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Siena - Business & Economics of Italian Food & Wine
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
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 that explore Business, Management, Cultural Studies, and other topics through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
Create your own academic experience by selecting four courses in any of the following disciplines.
You take 12 credits per semester. All courses are taught in English.
- Business Administration
- Cultural Studies
- Economics
- Entrepreneurship
- Environmental Studies
- Global Studies
- History
- Italian Language
- Management
- Marketing
- Political Science
Courses
These courses are taught at the IES Abroad Center by local faculty. All courses are worth 3 credits and are offered both fall and spring.
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.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG/ET/BS 362 - Managing Small Business Enterprises with a Farm-to-Table Focus | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS/CU 245 - The Italian Wine Industry and its Evolution in Tuscany | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT/ES/EC 235 - The Economics of Social & Environmental Sustainability: Food & Wine Sectors in the New Globalization | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| PO/EC 322 - Economic Policy in the EU and its Impact on Global Food Markets | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT/ES/EC 235 - The Economics of Social & Environmental Sustainability: Food & Wine Sectors in the New Globalization | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG/ET/BS 362 - Managing Small Business Enterprises with a Farm-to-Table Focus | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT/ES/EC 235 - The Economics of Social & Environmental Sustainability: Food & Wine Sectors in the New Globalization | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS/CU 245 - The Italian Wine Industry and its Evolution in Tuscany | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT 101T - Italian Language in Context: Novice Abroad I | Fall, Spring | Italian | 3 |
| IT 301T - Italian Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I | Fall, Spring | Italian | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG/ET/BS 362 - Managing Small Business Enterprises with a Farm-to-Table Focus | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK 325 - Marketing Strategy: Focus on Italian Wine and Food | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO/EC 322 - Economic Policy in the EU and its Impact on Global Food Markets | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
Field Trips & Events
Even though your adventure starts in Siena, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the cultures and traditions of your host country. All field trips are included in your program fee. Here are a few possible destinations:
Bologna
2 Days | Spring
On this two-day trip, you will learn to prepare the famous Emilia handmade pasta and visit the Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar production facilities.
Valdorcia
2 Days| Fall
Visit the large, Corsini family-owned baking facility and compare it to the small-scale Corsini production back in Siena. Also, learn about chestnut beer production, and tour a facility that produces olive oil using only sustainable energy. Spend the night in an agriturismo where fresh honey is produced.
Pienza & Montalcino
1 Day| Spring
In one day you’ll see where the pecorino di Pienza is produced, learn about the invention of Brunello, visit S. Antimo Abbey, and partake in a wine tasting.
Chianti
1 Day | Fall & Spring
Explore the wine-making areas near Siena and learn about how Chianti wine contributes to the region’s economy and culture. You will also visit a pasta producer in the region.
San Gimignano
1 Day| Fall
Meet local food producers in San Gimignano—from Vernaccia wine to saffron!
IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and length of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Course-Related Trips
IES Abroad Siena organizes course-related trips that complement your academics and contribute to your knowledge of Italian culture and society. All course-related trips are included in your program cost and depend on course enrollment.
Possible course-related trips include:
- Local food producers - learn about food production, explore the workings of a Sienese bakery, or tour a chocolate shop.
- Winery/vineyard visit - learn about the production of local wine, from vine to bottle.
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Siena is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, 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.
Orientation
The program begins with a one-week orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Siena staff, your fellow students, and the city of Siena. During this time, you’ll also have a few intensive sessions of survival Italian to help you navigate Siena during the term. You can continue your study of Italian throughout the semester if you wish.
In addition to intensive Italian language sessions, settle into your new home in Siena as you sample aperitivi and explore the medieval past of Siena’s surroundings.
Our Comprehensive Orientation & Re-Entry Experience (CORE™) begins right when you arrive and continues through the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment. Detailed information about housing, public transportation, culture, health and safety, and other important topics are also covered.
Housing
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 Siena, it will feel like home.
