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Roman Foreign Study Program
The Roman Foreign Study program is designed to make history and archaeology real. Students live in apartments in Rome while learning how to make sense of ancient buildings, sites, and public spaces. Extensive field trips throughout the Italian peninsula give a broad sense of the sites, monuments, artifacts of ancient Italy. The history course gives access to information about the lived experience of small towns and of sub-elite status groups including Roman soldiers, auxiliaries, military service personnel, freedwomen, and prostitutes. A trip to the north of England provides an opportunity to learn about Roman Britain as an administrative region and a frontier society of the Roman world. We develop a deeper understanding of types of evidence and how we reconstruct and write history, especially history "from the bottom up" or "from the margins."
If you are interested in this program, please contact Professor Roberta Stewart right away to talk about the details of the trip and the application process. Please also visit our blog to see photos of past programs!
FAQS:
What are the academic requirements of the program?
On-site group work, short weekly papers, oral reports, and a final project with presentation.
What courses do I need to have taken on campus before going on the program?
The usual prerequisites are one course in Roman history and one in Classical (preferably Roman) archaeology. Some great choices for students considering this program are:
- CLST 11.19 Before Billboards and Twitter: Roman Coins as Text (Fall 2024)
- CLST 17 Roman History: The Republic (Winter 2025)
- CLST 25. Early Roman Imperial Archaeology: The First Emperors (Winter 2025)
- CLST 19 Roman Britain (Methods and Theory in Ancient History (Spring 2025)
Do I need to be able to speak Italian?
No, all classes are conducted in English, and English is widely spoken in modern Italy. Because knowing some Italian is still useful (and fun), daily classes in "survival Italian" are part of the curriculum in Rome.
Do I need to major in Classics in order to participate in the program?
No, typically about half of each FSP group consists of students who are not Classics majors.
Do I need to know Latin or Greek?
No knowledge of ancient Greek or Latin is required.
How soon do I need to apply?
Normally, applications are submitted in January, due by February 1. If you are reading this after February 1, 2025, please contact Professor Stewart to find out if applications are still being accepted.