Introduction The Temple Rome program, which began in 1968, is currently offered in affiliation with Temple University in Rome and is one of a number of Education Abroad Programs conducted by Penn State in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central America, Australia, and New Zealand. More than 600 students from a wide variety of majors participate annually in these programs. Objectives The Penn State Temple Rome program functions within the context of the objectives characterizing all of Penn State's study abroad opportunities, especially to: 1. enable students to receive instruction in several disciplines within the context of another culture and to enrich their general academic studies. 2. provide adequate professional training when a study abroad experience is especially desirable, and to add to the intellectual and professional development of students in specialized fields of study. 3. enable students to expand their knowledge of the culture of a country or region of the world by living and studying abroad and at the same time to gain a more objective perspective of the values and way of life in their own country. 4. promote the educational goals of the University by providing an overseas program designed to increase the international understanding of students. Specifically, the Temple Rome program aims to: 1. provide the opportunity for students to study firsthand the artistic and cultural treasures that abound in Rome; 2. provide student specializing in studio art with the opportunity to refine their creative talents in an environment uniquely conducive to artistic inspiration; 3. promote an awareness of, and appreciation for, the historical background and rich cultural heritage of Italy, specifically Rome; 4. enhance the language proficiency of participants through both classroom study and the daily experience of living in an Italian- speaking environment. Rome Known as the Eternal City and the City of the Seven Hills, Rome is a virtual classroom in itself, rich in history and culture. Visitors and students alike quickly recognize many of the artistic, historical, and cultural landmarks in this center of western culture: Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica; the Coliseum, Forum, and Arch of Constantine; the baths of Caracalla; the Catacombs; the Pantheon; Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona, and the Trevi Fountain. Museums and libraries abound throughout the city. The most extensive collaborations are found in the Vatican Museums. Other important collections are maintained in the National Museum of Modern Art, the Capitoline Museums, and the Doria-Pamphili, Borghese, and Barbarini galleries. Rome is also a city of churches. Architectural styles include the early Christian basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le Mura; the beautiful Gothic church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva; and many important baroque monuments, such as the churches of Il Gesu and San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. As might be imagined, Rome is one of Italy's foremost centers of learning. The Universita degli Studi di Roma has perhaps one of the largest student bodies of any university in the world. Other institutions of higher education in Rome include a variety of specialized institutes for advanced study and research, colleges of the church, and several academies of fine art, music, and drama, including the Academia di Santa Cecilia, the oldest music academy in the world (founded in 1584). The city has a long, rich, and varied history, dating back to the first millennium B.C. Tradition has it that Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 B.C., although fortified elevations on the Palatine Hill date back to a much earlier period. The city is the capital of not only the country, but also of Latium, a region of central Italy, and of the province of Rome itself. It is a focus of international traffic by road, rail, sea (with its port of Civitavecchia), and air (with its Leonardo da Vinci International Airport at Fiumicino). Economically, the city has become a center for tourism, banking, insurance, printing, publishing, and fashion. Program Description This program in Rome is conducted in affiliation with Temple University through its Temple Abroad in Rome program. Established in 1966, Temple Abroad in Rome provides exceptionally fine programs in architecture, visual and liberal arts, and international business. The program incorporates field study experience with a rigorous academic curriculum; assignments take students to a wide variety of art galleries, museums, and historical sites within Rome. A lecture series and exhibition program have also been designed to complement the academic curriculum. The program is housed in the Villa Caproni, which faces the Tiber River and contains classrooms, a library of more than 10,000 volumes (along with periodicals and newspapers), an art gallery, student lounges, administrative offices, and complete professional studio facilities. The latter are fully equipped for painting, design, photography, sculpture, and printmaking, and contain areas assigned to students for use throughout the term. The Villa Caproni, located in the heart of Rome just north of the Piazza del Popolo and within walking distance of the Spanish Steps, is convenient to living accommodations, shops, and restaurants. Participants in the program can enroll for the fall, spring, or full academic year. Students enroll in regular courses with other American students enrolled in the Temple Abroad in Rome program. All classes are taught in English except for the advanced Italian and literature courses. The specific courses change from year to year, but offerings generally include courses in architecture, art history, Italian, studio