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Urbino, Italy

Urbino lies in the northern part of central Italy’s Marche Region, nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. Many say the Renaissance started here under the patronage of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, whose twin-turreted palace still houses an outstanding collection of period art. Work with a team of experienced media professionals to create multimedia publications about the town of Urbino, Italy, and get a taste of being a foreign correspondent.

Students will live and learn at the University of Urbino, with all meals included.

Students will create a variety of multimedia content that will be published as both a website and an app. You will learn how to use the tools that journalists use today to create compelling multimedia journalism.

During this four-week program, you will learn how to:

• research and report a story in a foreign setting
• produce multimedia content for a website and/or tablet publication
• tell stories in ways that incorporate video, audio, graphics, maps and interactive elements
• work with an interpreter
• speak some basic Italian

Check out the site students produced in past years at  2012.inurbino.net and 2011.inurbino.net.

Check out the 2012 and 2011 editions of Urbino Now, the culture and travel publication produced by students in the magazine journalism program

Academic Credit

Journalism Course (3 credits)

Students will study photography, international reporting and video and will create multimedia content for an app designed for tablets as well as a website.  Each student will be required to write a story, shoot photos and create either a slideshow or a short video story.

Coached by teachers who have won Pulitzer Prizes and National Magazine Awards, students will work on skills critical for successful journalism, including the basics of reporting and telling compelling stories, through both words and images. Students will learn how to navigate as professional journalists in a foreign culture by working with interpreters and crafting ready-to-publish features and news stories. Students will also study “survival” Italian and learn about the history and culture of the region.

University Credits

Students will sign up for 3 credits from our partner university, Iowa State University. These credits are offered through the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University as JlMC 390k, Multimedia Journalism in Italy. Credits are transferable and may be accepted for journalism elective credit by your college or university. (Note: James Madison University students will sign up for School of Media Arts and Design – SMAD 305 Web Documentary Production: The Urbino Project).

The City

Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region of central Italy. Although Urbino was a Roman and medieval city, its peak came during the 15th century when Duke Federico da Montefeltro established one of Europe’s most illustrious courts. Urbino’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The University

The University of Urbino was founded in 1506, and currently has about 20,000 students, many of whom are from overseas. The university has no central campus as such, and instead occupies numerous buildings throughout the town and in the surrounding countryside.

Travel Opportunities

Students will have three-day weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) free to explore the city, or to travel within Italy. Florence, Rome, Bologna and Venice are accessible by bus and train; regional buses from Urbino serve many charming, small towns in the region. Those who want to tour extensively should plan travel time before or after the program.

Students

The program is open to English-speaking college students and recent graduates from any school. Students from many universities — including American University, Iowa State University, James Madison University, Louisiana State University, Ryerson University, New York University, UCLA, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Temple University, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, University of Montana, Arizona State University, San Jose State University,  San Diego State University, Rice University, University of Nevada-Reno, Nanyang Technological University, University of British Columbia and Baylor University — have participated in past ieiMedia programs. We’ve also had students from Japan, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Thailand and Trinidad.

Most of our students are journalism or communications majors but those majoring in other subjects are welcome as well. For non-journalism/communication majors, experience working for a college or professional publication is helpful, but is not necessary. The program is open to English-speaking students and recent graduates from around the world.

Graduate students are also invited to apply. We’d be happy to talk with you about supervising an independent project that would qualify for graduate credit at your school, or to offer this experience as a graduate internship.

Faculty

Our faculty come from leading universities and news organizations. In 2013 our faculty will include:

Program Director

Dennis Chamberlin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and associate professor at Iowa State University who spent much of his career as a photojournalist in Poland working for such publications as National Geographic, Time and The New York Times Magazine.  If you have questions, contact him at dchamberlin@ieimedia.com.

Multimedia Reporting Faculty

Steven D. Anderson is the director and professor of the James Madison University School of Media Arts & Design. He is also a former environmental reporter at KCNC-TV in Denver.

Michael Gold, cofounder of Health, former editor of Strings, book author and consultant who helped launch Dwell magazine and other prominent publications and websites.

Rustin Greene spent his first career as a television writer/producer/director, earning two Los Angeles Area EMMY awards and three Cable ACE awards. Rusty is now in his second career, teaching in James Madison University’s School of Media Arts and Design.

Greg Luft is chair of the Journalism and Technical Communication department at Colorado State University. He has a diverse career as a television news reporter and anchor; documentary, educational, and corporate video producer; freelance video journalist; teacher, and academic administrator.

Bob Marshall, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, who has spent much of his career chronicling the people, stories and issues of Louisiana’s wetlands culture.

Susan West, founding editor in chief of Afar, former executive editor of Smithsonian, and consultant who has advised magazines and websites from Cooking Light to WebMD.

Pawel Wyszomirski, a freelance photographer from Gdansk, Poland, and cofounder of the photo community Testigo, a collective of photographers and videographers focusing on visual journalism.

Accommodations

Students will live in a University of Urbino dorm, sharing a room with private bath with one other student. Three tasty, varied meals a day in the student cafeteria are included. Sheets and towels will be provided.

Equipment

Students are expected to bring a laptop computer and digital camera. Digital high-definition video cameras, microphones (handheld, lavalier and wireless) and tripods are provided by ieiMedia. Some digital still cameras will also be provided for those who need them.

Italian Instruction

Students will have daily instruction in “survival” Italian, taught by Francesca Carducci, a professor at the University of Urbino. The classes cover the basics of conversational Italian and provide some insight into the culture, food and way of life in Italy.

Interpreters

When reporting you will work with University of Urbino students, who will act as interpreters. In the past, students have found the process of working with these Italian students to be one of the most rewarding experiences in the program.

Program Cost

The cost is $4,995 plus airfare. The price includes tuition (3 credits), housing and most meals, instruction, basic travel insurance, welcome and goodbye dinners and special programs, activities and cultural events. Transfer from and to the airport in Rome is also provided.

Financial Aid

Students studying abroad for the summer term have limited financial aid options. Check with your school’s financial aid office and your study-abroad offices to find out if assistance is available. More information on financial aid is available here.

Application Process

Students must fill out the online application and submit a letter of recommendation from a professor or employer and college transcripts, along with a $500 deposit. Deposits will be refunded only if a student is not accepted into the program.

For more information, fill out our contact form.

Video Presentation

Urbino Program