Rome - Study Rome: Language & Area Studies

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Rome [1]

Country:

Italy [2]

Program credits:

15-19 per semester (4-6 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Italian

Language prerequisites:

None

It is impossible to avoid the past in Rome. It eagerly waits for you around every corner, hoping to intrigue you with a worn-down step, surprise you with an unexpected fountain, or inspire you with soaring architecture. Come study Rome’s unmatched historical and artistic past while simultaneously learning about its modern role in international politics and business.

No matter what your level of Italian language proficiency, this program is for you. Students enroll in an Italian language course and choose from a variety of other courses, taught in both English and Italian.

Rome will be your classroom. Can you imagine places like the Vatican, Pantheon, the Forum, or the Coliseum being part of your education? Welcome to study abroad! Wherever possible our courses take advantage of the city’s many opportunities through a series of course-related field studies to many historical, artistic, and cultural sites.

You can also enroll in courses at a local university, where you will experience first-hand the Italian educational system. Maybe you’ll even make some Italian friends while you’re at it.

If you have four or more semesters of Italian language, you can enroll in our Advanced Italian Studies Program, which is designed to be a full immersion experience with advanced coursework.

If you want to become familiar with the local cultural environment and build professional relationships with Italians, enroll into our internship or social action programs. These are unique opportunities for you to build up an international resume as you practice the language and develop your personal abilities.

We want you to feel at home in Rome, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Rome, from internships to cultural activities. You even have the option of living with an Italian Student Companion, a local university student who serves as your local host and resource on how to make the most of living and learning in Rome.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

We offer unique courses that explore Italian Language, History, and Culture, as well as other topics, taught by our world-class professors. Course options at prestigious local universities enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.

While in Rome, you take 15–19 credit hours per semester, and all courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified. Academic programming is scheduled five days a week.

Language courses are taught in Italian, and all other courses are taught in English, unless otherwise noted.

You create your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:

IES Abroad Italian language course (required, 4 credits)
English-taught IES Abroad areas studies courses (3 credits each)
Italian-taught IES Abroad area studies courses (3 credits each)
Italian-taught course(s) at a local university (3 credits each)
Internship or social action placement (3 credits)

Advanced Italian Studies Program
If you have taken four or more semesters of Italian, this option provides a full immersion experience and develops full intercultural competence. If you elect to take part in the Advanced Italian Studies option, which includes an Italian Language Pledge, you customize your academic experience by selecting from the following program components:

Italian Language (IT400), advanced Italian language seminar
Università degli Studi Roma Tre course(s) in the humanities & social sciences
IES Abroad area studies courses taught in Italian
Internship or social action placement in Italian
CELI Italian language proficiency exam at IES Abroad, an official certificate granted by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia.

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication [3].

Partner Institution(s)

Università degli Studi Roma Tre
www.uniroma3.it [4]
Founded in 1992 as Rome’s third university, Roma Tre has become the city’s second largest, with over 35,000 students, and has gained a significant reputation in the Italian academic world thanks to its quality programs and international focus. Roma Tre offers advanced Italian-taught courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Enrollment at Roma Tre is available for IES Abroad students who have completed at least four semesters of college-level Italian. If you are interested in enrolling in a course at Roma Tre, review information on the Academic Style and University Calendar.

Courses
Roma Tre offers IES Abroad students opportunities in the following areas:

    * International Affairs
    * Religious Studies
    * Economics
    * Business
    * Education
    * Performing Arts

Rome Tre also offers English taught courses in the disciplines of Economics and Engineering.

Location & Commute Time
The campuses of Roma Tre are located throughout the city. The main campus is located in Piramide/Ostiense area in the southern part of the city. Directions to the locations of different faculties are located on Roma Tre's website. Rome is not a “university town” in the sense that student life is clustered around the universities; therefore, it takes about 45 minutes on the bus to travel from Roma Tre to the IES Abroad Rome Center.

Rome University of Fine Arts (RUFA)
www.unirufa.it [5]
RUFA is a private art academy north of Rome’s historic center near Piazza Verbano. IES Abroad students with at least one semester of college-level Italian and with a major in Studio Art or Art History can enroll in up to two courses at RUFA.

Courses
RUFA offers courses in Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture. Former IES Abroad students have enjoyed the individual attention they receive from RUFA faculty in their workshop-style classes at RUFA.

Commute Time
The commute time from RUFA to the IES Abroad Rome Center is about 45 minutes to one hour by the bus. Rome is not a “university town” in the sense that student life is clustered around the universities. The public transportation system in Rome is called the ATAC (l'Agenzia per la Mobilità del Comune di Roma).

Registration & Advising
Course offerings vary from semester to semester. Exact course availability is determined shortly before the start of each semester. For this reason, it will not be possible for you to officially register until your arrival in Rome; however you will need to refer to current course offerings in order to pre-register as part of your application.

Internships

While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market.

An internship provides an invaluable cultural experience, and helps you develop professional and personal skills. No prior Italian language study is required to qualify, but a wider array of placements is available for students with advanced Italian.

