For more than 25 years, UGA students have had the opportunity to take a wide range of courses in the arts and humanities through the university’s study abroad program in Cortona, Italy. Now, for the first time, students with interests in science and medicine have something to choose from as well.
During Maymester 2006, the Cortona program will offer “Topics in Biology/Biology of Medicine” (BIOL 3910) and “History of Medicine” (HIST 3433). The classes are upper-division, three-hour courses designed for undergraduate students with career goals in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, biological sciences and biomedical and health sciences research and teaching. The deadline to apply for the Maymester science program is Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006.
The “Topics in Biology” course will cover an array of current topics in biology, including biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and biotechnology that relate to modern medicine. These topics include cloning, stem cell biology, cancer biology, endocrinology and bioethics. The course will be taught by Wyatt W. Anderson, Alumni Foundation Distinguished Professor of Genetics, and J. David Puett, Regents Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Prerequisites for the course are BIOL 1107 and BIOL 1108 (or the equivalents).
Edward J. Larson, the Richard B. Russell Professor of American History and Talmadge Professor of Law and a Pulitzer Prize-winner, will teach “History of Medicine.” The course will cover Western concepts of medicine from a historical perspective with a focus on the contributions by Italian physicians and scientists. There is no prerequisite.
The format for the courses will consist of two lectures – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – and three discussion periods each day. The courses will be augmented by fieldtrips to Rome, Florence, Bologna, Padua and Venice.
For more than 35 years, UGA’s Cortona program has been a leader in international arts education, providing a challenging opportunity for the serious art student who wishes to combine international travel with an intensive studio and classroom experience. A medieval hill town, Cortona offers a rich historical environment where students can easily integrate with the lifestyle of a typical Italian community. Since its inception, the program has served nearly 5,000 students from 400 U.S. institutions. Today, more than 200 students travel to Cortona each year to study art, landscape architecture, Italian culture and language, as well as a variety of courses in the humanities.
