Being a student at the University of New Haven, the university provides many programs and events throughout each academic year on campus. One experience is the Study Abroad Program. Opening the doors to an enriching experience full of cultural exchange and academic growth, the Study Abroad Program is a program that students must take to enhance their educational journey while also fostering their own personal development.
While currently the only option for studying abroad at the moment is in Prato, Italy, the campus boasts a wide variety of activities for the students outside of studying, with the campus being 25 minutes away from Florence, and around 2 hours by train to Rome, Italy.
Students can select from a semester-long program or a summer program, depending on what they need to graduate and what the student wishes, pertaining to their major and concentration. Each option provides different benefits, whether it be opportunities to take specialized classes for the student’s major or conducting research through practical experience. This allows for all types of students to forge a path for themselves and a plan that aligns with their academic and professional aspirations.
As for pricing, the University of New Haven charges the same amount that a student would pay if they lived on the main campus in West Haven, other than the cost for the round-trip airline tickets.
The university emphasizes the importance of cultural integration while pursuing students’ education through various personalized experiences and orientations. Students are all required to take an Italian course, whether that be basic or advanced Italian. This is to ensure that the students can adjust to the major language switch. This also encourages students to apply critical thinking skills and step outside their comfort zones.
Other popular experiences that take up a part of the Prato campus experience includes activities such as family dinners, where the students can have a home-cooked meal with a local family. Also, Conversation Exchanges, which have students connect with local Italian students to help sharpen the language and talk to others in their own age group and socialize.
As for assistance and preparation, the university takes several measures to ensure that students are prepared in their entirety for the semester abroad. First, mandatory orientations for traveling abroad are hosted the semester before, where every issue and question that a student may have is answered.
Another important resource that the campus offers is the Study Abroad Office, open to emails at any time at [email protected] as well as accepting all walk-in questions in Maxcy Hall, Room 109. Finally, before the student even decides if the study abroad program is the move to make for them, you can look the program up at newhaven.edu/studyabroad.
