Known as the business capital of Italy, Milan is the place to study abroad for Business majors. Home to Italy’s stock exchange, the Borsa Italiana, and famous global companies like Giorgio Armani, Bugatti, and Pirelli, Milan offers a dynamic international business setting.
We provide one-of-a-kind courses that explore the world of business, as well as a wide variety of courses focusing on contemporary issues in Italy. All IES Abroad area studies courses are taught by experts in their fields, and are conducted in English. We also offer a guest lecture series and an extensive list of course-related excursions that help you learn more about the Italian business culture. Round out your study abroad education with a required Italian language course that is tailored to your skill level.
Our Business Studies Program allows you to take courses in Business, Finance, Marketing, Economics,and Management taught by faculty from the local Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and Politecnico di Milano. Choose to enroll in a course at a local university—such as the AACSB- and EQUIS- accredited Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, one of the top business schools in the world—and learn about international business alongside Italian and international students.
Take an elective course in Art History, Political Science, or Photography to create a diverse course load, or combine your coursework with an internship. Through an optional internship, you will gain hands-on work experience, from business and consulting firms to fashion and luxury brands. No matter what internship you have, the experience will not only be valuable to your study abroad experience, but to your career as well.
Milan will be your classroom. When you’re not in class or at your internship, discover why high-end designers want to be here and corporations conduct business here—everything you do will be part of your learning experience. Take full advantage of Milan with course-related excursions designed to complement what you're learning in the classroom, and contribute to your general knowledge of Italian culture and society. From visiting the spectacular infrastructure created for the World Expo of 2015, hosted in Milan, to surveying Italian business culture, you'll explore the innovative nature of this city.
We want you to feel at home in Milan, so we do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From housing to cultural events, our job is to make sure you have the most authentic study abroad experience possible.
After you are admitted, refer to the Travel Dates section of the Predeparture Information in your MyIESabroad account before booking travel.
For students enrolling ONLY in IES Abroad courses.
For students enrolling in partner institution courses.
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.
We offer unique courses in business, Italian language, and culture, along with a wide array of electives, taught by our world-class professors. Course options at prestigious local institutions enhance not just what you learn, but how you learn it, and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
You must take 15-19 credits per semester, and all courses are worth 3 credit unless otherwise specified. Language courses are taught in Italian, and all other courses are taught in English or Italian.
Create your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
Please note that some courses have prerequisites.
This is a full list of courses offered in Milan. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings for your term in your MyIESabroad account. The final course list for each term will depend on faculty availability, students interested in each course, and discipline diversity.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
Enrolling in a partner institution course is a great way to meet Italians and experience the Italian education system first-hand. As a student in the Business Studies program, two business-related partner institution courses are included in the program cost, provided that you meet the institution's requirements. Any additional enrollments after the first two courses or non-business-related enrollments will carry an additional fee.
All partner institution courses are worth 3 credits. Specific course listings and descriptions are not available on the institutions' websites until shortly before the beginning of the term and may be updated frequently. The IES Abroad staff will assist you with the partner institution enrollment process.
Choose from the following partner institutions in Milan:
Università Commerciale Luigi BocconiBusiness, Economics & Managementhttp://www.unibocconi.eu/
Voted “number one worldwide in the specific category of value for money” by Forbes, Università Bocconi is one of the most prestigious European schools of business, economics, and finance. The Università Bocconi also has AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. Università Bocconi offers a wide range of English- and Italian-taught business, economics, finance and management courses, which are taught on a semester basis
After acceptance to IES Abroad, you must complete additional steps to be eligible for admission to Bocconi:
Milano Fashion Institute (MFI)Fashion (spring only)http://www.milanofashioninstitute.com/
For students interested in pursuing options in Fashion, a limited number of courses are available at the Milano Fashion Institute, an inter-university consortium founded by three Italian Universities: Università Bocconi, Politecnico di Milano and Università Cattolica. While the Politecnico faculty teach classes that explore the design, style and materials-related aspects of the fashion industry, the Bocconi faculty teach classes that study the marketing, economics, branding, financial aspects of the fashion business and the Cattolica faculty focus on the sociological as well as communication trends connected to all fashion-related phenomena.