Note: the Intensive Internship Seminar requires 15-20 hours of work per week, whereas the Internship Seminar only requires 10 hours. Course requirements for the intensive course are slightly different from those for the internship seminar.

Watch a few videos of students participating in a wide variety of internships in Rome, or click here [6] to read what current and past IES Abroad Rome students have to say about their internship experiences.

Video 1 [7]
Video 2 [8] (Part 1/2)
Video 2 [9] (Part 2/2)

Placement Examples

Art, Art History, and Humanities – Assistant at the National Gallery of Modern Art
Archeology – Assistant at archaeological excavation or museum
Chemistry and Biology – Research assistant at the Italian Red Cross
Education – Classroom assistant in a Junior High School
International Cooperation and Development – Research assistant at Ricerca e Cooperazione
International Relations and Political Science – Research assistant at Istituto Affair Internazionali
Media and Journalism – General assistant at the Italian Academy Foundation

Social Action Placements
From volunteering at a homeless shelter to assisting at a refugee center, social action placements allow you to engage in activities that address specific community needs while building practical skills. Three semesters of Italian is required for participation in the social action option. You must enroll in an accompanying seminar for both the social action or internship placement to earn 3 credits.

Placement Examples

Organize activities for children at La Maisonnette, multilingual and multicultural kindergarten
Work with students during after-school programs at a Jewish community center
Volunteer for Comunità di Sant’Egidio, a charity organization working with the poor and homeless
Assistant for the organization of events and campaigns at Amnesty International

Field Study

All courses at IES Abroad Rome include faculty-led site visits as a fundamental component of the curriculum. IES Abroad Rome offers on average 130 field studies and academic daytrips per semester. Past destinations include:

Etruscan Burial Grounds of Cerveteri
Visit one of the largest necropolises of the ancient world with archaic Etruscan tombs carved deep inside the bedrock.

Assisi
See the hometown of St. Francis and a Basilica with paintings by Giotto in this perfectly preserved medieval town.

Abbey of Fossanova
Tour a Medieval monastery with Cistercian Church, refectory, cloister that was built over the remains of an ancient Roman villa.

Sperlonga
See Emperor Tiberius’s imperial holiday seaside resort. See the sculpture remains that decorated the old palace, gardens, and natural cave.

Monasteries of Subiaco
Visit these hidden monasteries and learn the art of gothic script and manuscript illumination at the Monastery of the Sacro Speco.

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Rome, it will feel like home.

Apartments – Share apartments with other IES Abroad students and have the option of living with an Italian Student Companion (ISC), a local Italian student who provides opportunities to engage in local culture and activities.

Apartments are furnished, single-sex, and generally accommodate four to seven students, with two IES Abroad students sharing a bedroom. Internet access is available. Meals are not included, but apartments offer equipped kitchens. If you are interested in improving your language proficiency, you may opt to sign an Italian-only language pledge with your roommates.

Homestays – Located throughout the city, homestays generally house one to two students. You receive breakfast daily and have the option of sharing three evening meals each week with your host family. Internet access is available.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Rome is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The program begins with a one-week orientation that introduces you to our Rome staff, your fellow students, and the city of Rome. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during the week.

Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.

Participation in an intensive Italian language program will help you acclimate to local dialects and speakers. You will delve into local culture through hands-on activities, such as cooking classes. There will also be plenty of opportunities to explore Rome and get to know your fellow students through guided tours of historical neighborhoods, visits to local markets, and social events.

You will also receive an IES Abroad Rome USB drive with important information on the IES Abroad Rome Program, Rome city living, and useful information for your time abroad.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

Redefine the way you live and learn in Rome through our cultural events, such as:

Cooking classes and local farmer’s market visits
Joining a papal audience
Outings to art exhibitions, concerts, and the opera
Trattoria nights to sample Italian regional specialties
Participating in an IES Abroad Rome soccer tournament
Community gardening on the IES Center terrace

Field Trips

Although your adventure begins in Rome, our field trips take you to other great cities in Italy to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Rome. Several two-day field trips are organized each semester. You may choose one field trip, which is included in the program fee. You have the option of signing up for other field trips at your own cost if spots are available. Field trip destinations and prices are subject to change. Past destinations are listed below.

The Amalfi Coast and Pompeii
2 Days | Fall & Spring
Study Greek and Roman ruins on the coast and explore the stunning remains of Pompeii.

Tuscany
2 Days | Fall & Spring
Guided tours throughout the countryside of one of Italy’s most unique regions, gorgeous landscapes, rich artistic legacy visiting the sites of the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

Umbria
2 Days | Fall & Spring
A gem in the heart of Italy, Umbria is perfect for those who love nature and want to discover its woods, castles, and sanctuaries. Together with IES you will discover small medieval towns, art and nature, and the peace and calm which became the inspiration for Renaissance masterpieces.

