Italy: Eternal Rome – Piety and Power

Overview 

Discover the rich cultural, religious, and political history of Rome over Spring Break!  
 
During this Spring semester course with a 1-week intensive travel program over Spring Break, students will focus on the physical transformation of the city of Rome, visiting sites and museums reflecting Rome's ancient, medieval, Renaissance and modern eras. Participants will keep a journal which they use to prepare a final project after returning to campus. The class will meet on a weekly basis before Spring Break to discuss readings and prepare for the trip. This course fulfills Ohio University's "Capstone" and "Bridge: Learning and Doing" General Education requirement. 

Students will be housed in a centrally located hotel and explore dozens of archeological sites, museums, and churches in Rome and its vicinity, all with the guidance of an OU professor with expert knowledge and extensive familiarity of Rome  

Highlights and Excursions

Planned excursions include the Roman Forum, Colosseum, the Castel Sant' Angelo (the emperor Hadrian's mausoleum), the Pantheon, the ancient Roman port city of Ostia Antica, ancient Christian catacombs, the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica and other museums, historic churches, and archaeological sites. 

Living Arrangements

Shared housing (2 students per room, separate beds) at Hotel Prati (or similar). Basic Italian breakfast will be provided daily along with some additional meals (3 group dinners and 2 group lunches).

Program Dates 

Spring Break: March 7 - March 13, 2027

Note: Students will depart on March 6. Students will arrive in Rome on March 7 and begin on-site activities. The group will return to the US on March 13th.

Academics  

Students will be enrolled in a total of 4 credit hours comprised of the courses below: 

HIST 4536 - Eternal Rome - 3 credit hours (Capstone)
This 3-credit interdisciplinary course will use the topography, architecture, and iconography of Rome to teach about ideology and representations of power throughout history. By focusing on three discrete themes (Piety, Power, & Urban Remains) and taking full advantage of an intensive week of site visits, students will see how political authority and religious beliefs were given physical shape.  
 
HIST 4930 – Independent Study - 1 credit hour (Bridge: Learning and Doing)
Students will be required to enroll in HIST 4930 – Independent Study. This is a 1 credit orientation course to prepare for studying in a different culture and for background knowledge about the course.

Graduate course offerings available upon request.

Cost  

The following information is intended to help participants understand the estimated costs associated with the program.  For additional information regarding program costs, please refer to Understanding Program Costs for Ohio-Credit Programs.

As of May 21, 2026 - The total estimated cost for 2027 is expected to be:

• Undergraduate estimate: $5,356 + 4 Credits of Spring Athens-Campus Tuition/Fees*
• Graduate estimate: $6,676 + 4 Credits of Spring Athens-Campus Tuition/Fees*

Funding Opportunities 

More information on financial aid and scholarships can be found on our funding pages.

Eligibility

This program is open to all OHIO undergraduate students in good academic standing. 

Students who will be on probation at any point during the program for a conduct offense that took place less than a calendar year from the program start date may not study abroad. Read the entire conduct policy.  

This program accepts NON-OHIO students. For more information about this process visit the Non-OHIO student page.   

Participants must have a at least a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g. GED) by the start date of the program to be considered for eligibility.  Students enrolled in College Credit Plus (CC+) are not eligible for study away programs.

Application Requirements 

To ensure program quality, the number of students able to participate in this program is limited. Nomination will be assessed based on a combination of GPA, personal statement, and references.  

• A statement of purpose: Prompt: A 250-500 word essay describing how this program would help you to achieve your academic, personal and/or professional goals.
• A copy of your DARS
• 1 academic reference letter provided by an instructor who is familiar with your classroom work.

Entry and Exit Requirements 

U.S. citizens are required to have a valid U.S. passport when traveling outside of the United States. If you plan to study or travel abroad in the next year,  apply for your passport  now.

U.S. citizens  will not  need a visa or other special document to enter the country for the length of this program. Please also note that visa requirements may vary if you plan to stay in the country longer than the program dates or travel to other countries during or after the program. Please familiarize yourself with these recommendations and requirements prior to applying to this program. 

For more specific visa related information, please visit OGO’s  Visa Information Page 

Information for  Non-U.S. citizens 

Resources 

• Health and Safety
• Accessibility Requests and Accommodations