Courses are taught in English and are offered in the spring semester only. Course topics include fabrics & materials, product design, experience & store design, buying and visual merchandising, and fashion press & PR.
Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreLiberal Arts, Humanities & Social Scienceswww.unicattolica.it
FFounded in 1921, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is located in the old city center in the former ancient monastery of Saint Ambrose. It is also one of the largest private universities in Europe. It is also a short walk from Santa Maria delle Grazie, the church where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is located. The surrounding neighborhood of winding, narrow streets blends with the Renaissance architecture of the Cattolica and its charming courtyards. The Cattolica campus is a short 5-minute walk from the IES Abroad Milan Center.
A variety of English-taught courses are offered in the international department. For a sample course listing, please see the Cattolica website. Please note that course offerings will change each semester.
Italian-taught courses are available in the following disciplines:
Most courses in the departments of Foreign Languages, Literature, Philosophy, Economics, Psychology and Education Sciences are semester courses. Most courses in the departments of Law, Sociology, and Political Science are offered on an academic-year basis.
Università degli Studi di Milano - BicoccaNatural Sciences, Physics & Mathwww.unimib.it/go/102/Home/English
Located in the northern part of the city, the Bicocca is a state university that was officially created in 1998 as a sciences-oriented part of the original Università degli Studi di Milano. Courses in Italian and English are available to students with a major or minor in Natural Sciences, Physics, or Math. Furthermore, eligible students can take part in science lab research teams (together with Italian graduate students), supervised by a graduate Italian researcher. Past students have assisted in the departments of Biology, Microbiology, and Experimental Medicine. In addition to serving as a lab assistant for 10 hours each week, you conduct independent research that is supervised by a member of the lab. You receive 3 credits for the combined research and independent study. Students with advanced Italian can take courses in the Natural and Social Sciences.
Istituto di Moda BurgoFashion & Designhttp://www.imb.it/en/courses/short.html
Students interested in pursuing options in fashion may enroll in a limited number of courses at the Istituto di Moda Burgo, a local and well-known school of fashion. Courses are taught in both Italian and English on a semester or academic year basis. You may select from courses in two categories:
Participating in a service learning experience in Milan is one of the best ways to gain a deeper understanding of the city’s culture and society. Working alongside local people toward a common goal, you experience first-hand some of the social issues that affect Milan, while contributing your skills toward a community-driven solution.
A service learning placement consists of time spent with a local organization, accompanied by a weekly academic, for-credit service learning seminar. Through the seminar, you have structured time for reflection, discussion, and research on the issues of your host community.
IES Abroad Milan partners with the local city government’s immigration department to provide a range of service learning opportunities from working to grant asylum to immigrants to developing job-training programs.
We organize course-related trips that complement IES Abroad courses and contribute to a better understanding of the Italian culture and society. Possible course-related trips may include:
Interning while you study in Milan gives you a rewarding job experience with a wealth of long-lasting career benefits. You will:
All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a 3-credit seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
Personalized Placements Once you indicate your interest in an internship, we work with you to find the ideal internship placement that fulfills your academic and career goals. We've placed students with a wide variety of organizations and businesses. If we don’t currently work with a business or organization in your field of interest, we will search out a placement that's right for you.
Placement Fields Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—new internships are always being added.
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Milan, it will feel like home.
Homestays Placements are available in Milanese homes throughout the city. This is a priceless opportunity to learn about Italian families first-hand and engage directly with Italian culture.
You have a private or shared room at your homestay and receive breakfast and dinner daily. Enjoy your other meals at university cafeterias bars, or restaurants. Commuting time from a typical homestay to the IES Abroad Milan Center can range from five to 40 minutes.
