The academic requirements of the new program have three components: language proficiency, content courses and an electronic portfolio.
Language Courses: Two years (four semesters), or equivalent, of any Mediterranean language.
Mediterranean Studies Content Courses:
A minimum of five Mediterranean Studies Content Courses (15 credits) is required. These must include the required core course HIST 1790 - Mediterranean World Since 1500. Two of the courses may overlap with the student’s majors. The remaining courses must be from at least two departments outside the student’s major. Two of the courses must be at the 1000 level and students must earn a C or better in classes counting towards the certificate.
Electronic Portfolio: Additionally, for purposes of assessment, students will be required to produce an electronic portfolio upon completion of the certificate. Building on a narrative that explains the connection between the classes used to complete the requirements, students may include papers or projects developed as class assignments, observations from study abroad, and insights gained from pre-professional experiences such as internships and informational interviews.
These requirements match those of numerous other certificate programs offered in UCIS, including the West European Studies, Asian Studies, Transatlantic, and Russian and East European Studies Certificate programs.
Courses: A variety of courses will be developed for the new program. One that has already been approved by the History Department, and will serve as the certificate’s core course, is being offered for the first time in Fall 2019 (2201): HIST 1790 - Mediterranean World Since 1500. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the history of the region’s politics, economics, religions and cultures, providing a base for additional coursework in which they will focus their regional interests and studies.
Many pre-existing courses also fulfill requirements for the certificate and a sample list is attached to this proposal. Future course offerings will likely be informed by the visiting Italian Fulbright Scholars who are in residence at Pitt every Spring semester.
Internships and research experiences already offered by the ESC, and the university itself, are also applicable to this new program. But, in addition, prospective new internships, with companies like Addev Materials (and their offices in France) might also serve the program. Moreover, new international partnerships with universities in Italy (Rome) and Croatia (Zagreb) are also applicable.
