Architecture in Italy

Experience Italy's architecture through lectures, guided tours, day trips, and cultural exhibits to gain insight into architectural principles as influential today as they were 2,000 years ago.

Highlights

• Explore the architectural history and design of Rome, Florence, and Siena
• Experience iconic landmarks including the Colosseum, Pitti Palace, and historic churches
• Discover Medieval, Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance, and contemporary architectural styles
• Learn through guided tours, guest lectures, and independent exploration
• See how Italian culture, history, and traditions influence architectural design
  
  Master of Architecture students may use this experience to complete the global experience degree requirement.

During the spring semester, you will be enrolled in an online course in Rochester that provides context for understanding Italy’s rich architectural history and design traditions. In May, you’ll travel to Italy with RIT faculty and fellow students to put what you’ve learned into practice. Through firsthand experiences and a final project, you’ll analyze and reflect on the architecture you encounter throughout the program.

Italy offers an unparalleled setting for exploring architecture, with centuries of design, art, history, and culture woven into its cities and neighborhoods. In Rome, Florence, and Siena, you’ll visit iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum and Pitti Palace, explore historic churches representing Medieval, Gothic, and Baroque styles, and learn from local experts through guided tours and guest lectures. You’ll also have opportunities to explore independently, experience local neighborhoods, talk with residents, and discover how Italian culture continues to shape the built environment.

Program Term: Spring 2027 course, with travel to Italy in early May
Travel Dates: May 8-22, 2027
Credits: 3

Course:
ARCH 789: Architecture Special Topics
The course will be online, with some synchronous meetings every few weeks and asynchronous work in between.

No pre-requistes. Open to all 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate students and graduate students.

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 18th, 2026

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: A student budget worksheet outlining all program costs will be available soon.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships, which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program, which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting so they have time to prepare) 
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, as determined by financial aid and your FAFSA on file.

• Additional Scholarships
  RIT scholarships and national scholarships for study abroad are good options to explore for scholarship funding. Make sure you check scholarship eligibility requirements and note scholarship deadlines. 

To Apply

1) Start an application in the Compass (RIT's study abroad application system)
Once you login to the Compass you will need to complete some profile/registration questions, then use the “Search Programs” tab to search for “Architecture in Italy” to complete an application.

2) Watch this video, which goes over all important application steps for RIT Faculty-Led Programs

Contact

Julius J. Chiavaroli
Professor, Department of Architecture
Golisano Institute for Sustainability
jjcnct@rit.edu