Study Abroad Program at American University of Rome (AUR)
Saint Joseph’s University has an amazing study abroad program. The school has many options for students to study abroad whether it is for a week, the summer, a semester, or a full year in various locations! Saint Joseph’s University has connections with schools abroad, in 20 countries, at 30 different locations. The main school we will be talking about in this article is The American University of Rome which is located in Rome, Italy. AUR takes students from all over the world, not just Italian students, where all the classes are taught in english. The school itself is not very big, but is in a great location in Rome. What’s really nice about this school is that classes are held Monday through Thursday, allowing for every weekend to be a long weekend! This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the time and travel Thursday-Monday, or plan not to have classes Monday or Thursday, for an even longer weekend! In this article I will go over four class course recommendations to take abroad, and what classes they are equivalent to at SJU.
Art Class
As a Saint Joseph’s University student, we are required to take one art class. I would consider waiting to take this class abroad, as it is a rather easy class and a common course that most schools offer. At AUR they have a class called Art of Rome (AH 100) which in 2019 was equivalent to the SJU (ART 196) class, covering the art lit requirement at SJU. This course at AUR was held once a week for three hours, taught by an American professor. A majority of the class time you are out at different museums in Rome, checking out local art and exploring the city. You typically are only in the classroom twice the semester for the first day, midterm and final! Not only is this class rather easy, but it is also a great way to see beautiful art and learn more about Rome and its history.
Religion Class
As I am sure you already know, Saint Joseph’s University’s students are also required to take multiple religion courses. This again, is another easy class to take while abroad. I took Religion in a Pluralistic World (REL 200), which in 2019 was equivalent to the SJU (REL 296), faith and reason. This class was taught by a professor from Poland. This class had an off campus event where the professor took students to watch a religious play.
Marketing Class
For Saint Joseph’s University business students who are marketing majors or are interested in event planning, I took Event Planning, Marketing and Management (MGMK 321), equivalent to the SJU (MKT 312) class in 2019, which counted towards my marketing concentration for my major. This class allowed for great hands on experience with planning and learning how in depth the process is. Not only is this important for business students, but for all students in general as it was a very interesting course which skills are used on a daily basis when planning activities, taught by a professor from Poland who was very modern and hip!
Italian Class
If you want to immerse yourself into italian culture then I would recommend taking Introduction to Italian Language and Culture which could be used as an elective or one of your language requirements here at SJU. This class can really help you to understand the Italian language and allow you to communicate at restaurants, shops, and simply be able to communicate with the local people.
These are some of the classes that I suggest taking while you’re abroad no matter where you decide to study abroad. Each school has their own unique classes and it is important to make sure that the classes you are taking abroad cover classes you need to take at Saint Joseph’s University. I would also suggest not having classes Monday or Thursday if possible, so you can enjoy a longer weekend! There are many things to do around AUR especially in the town Trastevere which is where the school is located. The Colosseum is just a 15 minute tram ride from the school, the Vatican is a 15 minute tram ride, there are local running paths, lots of restaurants, and museums! Below is the information of the study abroad office!
Study Abroad Information:
Physical Location: LaFarge Residence Hall, Suite 10
Mailing Address:
Center for International Programs
Saint Joseph’s University
5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm
Phone: 610-660-1835
Email: cip@sju.edu (for general office inquiries) or studyabroad@sju.edu (for study abroad-specific inquiries)
