Imagine walking past the Pantheon, stopping for a cappuccino and croissant, and walking up the grand marble staircase of the 15th-century palazzo built on the foundations of a Roman temple to Venus, where your classes are held.
That could be your reality as a student of the Rome in Residence program thanks to a new partnership between UW Global’s Study Abroad and the Jackson School.
If you’re a student, studying abroad is probably on your college bucket list. You’ve likely heard from at least one graduate that skipping it was their biggest regret, while those who did go often call it the best experience of their college years.
But when it comes to finding the right program, it can be difficult to find study abroad opportunities that are aligned with your degree requirements.
If that struggle sounds familiar, Jackson School has good news! Starting in Spring quarter, the Rome in Residence program will offer two International Studies courses at the Rome Center:
JSIS 201: Contemporary International Problems
This course will take advantage of Rome for understanding the experience of contemporary international problems on the ground and the development of international public policies to address them. Rome is the center of international organizations that range from the World Food Program and NATO Defense College Foundation through to the Vatican and dozens of international NGOs specifically focused on addressing key international problems. As such, the course will take advantage of Rome through field trips, guest speakers, and course assignments.
JSIS 323: Globalization and You
This course will specifically take advantage of Rome for understanding globalization in the past, present, and future. For much of its history, Rome has been at the crossroads of the world. Today, it continues to be a place where culture, commerce, people, and ideas from around the world meet and disseminate out from. Field trips, guest speakers, and course assignments will use Rome as a field laboratory for understanding the role globalization has continuously played in shaping and reshaping Rome.
These five-credit courses count toward Social Sciences General Education requirements and can also count towards the International Studies major and minor. If you take both, you’ll only need three more required courses to complete the minor or you can apply them toward the major!
Studying abroad doesn’t have to be a detour from your degree. With Rome in Residence, it can move you toward it. While Italian Art History courses in Rome are incredible, they’re not your only option anymore.
Learn more about Rome in Residence here. Applications close on Nov. 15, 2026, so don’t wait: Apply today!