Apartments
Share apartments with other IES Abroad students. Apartments are furnished, single-sex, and generally accommodate four to six students, with two to three IES Abroad students sharing a bedroom. Apartments offer internet access and a washing machine. Meals are not included, but apartments offer fully equipped kitchens.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
Redefine the way you live and learn in Siena through cultural events, such as:
- Guest lectures
- Language exchange meetings with Italian students from the University of Siena and the University for Foreigners
- Outings to local music performances, operas, and plays
- University of Siena lectures, seminars, and conferences
- Special dinners and events sponsored by a Contrada of Siena
- Soccer and basketball matches
- Special museum exhibits
Università degli Studi di Siena - Special Events
There are several special events hosted at the Università each term that are aimed at helping introduce international students to local Italian students. You'll learn more about what's available each term once on-site in Siena.
Get to Know Your New City
Explore the Region
Discover the Tuscany countryside surrounding Siena through field trips, personal travel, and more.
Wander Through the 17 Contrade
The 17 neighborhoods of Siena date back to the Middle Ages and still define life today.
Taste Traditional Tuscan Dishes
From world-famous olive oil to bistecca fiorentina, there’s plenty to taste throughout Tuscany. Our tip: try the pasta e fagioli!
Practice Unaccented Italian in the Heart of Tuscany
Whether its while boutique shopping or ordering a pizza, Siena is the perfect environment for improving your italian.
Enjoy the Sights in the Piazza Del Campo
Grab a snack, a book, or some friends and head over to the Piazza to spend an afternoon lounging in the sun.
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
Scholarships & Aid
Program-Specific Scholarships
Robert McNeill Need-Based International Business Scholarship
This scholarship is named in honor of Robert McNeill, member of the IES Abroad Board of Directors for 25 years (6 years as Chairman). Open to students who have an interest in international business. Majors might include management, marketing, economics, finance, international relations, and social and behavioral sciences.
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
The IES Abroad Siena Center is located in a palace on the famous Piazza del Campo – a large, sunny plaza that is center of social life in Siena. The palace, called Palazzo Chigi Zondadari, was built in the 18th century and served as a home to the prominent Chigi family whose lineage includes many intellectuals, artists, businessmen, and even a pope!
Features include:
- Multimedia classrooms
- Student lounge and library
- Computer lab
- Wireless Internet access throughout the Center
Our Staff
Veronica Semeraro
Center Director
Veronica Semeraro has worked at our IES Abroad Siena Center since the founding of the program in 2006 when she was hired as the Student Affairs Coordinator. Since that time, she has been actively involved in all aspects of the program, including housing, customized programs, arrival and orientation, field trips, and academic coordination. Veronica was promoted to Center Director of IES Abroad Siena in 2012.
Prior to working with IES Abroad, Veronica graduated with honors in Archaeology from the University of Siena. Her thesis addressed the GIS platform of the newly discovered and frescoed rooms beneath the Cathedral of Siena. She contributed, with vectorial maps and archaeological drawings, to the publication Sotto il Duomo di Siena (2003). Upon winning a research grant following graduation, Veronica spent six years working in the University of Siena archaeology laboratory in Computer Science. She also spent several years drawing dig maps while working on site in various important archaeological digs in Tuscany (rooms beneath the Siena Cathedral, castle of Miranduolo, Podium Bonizio village) specializing in GIS technology. Veronica is an avid traveler and a member of an all-female Brazilian drum group in Siena.
IES Abroad Siena Staff
Vittoria Moggi
Student Services Coordinator
Matilde Santini
Student Affairs Assistant
Health & Safety
With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.
In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this spring—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.
How We Support You
We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly-trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.
Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:
- International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
- 24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
- Location-specific health and safety information presented at orienation by on-site staff
- TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
- A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
- Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
- And more!
Health & Safety Resources
You safety begins with being accurately informed from the moment you're considering study abroad through to the day you return home.
Take note of ways you can maintain your health and stay safe abroad while reviewing our resources, including:
- IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management
- Study Abroad Safety Tips for Traveling
- IES Abroad Student Blogs on Safety and Mental Health
- And more!
AT A GLANCE
Latest from Siena
Contact a Past Student
From budgeting tips to housing insight, IES Abroad Ambassadors volunteer their study abroad and internship experiences and advice.
