Career Program /
Associate’s Degrees (AA)
AUF offers 1 to 2-year Certificate Career Programs for students seeking to develop new skills and knowledge while building professional experience in an international learning environment. Programs are unique for their combination of in-classroom experiential learning and practice in the field within the dynamic local economy of Florence.
The streamlined program features four areas of study with a common core for the first year. For the second year, each area of study offers a choice of four specialization areas. Options are available for direct access to 2nd-year specializations.
| YEAR 1 Areas of Study One-Year Certificate |
YEAR 2 Specializations Two-Year Advanced Certificate |
YEAR 3 Third-Year Master-Level Certificate (Culinary/Baking only) |
|---|---|---|
| Communication and Interactive Digital Media | Photography Publishing Visual Communication Product Design | - |
| Fashion Design, Merchandising, and Media | Fashion Design and Technology Accessory Design and Technology Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, and Retail Fashion Communication, Promotion, and Media | - |
| Hospitality Management (Food and Beverage Service Supervisor*) |
Hospitality Management Reception Professional* Special Event Management Spa Management Real Estate and Facilities Management | - |
| Food, Wine, and Wellness Studies | Culinary Arts Chef de Partie* Baking and Pastry Chef de Partie Wine Studies and Enology Junior Sommelier* Wellness, Health, and Nutrition | Culinary Arts Sous Chef* Baking and Pastry Sous Chef |
| YEAR 1 Areas of Study One-Year Certificate | YEAR 2 Specializations Two-Year Advanced Certificate | YEAR 3 Third-Year Master-Level Certificate (Culinary/Baking only) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Interactive Digital Media | Photography Publishing Visual Communication Product Design | ||
| Fashion Design, Merchandising, and Media | Fashion Design and Technology Accessory Design and Technology Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, and Retail Fashion Communication, Promotion, and Media | ||
| Hospitality Management (Food and Beverage Service Supervisor*) | Hospitality Management Reception Professional* Special Event Management Spa Management Real Estate and Facilities Management | ||
| Food, Wine, and Wellness Studies | Culinary Arts Chef de Partie* Baking and Pastry Chef de Partie Wine Studies and Enology Junior Sommelier* Wellness, Health, and Nutrition | Culinary Arts Sous Chef* Baking and Pastry Sous Chef | |
*WACS-recognized, for further details please visit the Apicius certification page.
AA Program Completion Information
The above 2-year career programs can be taken as pathways to AUF’s Associate of Arts (AA) degree programs. AA fulfillment requires the coursework described in the Certificate Career Program curricula and a minimum of 21 general education credits as listed below to complete the associate’s degree. Please note that general requirements vary according to the program. All AA programs require an appropriate English language level as stated for the bachelor’s degree programs.
Required Courses:
The core education of each level consists of 5 courses (18 credits per semester, 36 credits per academic year). Core courses are mandatory and fundamental for each program. Each academic year also requires a non-credit experiential learning placement in January (or in same cases August, depending on the program start).
General Education requirements:
- English Composition, 3 credits
- Humanities, 3 credits
- Mathematics, 3 credits
- Physical and Biological Sciences, 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 3 credits
- Diversity and Intercultural Studies, 3 credits
- Italian Language, 3 credits
Total general education credits: 21
Total AA program credit load: 76 credits*
*Please note: General requirements vary according to the program. Some gen ed requirements are embedded in multiple courses. Some programs may require additional credits to complete the associate-level program of study, as defined in the individual program curriculum.
Please see the Academic Catalog for objectives and outcomes for each of the above AA degree options.