France-Italy Field School: Exploring Cultural Identity through Art, Literature and Film | Study Abroad

By visiting artists' studio, house museums, national museums and sites of memory in and around Paris and Florence, students will learn about Paris and Florence’s rich cultural heritages and will reflect on how the cities have been viewed and “consumed” across time. They will focus on representations of the two cities in works by British and American writers and film directors. This will foster debates about originals vs. copies, authenticity and reinvention, the Hollywoodization of culture and mass-tourism.

Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the host cities including their politics, economy, society, history, identity and culture. The field trips will be led by the course instructors or by local professors or specialists. Assignments for the course will lead students to explore other institutions, monuments and forms of art independently. Students will learn to incorporate basic French and Italian into daily life while finding creative ways to navigate around communication barriers, including developing an understanding of non-verbal cues of communication used in daily interactions. Students will learn how to navigate around the cities, as well as between them, relying on public transit and will discover new urban planning and environmental initiatives in Paris and Florence.

Students applying for the program must have completed a total of 7.5 undergraduate credits by the time the program begins in May 2026 (or permission from the instructor), and must have a 68% cumulative average.

The program is open to students from all disciplines at the University of Guelph, with a maximum of 16 undergraduate students being accepted to the program.

Students should budget for the following:

• Round-trip flight, Toronto to Paris: $1300
  Round-trip flight, Paris to Florence: $200
• Tuition at the University of Guelph for 1.0 credits
• The France-Italy Field School fee: approximately $3200 (includes accommodations, in-country travel and entrance fees to museums and institutions). Amount is subject to change based on fluctuating exchange rate.
• Meals: $1800
• Mandatory travel health and emergency insurance through the company GuardMe ($1.65 / day)
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, additional personal excursions, etc)

Looking for funding? Learn about U of G Travel Grants.