Academic Culture at the American University of Rome

There is so much to talk about when it comes to going abroad. The scenery, the sites, the food, and the friends you make. These are all great things of course, but sometimes this can overshadow the unique classes and campus life of certain universities. This is the case when we talk about studying abroad at the American University of Rome.

I went to Rome in the Spring of 2024. It was truly a magical experience in every aspect from the Colosseum to the trains that could bring me all over Italy to the food, but an aspect I even still overlook was how special the campus life at American University of Rome (AUR) was. Not only is the campus very pretty; it is located at the top of one of Rome’s seven hills, but it is well equipped given its small size and there is more than enough to do on-campus.

For your academic needs, AUR has computers, printers, and even vending machines. It is located right next to a cafe that has quick sandwiches and coffees for your in-between class breaks and there are always fellow students there. There are tables outside to sit at, as well as a learning common area where you can study or work on group projects.

In addition to the resources, there are clubs and other activities for students to do. I knew someone on the Club Basketball team, they had games during the week. There were always small on-campus events taking place. Not to use cliche terms, but the campus was quite vibrant despite its small size. Classroom attendance was mandatory, but I found this to be a good thing for me. It kept me on a schedule and gave me some daily structure.

One thing I did to help myself was give myself an open Friday, effectively giving me a three day weekend. This allowed me to travel on weekends with everyone without the fear of missing class. Classes were an hour and twenty minutes usually, unless you had an onsite class which was usually longer. My archaeology class was three hours, but it essentially was exploring Roman ruins with a professor so the time flew by.

Students typically arrived a few minutes early, as Roman buses like to arrive on time, not the posted times. Walking to campus would take around ten minutes, so I would usually do that. Better early than late. You would always see someone you knew on campus, so if you were early, a quick chat was always an option. I used to go to campus an hour early just to hang out and do work, maybe even get a snack. 

Once classes start, it's a typical small classroom lecture. If it weren’t for the occasional Italian accent, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were back in the US. I had two professors who were born in Italy, one for Human Resource Management, and one for Negotiating Globally. Both were fantastic and I could really tell that there was genuine interest in the subject matter they were teaching. I will never forget my Negotiations class, as my professor encouraged me to speak louder and more confidently, saying “You know your facts, just speak up.”

It was a confidence boost. I felt more confident in my abilities as a negotiator, even despite my tendency to want to avoid confrontation. That is a class I will never forget. My other two classes were taught by professors who had moved to Italy, so they had more than enough knowledge about the country. My archaeology professor recommended a great pizza place that I wound up taking my parents to when they came to visit.

My political science professor took us to a theater in Prati to see a film for a class assignment. It was a unique experience because not only was I watching a European film, I was doing it in an Italian movie theater. It was something I wouldn’t have done without that class, so it was a cool experience that I got just for taking the class. I looked forward to going to class, and if I could describe it in one sentence: You get what you put into it.

Overall, I really enjoyed all my classes, and I wanted to go regardless of the mandatory attendance requirement (don’t worry, you got two absences if you needed them).The academic culture matched the local culture. Work hard, but relax when you’ve done a good job. If you’ve worked hard, the professors want you to do well and will help you.

My friends on campus all had unique classes as well. There were all sorts of options on campus, and it made for fun post-class discussions when we were all home. The campus itself was a community. It was a great avenue to meet new people, and always made walking around such a massive city feel like home.

Interested in studying abroad in Italy? Check out all of our study abroad and intern abroad programs here!

Blog by Bobby Scott-Lavino
University of Massachusetts - Amherst student & Semester in Rome alum