU Florence. One way or another, you can count on some aspect of your curriculum, whether it be an English class or a math class, to incorporate the country of your studies into its learning. In my experience, this has greatly contributed to my understanding of the courses I’ve taken, as well as given me a unique experience that not many others can share.
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