World Building Based on Historical Worlds

Create a world-building project modeled after the cultural complexity of medieval Spain. Use Southern Spain’s historical and cultural contexts, unique architecture, and enchanting landscape to create compelling characters, plots, and settings.

• Travel to Spain over winter break, touring Islamic, Christian, and Jewish historical and cultural sites with local guides who have a deep knowledge of Spanish history.
• Visit five cities in Spain (Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, and Toledo) and explore sites such as the Alhambra Palaces and Generalife Gardens, the Mosque of Cordoba, and the Royal Alcazar.
• Draw upon your inspiration from Spain to collaboratively create a sophisticated and realistic fictional world during a spring 2026 class in Rochester.
• This is an excellent creative opportunity for students interested in writing/storytelling, creating interactive narratives, game design, visual media, or film/animation.

During winter break, you'll travel across Spain—visiting breathtaking historical sites, experiencing the richness of Spanish culture, and uncovering the complex layers of its medieval past. As you learn about the coexistence of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities in Spanish history, you’ll explore how real-world cultural complexity can breathe life into fictional societies.

After returning to campus for the spring 2026 semester, you'll work with a diverse group of students to build an original fantasy world inspired by your travels. What does your world look like? What kind of terrain do people live on? From there, you’ll dive deep, developing cultures, traditions, and social dynamics modeled after the cultural tapestry of medieval Spain. By the end of the semester, you’ll have helped create a fully realized fantasy world shaped by real history, culture, and teamwork.

No Spanish language is required - program is taught in English.

Read what past students thought of the program

Course Term: Spring 2026 course (students travel to Spain over winter break, before spring classes)
Travel Dates: December 27, 2025 to January 9, 2026
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• ENGL-586: Advanced World Building Workshop (undergrad)
• ENGL-690: Creative Writing Workshop (graduate)
  Students will travel to Spain over January break 2026, followed by a spring 2026 class in Rochester.
   

Pre-req: Open to all undergraduate and graduate students, all year levels, 2.5 cumulative GPA or above. No Spanish language is needed.

Application deadline: October 1, 2025

Learn more about the program in these media highlights below:

• RIT News - https://www.rit.edu/news/using-historic-worlds-inspire-creative-writing
• RIT Technically Speaking - https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhTPVtt_kW/

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: Student budget worksheet - World Building in Spain Winter Break/Spring 2026 - outlines all program costs.

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 to understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

• 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

Applications are currently closed (application deadline has been reached)

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

Contact

Trent Hergenrader
Associate Professor, Department of English
College of Liberal Arts
wthgsl@rit.edu

Ren vanMeenan
Principal Lecturer, Department of English
College of Liberal Arts
kmvgla@rit.edu