art, an d international business, as well as a number of other humanities and social science courses. Grading As with any course at Penn State, responsibility for assessing the students’ academic achievement lies with the course instructors. Accreditation A select number of courses offered in the Temple Rome program are accredited under a course number listed in the Penn State Baccalaureate Degree Programs Bulletin. A list of these courses can be obtained from the Office of Education Abroad Programs. No transfer of credit is involved since the student remains registered at Penn State while in Rome. Living Arrangements Housing is arranged by Temple University. Students are housed in three- person apartments in a residence that is a reasonable walk from the school and is on a direct bus line. The apartments have cooking and laundry facilities. The Temple Rome program does not have a fixed meal plan. Temple repays that portion of the fees reserved for board to the students in frequent installments. This enables students to eat where they choose and to spend as little or as much of their allotment as they wish to buy meals. The fees are generally enough for three meals a day for most students, although some may need to supplement this amount. Eligibility The Temple Rome program is open to all regularly enrolled students at Penn State. Applicants must be in good academic standing and show evidence of maturity, stability, adaptability, self-discipline, and strong academic motivation. Generally speaking, a 2.5 cumulative grade point average is the minimum academic standard for most programs. Most participants are generally in their junior or senior year during their period abroad. Program Prerequisites Participants must complete two prerequisite courses. These two courses must be selected from two different categories (a through e) listed below. a) Art History (ART H) 100,111, or 112 b) Italian (IT) 001, 002, or 130 c) History (HIST) 001 or 101 d) Political Science (POLSC) 20 e) Classics (CLASS) 03 Participants must also have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average. Beginning Italian is required in Rome for those who have had no prior Italian at the university level. Students seeking enrollment into the Fine Arts sequence must submit a portfolio of ten to twenty slides that is reviewed by the Tyler School of Art. Before departing for Rome, students must also complete a minimum of 18 credits in studio courses. Portfolios for students studying abroad in fall are due April 1 of the preceding semester, and portfolios for students studying abroad in the spring are due October 1 of the preceding semester. Orientation A specially designed orientation program, conducted during the semester immediately prior to departure, is intended to prepare participants for the adjustment to living and studying in Italy. Attendance at all orientation sessions is mandatory. Costs Tuition, room and board, and a number of required Temple charges--an orientation fee, insurance, and a non-Temple surcharge--are all payable to the Bursar's Office at University Park Campus. The tuition charge is the same as at the University Park Campus. The tuition charge is the same as at the University Park Campus. Because of the higher cost of living in Rome, students can expect to pay more for room and board during their enrollment in this program than they could expect to pay at University Park Campus. Students are also required to pay a $150 nonrefundable program fee at the time of accepting an enrollment offer. Round-trip air transportation is an additional cost to the student. Penn State students may participate in group flights arranged by Temple University. Group travel arrangements often offer significantly lower fares than individually booked flights. Along with the extra expense for textbooks, there are other costs for organized tours and orientation. Medical insurance is also required by Temple and the Italian government. The Office of Education Abroad Programs has a cost sheet that gives an estimate of overall expenses. Financial Assistance The standard forms of financial assistance are available through the Office of Student Aid. Since students remain registered at Penn State, financial aid packages continue during the period of time in which a student is enrolled in this program. The Office of Education Abroad Programs coordinates closely with the Office of Student Aid to help needy students obtain funds to cover the additional costs entailed by study abroad. The Office of Education Abroad Programs also has a modest grant-in-aid fund that can be drawn upon for exceptionally needy and qualified students. Health and Liability Insurance All participants are expected to carry sufficient health and accident insurance, as noted in the COSTS section above. Personal liability insurance is strongly recommended. Rome has competent medical doctors and modern hospitals. Planning Ahead To exploit the many advantages and opportunities of a study abroad experience, it is essential that students, in consultation with their academic advisers, plan well in advance. With careful planning, every participant in this program not only gains regular Penn State credit, but can often apply the credits earned abroad to general education requirements, electives, and/or major requirements. Like all of Penn State’s semester and year-long Education Abroad Programs, this program satisfies the University’s cultural diversity requirement. Students are required to check with his/her advisers or deans to discuss what impact study abroad may have on his/her progress toward graduation. For further information and application forms, contact your Campus Education Abroad Adviser or: Office of Education Abroad Programs 222 Boucke Building University Park, PA 16802-5900 Tel. (814) 865-7681