Study Abroad | Rome

Choose 1 course from the 5 subjects available, which focus on art history, history, Italian language, psychology and sociology. Students on this program can earn up to 3 credits.

Students on the 4-week program choose one or two courses which focus on art history, communications, gender studies, history, Italian language, photography or religion for up to 6 credits. Students can also take AHST 210 Italian Art: Selected Topics for an additional 1 credit. 

Italian language is available from Beginner to Advanced. Students do not need to have previously studied Italian in order to take a language course. A placement test is administered to students with previous study of the language to determine the appropriate level. 

You can combine both Sessions for a total of up to 10 credits. 

Please bear in mind that due to the intense summer schedule several courses are held at the same time and you may need to be flexible in your choice of course combinations. 

The Study + Internship Program consists of a 3-credit course on the Traditional Academic Program chosen from those listed for Session 1 plus a 3-credit internship course and accompanying 7-week internship placement for a total of 9 semester credits. 

Students are required to enroll in an additional Italian language course (20 hours) taught at a local language school during the first week in Rome. 

The program offers a guaranteed internship in your desired career field, award-winning professional development program, résumé, cover letter, and interview prep, on-site orientations, full-time local staff and 24/7 support, LinkedIn profile coaching, and post-program career development toolkit.

Students must be prepared to commute an average of 1 hour to/from accommodations, the language school, the AIFS Center and the internship placement location.  

The internship provides students with the opportunity to gain experience in workplace settings and to translate classroom learning into practice. It is a substantive career development experience with the intent being for the student to be exposed to business ideas and concepts while being mentored. Doing analysis, contributing to decisions, and communicating meaningful ideas should form the bulk of the work, although some low skill work (for example, data entry and making phone calls) can be a part of the assignment. At the end of the internship experience, students will be able to reflect on their personal and professional growth and begin seeing themselves on their career path. 

While every internship is different, AIFS has adopted the internship definition recommended by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE.)

The criteria are as follows: 

• The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. 

• The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings. 
• The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications. 
• There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework. 
• There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience. 
• The experienced supervisor will provide routine feedback. 
• There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals. Students are expected to dress and behave professionally throughout their internship assignment and adhere to the agreed-upon internship standards and requirements as described by GE and the host organizations. 

Internship locations: internships can be arranged in a wide range of relevant areas including art, architecture, business, communications, design and fashion.