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SIT: FOOD CULTURES AND SUSTAINABILITY

 

SIT and Dickinson College have partnered to create a one-of-a-kind program in Italy, open to all students. Italy offers an unparalleled setting for exploring the connections between food, culture, and sustainability. Experience the country's food systems, from the culinary traditions of Bologna to the innovative urban food systems of Turin and the lagoon ecosystem of Venice. Through these regions, you'll gain an understanding of how geography, history, and culture shape Italian cuisine and influence sustainable practices.

Learn frameworks for understanding the relationship between food, environment, and culture, including bioregionalism and terroir. Italy's role as the birthplace of the Slow Food movement, which works to ensure access to clean air and fair food, offers additional insights into how traditional food cultures can inform and shape modern approaches to sustainability.

SIT: FOOD CULTURES AND SUSTAINABILITY Image

Area(s) of Study

  • Health And Society
  • Nutrition
  • Public Health
  • Sustainability Studies

Sponsored by SIT - a UT Affiliate

Academic Information

Students will engage with food professionals and local communities to understand cultural ecologies, foodways, and sustainable agricultural practices. The practicum includes an internship with a Tuscan farmer, living on a historic estate, and discussions with food and agriculture experts in Rome.

Language(s) of Instruction

English

Eligibility

Service Learning/Internship

  • Service Learning - Yes
  • Internship - Yes

Housing

All accommodations during the entire program period. Students are housed in modern studio dorms (double occupancy) with kitchenette, Wi-Fi, utilities, some cleaning services, linens, daytime reception, a night porter, a laundry room, and common areas. While on excursions, students stay in hostels, guesthouses, or small hotels.

Open To

Students from all colleges and schools

Program Cost

Students will pay $75 application fee, $600 affiliated studies fee and $19 per week for overseas insurance to UT Austin in addition to the SIT costs. Summer in-person programs receive scholarships of $750.

Dates:

- Summer Whole
  • Program: June 1, 2025 to July 13, 2025
  • Instructional: June 1, 2025 to July 13, 2025
  • Final Deadline: March 15, 2025

Application Code

330114

Program Coordinator

Julia Pfeiffer

Additional Resources

Program Website
Academic Credit
Internship
Scholarships
Events Calendar
Make an Appointment

Next Step

(1) View Explore Education Abroad 101 and Ready to Apply videos. (2) Review the provider website for program details, academic offerings, costs, application requirements, and deadlines. (3) Apply to SIT, list Julia Pfeiffer as an advisor. (4) Apply to UT. See the Education Abroad How to Apply / Affiliate webpage for details.

Program information above is subject to change