Sabina Olive Oil
1 Day | Fall
Enjoy a guided tour and introduction to the art of making extra virgin olive oil among the olive groves, where you will watch olives being gathered (and potentially gather some yourself. Also, visit an oil mill, taste various types of high quality olive oils, and enjoy a complete lunch of local organic products.

Center

IES Abroad Rome [10]

Situated in the heart of Rome along the Tiber River across from the Castel Sant’ Angelo and the Vatican, the IES Abroad Rome Center is a newly renovated 1920s-era building within walking distance of the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and the Vatican.

Features include:

High-quality academic facilities
Auditoriums used for a guest lecture series
Rooftop terrace with city views and community garden
High-speed Internet and wireless printer access

Center staff:

Acting Director, IES Abroad Rome
Dott. Gianni Ponti

Dott. Ponti is an archaeologist specialized in Imperial Roman architecture. After earning a BA in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dott. Ponti obtained a Laurea in archaeology from the University of Rome. He has worked on a number of archaeological excavations in the Mediterranean, including Troy, Aphrodisias and Leptis Magna. His studies and research focus on the use of marble in Roman construction, the ancient marble trade, quarrying and carving techniques. Dott. Ponti has worked on a number of excavations in Rome, including the Palatine Hill and the Imperial Fora. He has done research for the Department of Antiquities on a number of conservation projects including the Ara Pacis, the Column of Trajan and the Arch of Constantine. He is currently directing an excavation at the Villa of Maxentius on the Via Appia, as well as conducting architectural studies at Leptis Magna, Libya, with the Università di Rome Tre. Dott. Ponti has taught at the Istituto Centrale del Restauro of the Department of Antiquities and is currently Archaeology Advisor of the American Academy in Rome. He has been teaching archaeology courses at IES since 2004. Since 2007 he is Academic Dean of the IES Abroad Rome Center.

IES Abroad Staff
Giovanna Cucciniello
Assistant Director

Simona Di Giustino
Internship Coordinator

Arianna Gaffi
Student Services Coordinator

TBA
Academic Dean

Silvana Sodini
Health & Safety Advisor

Luisa Taffara
Administration Manager

Faculty

Christopher Altieri
Religious Studies
PhD – Philosophy, Pontifical Gregorian University

Monica Bandella
Italian Language
PhD - Italian Studies, University of Salzburg

Giulia Bottero,
Italian Language
Ph.D in Foreign Languages, Università di Venezia, Ca' Foscari.

Barbara Briganti,
Art History
Professor of History of Garden Architecture at the Facoltà di Architettura "Valle Giulia"

Maddalena Cardarelli,
Italian Language
Lettere all'università di Roma I, " La Sapienza"

Barbara Castaldo
Literature and Anthropology
PhD - Italian Studies, New York University

Stefano Castellani
Photography
Ma- Latin Epigraphy, La Sapienza University of Rome

Alessandro Coppola
Urban Studies
PhD - Urban Studies, University of Roma Tre

Efisio Espa,
Economics
Degree in Economics, University of Siena

Laura Fasanaro,
International Relations
Ph.D. in International Relations, University of Florence

Anna Ferrari Aggradi,
Italian Language
Degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Roma La Sapienza; DITALS Certificate for Teaching of Italian as a Foreign Lanague from the University of Siena

Daniele Fiorentino,
History
Ph.D. in U.S. History, University of Kansas; Ph.D. in American Studies, University of Rome I “La Sapienza”

Valentina Follo
Roman History
PhD candidate, Art & Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, University of Pennsylvania

Federica Giacomini,
Art History
MA in Art History, University of Rome I “La Sapienza”; Ph.D. in Art History and Conservation, University of Tuscia

Lori King
Religious Studies
PhD - Sacred Theology, Pontifical Gregorian University

Philip Larrey,
Religious Studies
Ph.D. in Philosophy, Pontifical Gregorian University; S.T.B (BA in Theology), Pontifical University of St. Thomas

Elisabetta Lodoli,
Film Studies
M.A., California Institute of the Arts

Marta Marchetti,
Theater/Literature
Ph.D. in Theater, Université de Paris VII and the University of Siena

Claudia Mariotti
Political Science
PhD – Political Sociology, University of Roma Tre

Registilla Aloisi Masella,
Italian Language
Degree in Translation for French and English; Specialization certificate from DILIT in Teaching Italian as a Second Language; Oral Proficiency in Italian from ACTFEL

Renato Moro,
History
Ph.D. in History, University of Rome I "La Sapienza"
Provost, University of Rome III

Giulia Parte,
Italian Language
Degree in Lingue e Letterature Straniere Moderne

Gianni Ponti,
Art History
BA in Classics, UNC; Graduate Degree in Archaeology, Università di Roma 2

Pier Paolo Racioppi,
Art History
Ph.D. in Medieval and Modern Art History, University of Rome I "La Sapienza"

Mattia Toaldo,
Political Science
University Degree in Political Sciences at the University of Rome, Roma 3

Silvia Zanazzi
Internship Seminar
Phd candidate - Educational Research, La Sapienza University of Rome

Cost