Rome: Examining Art and Design in the Eternal City

For centuries, Rome’s sites have directly influenced art, architecture, and design.

• Examine art, design, architecture, urban spaces, and archaeological sites that are relevant to the history and culture of Rome.
• Learn representational techniques for documenting aspects of place through sketching, collage, writing, and comparative analysis.
• Visit inspiring sites from Ancient and Medieval Rome, the Renaissance, and the Baroque periods.
• Discover more of Italy’s history and culture with day trips to Tivoli, Orvieto, Pompeii, and Ravenna—each offering a unique glimpse into Italy’s layered past.
  
  No Italian langauge is required - the program is taught in English

This immersive study abroad program invites art and design students to explore Rome as a living museum—home to some of the world’s most iconic artworks, structures, and urban spaces. Over two weeks in Rome, you will study the art, architecture, and culture of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Rome by visiting the city’s landmarks, neighborhoods, and museums.

You will explore and record your surroundings through a sketchbook using hands-on techniques such as sketching, collage, writing, and comparative analysis. During your time in Rome, you will develop your sketchbook both independently and through guided assignments, with regular feedback provided during site visits and informal group critiques.

Site visits, lectures, and discussions will enrich your understanding of Rome’s urban evolution and artistic legacy. From the Colosseum and Pantheon to the Vatican Museums and underground basilicas, the course connects historical depth with modern-day context.

Day trips to Tivoli, Pompeii, Ravenna, and Orvieto provide broader exposure to Italy’s artistic and architectural heritage. Highlights include Hadrian’s Villa, where ancient Roman building types still resonate today, and Pompeii, which offers insight into daily life in a preserved Roman city.

Program Term: Summer
Program Dates: June 3-21, 2026
Credits: 3

Course:
IDEA 590/690 - Rome: Examining Art & Design in the Eternal City
Course may count as a free elective.

No pre-requistes. Open to all undergraduate and graduate students with a 2.5 cumulative GPA or above. No Italian language is required.

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: Student budget worksheet - Rome Examining Art & Design (2025) OUTDATED - students can use this as an estimate. An updated budget for the summer 2026 program 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 are checking scholarship eligibility requirements and take note of 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 “Rome Examining Art Eternal City” to complete an application.

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

Contact

Marissa Tirone
Assistant Professor, School of Design
College of Art and Design
mxtfaa@rit.edu