Dates
December 27, 2026 – January 7, 2027Subjects
Italian Culture, Digital Media, Photography & Videography, Art History, Visual Culture & MediaDeadlines
Aug. 1: Apply Early & Save $100Sept. 15: Regular Deadline
Program Overview
The KIIS winter program in Italy begins in the beautiful Tuscan city of Florence and ends in the country’s magnificent capital, Rome. Students spend the first five days in Florence where they are living within walking distance of the most famous museums and sites in Italy’s Renaissance capital. The program will then move to Rome where students visit and explore the Vatican, Colosseum, famous churches, and other memorable monuments.
Note: Studying abroad likely is more physically strenuous than you are used to at home. KIIS study abroad programs typically involve approx. 5-10 miles of walking (approx. 10,000-20,000 steps) or the like in a day, including the possibility of walking, hiking, and climbing stairs in variable weather, over elevations at higher altitudes, and over rocky terrain. See Health & Wellness for more information.
Program Director
Ian Hagarty is a Professor of Fine Arts at Marshall University. His artwork has been widely exhibited across the United States and Europe. He holds an MFA from Indiana University, as well as a MAT and BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has been involved with the KIIS program since 2013.Prof. Ian Hagarty
Photo Gallery
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Courses
All courses are taught in English and are 3 credit hours. You may enroll in 1 course.
This course explores Italian culture by examining both its deep historical roots and its modern expressions. Students will engage with Italy’s artistic, architectural, social, and political heritage and consider how contemporary Italian society reflects and builds upon these traditions. Beyond its art and history, Italy is known for its food, fashion, sports, and social customs—each playing a role in shaping a national identity. No prior knowledge of Italian studies is required.
This course examines the development of the Italian Renaissance. In Florence—the heart of Humanist thought and artistic innovation—students will explore how artists such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, and Michelangelo redefined visual culture. In Rome, we will examine the city’s ancient monuments alongside the masterpieces of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Through on-site discussions, sketchbook reflections, and museum visits, students will experience art history firsthand.
Through the exploration of Florence and Rome, students will engage with digital photography, videography, pre-visualization, and concept development techniques. Being on location allows students to connect their observations with their captured materials, enriching concepts, sharing the stories behind them, and understanding how their materials can be utilized for future digital projects for game development, visual effects, video compositing, and video art and beyond.
Discover the power of visual rhetoric and explore how images, design, and media shape the way we see and understand the world. This course blends theory and hands-on experience with visits to major Italian cultural sites such as Vatican City, the Colosseum, Santa Maria del Fiore, the Uffizi, Accademia, Borghese Gallery, and others. You will learn to critically analyze visual messages and understand how they are crafted, reflect, and influence culture, history, and society.
All KIIS course credit is awarded by Western Kentucky University. Prior to your KIIS program, please speak with your home campus academic advisor and/or study abroad office to determine course equivalencies. Grades will be transferred to your home institution in late January after the completion of the program. Course offerings are subject to change according to enrollment. For more information, visit Transcripts & Grades.
Program Excursions
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Santa Maria del Fiore
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Fresco Painting Workshop
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Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum
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Orvieto
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Vatican City
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Tour of the Historical Center
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Uffizi & Accademia Galleries
Group Flight
ESTIMATED COST $1,650 – $1,750
The Italy Winter program offers a group flight option where you can travel to your program location with other students and faculty. If you choose this option, KIIS will purchase a flight ticket on your behalf. The flight cost will be added to your final program fee on November 1. The group flight will depart from Cincinnati or Louisville.
Flights to Italy are typically overnight flights which means you will depart the USA on December 27 and arrive in Italy on December 28. The Italy Winter program concludes on January 7. Return flights from Italy to the USA are typically the same day. Visit flights for more information.