SHU Business Students Head to Florence for Contract Law Course
A summer 2027 program in Tuscany combines legal studies with site visits to the Uffizi Galleries and local markets.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Sacred Heart University is offering business students a summer 2027 study abroad option in Florence, Italy. The course, titled MGT 299, focuses on the history and practice of freedom of contract. Students will learn how legal standards for agreements evolved from feudalism to modern capitalism. The program runs for two weeks in the spring of 2027.
The course is designed for students in the College of Business and Technology. It is offered in collaboration with LdM Lorenzo de’ Medici, an Italian international institute. The curriculum covers three main areas: the shift from feudalism to capitalism, current substantive contract law, and principles for negotiating contracts. The goal is to connect legal theory with the historical context of the Renaissance city.
Richard Pate, JD, will lead the course. Pate has taught law-related courses at Sacred Heart University for more than 25 years. He specializes in human resource law and is a practicing attorney licensed in Connecticut. His credentials include admission to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He aims to provide both legal theory and practical insights to students.
Students will stay in shared apartments with double occupancy. All housing locations are within walking distance of the school. The program includes several excursions to local sites. These visits include the Camera Di Commercio, or Chamber of Commerce, and the Palazzo Vecchio. Students will also explore local markets and visit the Uffizi Galleries and the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze.
Additional activities include a visit to the Museo Galileo and the Accademia del Caffè Espresso. Students will participate in a cooking class at LDdM CUCINA, located at Mercato Centrale. The fees cover program orientation, housing, some meals, course-related excursions, and basic international health insurance. Travel to and from Italy, major medical insurance, and personal expenses are not included in the cost.
Financial aid options are available for eligible students. Business majors enrolled in The Welch Experience may use a $1,950 Welch Waiver toward summer tuition. Applications for this waiver, along with the Thomas More Honors Program Scholarship and the Matthew R. Dalling Scholarship, must be submitted by specified deadlines. Global Engagement encourages students to apply for all relevant scholarship opportunities to reduce costs. Awards are posted to student accounts according to the normal disbursement schedule.
The program schedule is set for May 2027. Students will depart the United States on May 15, 2027. They are scheduled to arrive in Italy on May 16, 2027. The group will depart Italy and return to the United States on May 30, 2027. All expenses are subject to change based on currency fluctuations, flight demand, and personal spending habits. Actual costs may differ from the listed estimates.
