Academic Programs International
The Official API Blog
Photo essay by Caroline Laschon, API Resident Director in Caen, France.
Discover Caen, the city, the amazing regional cuisine and fantastic cheese, its picturesque scenery and beautiful landscapes, the historic and cultural site and of course its excellent and very progressive university.
Have a look at the following photos before coming to Caen and have the best study abroad experience possible.
Caen is definitely the perfect place to study and enjoy life!!!
- Caroline ~
As we prepare for the upcoming fall semester, we wanted to give you a sneak peak to some exciting new API study abroad programs. Today’s installment - Italian Immersion in Taormina, Italy at Babilonia – Center for Italian Language and Culture.
Taormina is a quaint medieval town perched on the summit of Mt. Tauro , in the northeast corner of the island of Sicily. Taormina’s amazing views of the turquoise Ionian Sea and Homer’s mythical Mount Etna have captivated artists, photographers and writers for centuries. The 2000+ year old Greek Theater, only steps from campus, hosts contemporary and classical concerts, opera, ballet, plays and events, as well as an International Film Fest in June ongoing since the 1950’s. Along the narrow medieval streets are architectural gifts from the many civilizations which ruled Sicily since its early Greek years, including a Roman amphitheater, Norman castle, Byzantine fountain and Arabic palace. Students also can enjoy the internationally renowned beaches of Taormina. The warm, clear Ionian Sea provides relaxation after class and weekend fun. The well-known Sicilian hospitality encourages students to participate in the social rhythm and allows for easy integration.
Greek theatre of Taormina (Photo Ami Elsius)
API students in Taormina study at Babilonia – Center for Italian Language and Culture. Classes are held at “Casa Silva,” a nationally registered historic villa protected by the Sovrintendenza alle Belle Arti (the National Agency for the preservation of Art and Monuments). The villa is hidden from view by an impressive stone wall that separates it from the steps of Via Timoleone, which lead to the Greek Theater. Babilonia is truly a cultural center, hosting book presentations, painting and sculpture exhibitions and concerts in its 1,000 square meters of botanical garden. In the net-café located in the WI-FI garden, students can enjoy leisure time under the lush green trees with classmates while sipping a cappuccino from the school’s cafeteria.
API students are engaged in the study of literature, history, cinema, art, archaeology and Italian language. In accordance with Babilonia’s commitment to ensuring students’ successful intercultural interactions, students enroll in a minimum of 6 credits of Italian language courses in semester programs. In addition, all cultural activities and excursions are conducted in Italian. Semester, academic year, summer, and short-term programs are available.
Further details will be available in the coming weeks on the API website and 2012-2013 API catalog.
As we prepare for the upcoming fall semester, we wanted to give you a sneak peak to some exciting new API study abroad programs. Today’s installment – the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, England.
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is the only higher education institution in the UK specializing in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East and is one of the world’s leading institutions of its kind. SOAS is part of the federal University of London (like API’s program at University College London). The School has expanded rapidly in recent years to over 4,600 students from more than 130 countries but still retains its characteristic friendliness and warmth.
The specialties offered at SOAS have increasing relevance in today’s complex world. Economic, political, cultural and environmental changes have all led to a growing need to understand the world from a range of perspectives. SOAS has a long and distinguished tradition of widening the horizons of its students and helping them to gain the skills required in an international environment. At SOAS students are guided by scholars at the forefront of their fields who engage students in a challenging and dynamic learning experience. SOAS values its study abroad students very highly. They are fully integrated into the academic and social life of the school. Study abroad students are able to choose from over 400 courses and can build a unique program, exploring the range of specialist courses available at SOAS that may not be available in their home institution. Students can pursue studies in subjects from Arabic to Japanese, Aramaic to Urdu, and everything in between.
Another exciting feature of this program is the ability for academic year students to continue their studies of Arabic language and culture in one of API’s Middle Eastern program locations. More on this option in a future sneak peak!
Further details will be available in the coming weeks on the API website and 2012-2013 API catalog.