FRANKLIN COLLEGE
Franklin College is located in Lugano, a major financial, cultural, and medical center situated on Lake Lugano, which is noted for its
scenic beauty and Mediterranean climate. Students experience a tri-lingual city, where Italian, German, and French are spoken with equal frequency, which has a great diversity of cultural activities and a variety of sports facilities and activities.
A liberal arts college with an international faculty and student body, Franklin College offers small classes with an emphasis on student/teacher interaction. Located on a hillside above the city, the college is a short walk from the downtown center. Facilities include a library, student center, art studios, and an auditorium; in the new computer lab, students have access to e-mail and internet services.
Academic Program Highlights
Franklin College offers a full range of undergraduate courses, with all instruction in English. Foreign language instruction in French, German, and Italian is also available. Courses are international in perspective and cross-cultural in content, and include such a listings as Global Strategic Management, Economic Transition in Eastern Europe, Diplomatic History of Modern Europe, International Law, International Design, and National and Ethnic Conflict in Europe.
Franklin College is regionally accredited in the United States through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and offers an MBA program as well as undergraduate degrees. There is a required two-week Academic Travel program led by Franklin faculty, which is considered an extension of course work. Students typically earn 12-15 credits per semester. A 2.7 GPA is required, as well as transcripts and letters of recommendation, for admission into the program, which is open to students at freshman through senior standing.
Student Life
Students live in fully furnished apartments with kitchenettes within easy walking distance from the campus. The apartment buildings are staffed by trained student assistants. Dining facilities, under the direction of a professional master chef, are also available on campus. The student activities fee covers participation in a variety of extracurricular events on campus.
The Lugano area offers excellent hiking and skiing opportunities, and there are intramural sports available on campus as well as access to a local health club. Students may join a number of clubs, including some professional associations like the International Marketing Club. The diverse student body is drawn from 50 different nationalities, and many of them participate in community activities as well as those offered on campus.