Apartments Share a furnished apartment located in a safe and lively district with three to six IES Abroad students. These apartments are single-sex, and you generally share a bedroom with another student. Single rooms in an apartment carry an additional fee.
Apartment life is enhanced by a live-in Italian roommate called a Community Assistant (CA). These assistants can help you improve your Italian language skills, get to know the city of Milan, and integrate more fully into the local culture. The Italian CAs also spend time at the IES Abroad Center answering questions and working for the program. If improving your Italian is your priority, you may request to live in an Italian-language only apartment.
Meals are not included, so you normally eat lunch at a local café or a university cafeteria, and prepare your own breakfast and dinner at home. Located on main public transportation routes near the Center, apartments offer fully-equipped kitchens, Internet access, a dishwasher, and a washing machine.
Collegio di Milano - Residence Hall This residence for Italian and international honors students offers single rooms with private bathrooms and balconies. The facilities include a computer room, library, small gym, cafeteria, private park, security system, kitchenette, and an auditorium for special cultural programs.
Breakfast and dinner are provided daily and lunch is available on weekends. Space is limited and students are chosen by the Collegio based on academic merit. Because of the extra amenities, this option carries an additional fee.
Part of making you feel at home in Milan is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that prepares you, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
The program begins with a short orientation to help you become familiar with the IES Abroad Milan staff, your fellow students, and the city of Milan. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during orientation.
After orientation, you participate in a three-week intensive language program designed to help you gain practical language skills and to acclimate you to the local environment. IES Abroad schedules several excursions and tours to introduce you to the history, culture, and districts of Milan.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Milan through cultural events, such as:
Even though your adventure starts in Milan, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country. You share a portion of the cost with IES Abroad. Here are a few possible destinations:
Sicily 3 Days | Fall Experience the cradle of Western Civilization, the home of Magna Grecia, a unique place full of art, archeology, myth, history, folklore, and breathtaking scenery. Visit baroque Catania; Europe’s highest active volcano, Etna; and the magical mountaintop town of Taormina.
Tuscany 3 Days | Fall Tour the Tuscany countryside and visit the medieval towns of Pisa, Siena, and Montalcino. Hear the Gregorian chant of the monks of Sant’Antimo Abbey and savor unique wine and cheese while admiring the Tuscan countryside.
Alps Ski Trip 3 Days | Spring A charming town in the Alps is your destination for skiing in Europe’s highest mountain range.
Culture & Cuisine of Northern Italy 3 Days | Spring Dive into the music, culture, and cuisine of Northern Italy with guided tours of Cremona and its violin makers, Parma and its parmesan cheese factory, and a family run agriturismo for dinner.
Secrets of Hidden Lombardy 1 Day | Spring Explore the Romanesque and Gothic heritage of Lombardy by visiting abbeys and castles located in the Lombardy region.
IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
About the Center
The IES Abroad Milan Center is located in the city’s bustling historic center, within walking distance of the Duomo, DaVinci's "Last Supper" and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
Features include:
For more than 17 years, Roberto Andreoni has been the Director of the Milan program. Dr. Andreoni holds a doctorate in Music from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his undergraduate degrees at the Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan and the Civica Scuola di Musica. He has previously served as the director of the Civica Scuola di Musica in Assago and Milan. Dr. Andreoni is an internationally recognized composer whose works are regularly performed, published, and recorded. When Dr. Andreoni isn’t busy directing the Milan program, he also serves as the Music Coordinator for IES Abroad Milan and is a professor of Composition at the Conservatorio di Musica N. Piccinni in Bari. During Fall 2010, he was the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence for Music and Italian Studies at Scripps College.
IES Abroad Milan Staff
Irene BaldoniAssistant Director
Luca BlumerStudent Affairs
Laura CarreraInternship Coordinator
Emanuela FerriAcademic Assistant
Manuela NigrelliHousing Coordinator
Giulia Cossu RoccaAcademic Advisor and Customized Program Specialist
Anna SalandiniAccounting and Fiscal Administrator
Amanda SwainCoordinator of Academic Affairs
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