Is This Program Right for You?

AU Abroad is pleased to present a new program for entering first year students.  This year's program, located in Rome, will give participants the opportunity to orient to college life, while studying the politics and culture of Italy.  

Academics

 

You will be registered for one credit in the summer and two credits in the fall.  This course can be used to fulfill one of the general education requirements in one of the following areas: The Creative Arts, Traditions That Shape The Western World; Global and Multicultural Perspectives; and Social Institutions and Behavior.

You will visit and study Italian political institutions, particularly those focused on youth issues.  Because political and historical understanding is advanced through knowledge of culture, art, religion, and history, the class will integrate a study of the art, architecture, neighborhoods, and literature of Rome.  Classes will be supplemented and enhanced with walking tours and site visits throughout Rome and its environs.

You  will be required to attend additional meetings and events on the AU campus in the fall semester, to complete the academic program.

The academic component of the program will be delivered by Meg Weekes, Associate Dean of AU's School of Public Affairs and faculty from the American University of Rome.

Student Life

You will be housed in typical  Italian-style furnished apartments in the residential neighborhoods of Trastevere and Monteverde,   Arrangements will be made for students to take meals in the apartments, eat at local restaurants and, through classes, learn to cook and eat in the classic Italian tradition. 

You  will receive the assistance and services of dedicated graduate assistants from the American University of Rome. 

Classes in "Survival Italian" will be provided at the beginning of the program.  You will also participate in a full range of activities to help you  to get to know Rome and have full access to the facilities at the American University of Rome.

Overnight Excursions

The program includes two weekend excursions to explore and enhance understanding of the diverse regions of Italy.  The first will be to Tuscany, to include Siena and Florence, and the second to the region of Campania, which may include Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.  Final itineraries will be provided during the pre-departure orientation.
  

Program Logistics

All students registered for the program will be required to travel to campus participate in AU's summer orientation program immediately prior to the date of travel. (The cost of this program is included but will require a separate registration.)    Immediately following, AU Abroad will provide a pre-departure orientation for all students and parents who may be in attendance.  Students will then depart on a group flight to Rome. At the end of the program, students will return to Washington, DC.  Onward transportation will be arranged by the student independent of the program and at the student's expense.