Penn State’s fall 2023 Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) embedded program includes the opportunity to study in Florence, one of the most artistic and culturally important cities in the world.
This program is open to all Penn State students, no matter which campus they attend. HDFS 499, Understanding the Italian Family: Historical and Cultural Contexts is a three-credit class that includes weekly Zoom class meetings and a 10-day trip to Florence, Italy, from November 16 to 26, 2023. Successful completion of the course includes both the coursework and the embedded travel. For more information on the course, see the course schedule (select fall 2023, Mont Alto Campus, HDFS 499).
How do I enroll?
To participate in this embedded course, you must apply for inclusion. Once approved, a $500 deposit is required to register for the course. The deposit will only be refunded if the travel portion of the program is canceled by the university.
Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their air travel to Italy with the expectation of arrival in Florence by November 17 (leaving on November 16 with an overnight flight) and departure from Italy on November 26.
The program fee balance will need to be paid in full to Penn State Mont Alto by October 1, 2023. Complete instructions for deposit and balance will be supplied by the program coordinator, Robin Yaure. Official university travel approval will be determined by September 15, 2023.
Once the program has received university approval in September, you become financially committed to Penn State. The deposit is non-refundable–even if you drop the class or cannot participate in the program–unless the travel portion of the program is canceled by the university.
Embedded Course Fee and Tuition
If a student is already registered full-time for the Fall 2023 semester, then this course will not add additional tuition costs to the student bill. If a student is taking this course as part of a part-time enrollment, then the tuition will be adjusted accordingly with HDFS 499 a 3-credit course. For more information on costs, see the university information on tuition.
The program fee, which covers housing for nine days, mandatory field trips, and fees from our third-party provider in Florence, Italy, the International Studies Institute (ISI), is $3050 if there are 10 students in the program, $2725 if there are 15 students, and $2600 if there are 20 students. The deposit is included in the fee so that the balance remaining will be $2550, $2225, and $2100, for 10, 15, and 20 students in the program, respectively.
Funding Opportunities
An embedded-specific grant is available at Embedded Programs Scholarship. The Student Engagement program provides another opportunity for funding. Students should explore funding opportunities through the Undergraduate Research and Fellowship Mentoring office. Check with your dean, chancellor, or your financial aid offices for additional opportunities. Each funding and scholarship opportunity has different deadlines, and competition may be significant.
Official Application
By submitting the embedded program application, you are requesting consideration for approval of this course and participation in the embedded travel experience to Florence, Italy. You understand and agree that, if accepted, you will be asked to pay a $500 deposit. You are also committing to paying the full program fee by the deadline when prompted to do so. Once you have been accepted into the program, you have two weeks to send in the deposit in order to reserve a spot in the program. If you take longer than two weeks to send in the deposit, a space will not be reserved for you, although there still may be room for you after that time.
Keep in that mind that once the $500 deposit is paid, you are financially committed to Penn State. The fee is non-refundable, even if you drop the class or cannot participate in the program. Any grant award received will also be returned.
Questions can be directed to Robin Yaure Ph.D., program coordinator and professor of teaching, HDFS.
Please note that while Covid restrictions have eased for international travel (as of February 2023), it is possible that they may be tightened again. You should keep up with university information regarding such situations, available via the Penn State Global COVID-19 website.