Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore or above
Location: Europe, Italy
GPA: 2.75

Program Overview

This program will explore the worldwide wine industry with a focus on Italian wines from Tuscany. In a career path-like course, students will learn real-world wine marketing management essentials, both in the classroom and through excursions to nearby wineries. As a natural extension, students will be immersed in the process of making wine as well as learning about wine itself.

Check out what Kenzie had to say about her experience studying wine marketing in Siena, Italy!

Business and Accounting majors; Pre-Business Administration majors: The prerequisite course for this program is MKTG 311, which has a prerequisite of BA 308. This means you must complete both BA 308 and MKTG 311 before the summer term to be eligible for this program. (Students need to be admitted to the business or accounting major before the start of the program.) Applications can be submitted before the prerequisites are met, i.e. you can apply in the fall and take the pre-reqs in the winter and spring..

Business minors and other students: Must take BA 317 before the program starts.

Dates and Deadlines

 
TermYearDeadlineArrival DateDeparture Date
Summer202501/01/202507/21/202508/30/2025

This program is less than 90 days. Students with a US passport will be traveling to Italy under the Schengen Visa waiver program and do not require a travel visa for this program, and GEO is unable to assist U.S. citizens in obtaining a visa. If you are not a U.S. Citizen: Notify your GEO Advisor. Students who are not U.S. citizens should contact the Italian consulate in their country of residence about visa requirements, no matter the duration of the program of study.

This program has a rolling admission application process: GEO staff (and the program faculty leader, if applicable) will complete a review of the application materials of complete applications in the order that they are submitted (“first come, first serve”). Decisions about acceptance will be made shortly after you submit a complete application. There are some programs that fill fast, some even before the deadline. Students are encouraged to complete applications and commit to programs early.

Acceptance is based on a holistic review of your application.  This includes a review of your GPA, transcripts (including courses taken and in-progress), any additional requirements or prerequisites (see section "Additional Requirements"), and the short statement.

Hear from Our Students

Making Friends While Abroad

College-aged woman posing in a vineyard on a sunny day in Siena.
Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My friends and I would always say, “When are we going to be in Italy in our twenties again." I learned so much not only in my classes but from… read more

Ciao Siena, Returning to the US

A glass of wine in a wine window in Italy
Returning to the US and settling back into my routine in Eugene was an eye-opening experience that deepened my appreciation for both cultures. While the differences between Italy and the US were… read more

Flexibility and relaxation in Siena

A young woman stands on a bridge in Italy
Ciao! These past few weeks in Italy have been nothing short of extraordinary. My study abroad experience here has far exceeded my expectations, offering a rich array of unforgettable moments. Each… read more

Faculty-Led Scholarship Opportunity

Applicants to this program are eligible for program-specific scholarship funds. Award recipients are chosen based on academic merit, financial need, and overall quality of their essay. Individual awards range from $500-$1,500. To be considered, apply to the GEO General Scholarship by the advertised deadline for the term you will be abroad. Students who apply will automatically be considered for all available funding within the General Scholarship, including this program's scholarship funds.

Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Academic Details

Students will enroll in the following courses. The marketing courses count as upper-division business electives:

  • Wine Marketing Management (4 credits; equivalent to MKTG 400-level elective)
  • Sustainable Marketing (4 credits; equivalent to MKTG 400-level elective)
  • Cross-Cultural Communication (2 credits; equivalent to GLBL 300-level elective) - provides an introduction to Italian society and culture.

Students must have completed a principles of marketing course; at the University of Oregon, that is either MKTG 311 or BA 317. 

For Business Administration and Accounting majors, this program may satisfy the Lundquist College of Business (LCB) Global Context requirements and the Cultural Awareness for Business Decisions Requirement, with LCB academic advisor approval. Please contact your LCB academic advisor for more details about these requirements.

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Additional Requirements

Applications can be submitted before the prerequisites are met, i.e. you can apply in the fall and take the pre-reqs in the winter and spring..

Business and Accounting majors; Pre-Business Administration majors: students must take BA 308 before taking the prerequisite course for this program, MKTG 311. Students will not be eligible for the program without having taken BA 308 and MKTG 311. (Students need to be admitted to the business or accounting major before the start of the program.)

Business minors and other students: students must take BA317 before the program starts.

Faculty and Staff

John Davis is a Professor of Practice at University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business and chair of BrandNewView, a leadership firm focused on helping organizations become a force for social and economic good. Previously, he led the Asia and North America regions for Duke University's Corporate Education. He also served as an interim department coordinator at the Lundquist College. Davis has held numerous academic and consulting roles for organizations such as the SP Jain School of Global Management, Emerson College, Singapore Management University, the International Olympic Academy, and more.

Davis is a former Fortune 500 executive, having led marketing teams for Nike and served as vice president of marketing and business development at Transamerica, Informix, and Unify. He has also founded two award-winning companies—Northwest Resorts, a boutique resort firm, and BrandNewView.

Scott Day is the Peter and Molly Powell Senior Instructor of Management at the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. He brings to the classroom more than10 years of significant corporate management experience, more than 20 years of complex professional practice management consulting in healthcare, and over 6 years of executive coaching experience. Mr. Day loves teaching and sharing his knowledge in every class session with the goal of adding value to each and every student. In addition, he enjoys seeing students realizing their enormous potential as they learn the concepts in the courses.

Mr. Day was elected Student Bar Association for his graduating class at the College of Law at the University of Toledo. His undergraduate studies were at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Prior to joining academia, Mr. Day worked for State Farm Insurance, Phillips Corporation, Robbins Research International, The McNeil Group, Mercer Advisors, and is the principal for Scott Day Consulting Inc. Scott Day is one of the faculty advisors for the Oregon Consulting Group. Day wishes to make the Lundquist College of Business a shining example of a professionally managed, student-run consulting organization.

Housing Description

Experience life as part of an authentic Italian neighborhood, living in apartments with other GEO and/or International/Italian students or students’ residence (small dorm) with other American, Italian or international students throughout the town of Siena. Some apartments are within walking distance of the GEO classroom within the old city walls, while others are in neighborhoods just outside and accessible by public transportation. No matter where you live, close by you can find small local grocers, restaurants, and cafés unique to your neighborhood. Each apartment is fully furnished with beds, desks and a kitchen table and chairs. You will share a bedroom with one or two other students, as well as the common spaces (bathroom, kitchen, etc.). The kitchens are equipped with utensils, plates, glasses, cookware, an electronic oven and a gas stove. You will also receive two sets of linens and each apartment has access to a washing machine and drying rack.

The GEO Siena Center occupies the second floor of what was once was a Baron’s mansion. Many walls and the ceilings still adorn the original fresco paintings. There are multiple classrooms, a library, and a computer room for student use, and lots of space for students to meet. Facing a beautiful park in the heart of Siena, the GEO facility is ideally located.