Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Rome: The Eternal Semester Past Review

By (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Providence College) for

Loyola University Chicago: Rome - John Felice Rome Center

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes and i definitely want to have a career in the future that involves traveling.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Because the program was through an American institution, the classes and teachers were similar to those from my home institution. I enjoyed my classes, particularly those on-site, and had a very good experience.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were 200 American students in the program and they did a good job taking care of everyone. The administration was very accessible and my expectations were met.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The location was very safe being in a neighborhood and it was very convenient to get to class but getting downtown was rather inconvenient. The campus is very far north in Rome and the buses are very unreliable for getting downtown.

* Food:

The food was very good and there were gluton-free options for those who needed that.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were also day trips offered such as the one to Assisi that I participated in.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The city was pretty safe and the healthcare offered at our program was pretty good. The only problem was that the on-campus doctor was only available 2 days a week.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? There are always unanticipated expenses to studying abroad.

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • everything
* What could be improved?
  • the location
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The program is great minus the location of the campus. The program is great for all students but not those who are looking for a program that is language intensive.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

World of Classical Rome
Course Department: ClSt 276
Instructor: Sander Evers
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a wonderful course taught by one of the greatest teachers that I have ever had. Professor Evers is incredibly knowledgeable and manages to make what might otherwise be a very dry topic really interesting.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Italian Film History
Course Department: Litr 267
Instructor: Professor DiBiagi
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a very fun and interesting course tracing the whole history of Italian film. The movies we watched were great and it was especially nice to have one of the lead actors come in to watch the film with us.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Hemingway in Italy, France, and Spain
Course Department: Engl 399
Instructor: Professor Geoghegan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a great course on a very interesting topic. I really enjoy reading Hemingway and Professor Geoghegan integrated just the right amount of critical reading and background information into the class.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

The Systematic Theology of Pope Benedict XVI
Course Department: Theo 180
Instructor: Fr. Renczes
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was very informative and interesting. We read a lot of primary sources and discussing the material in class helped to make more difficult topics a lot easier to understand.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Art in Rome
Course Department: FnAr 342
Instructor: John Nicholson
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was one of the most informative courses that I have ever taken in my entire life. We covered an astounding amount of material but it was not too overwhelming.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.