IFSA Study in Rome

IFSA’s Study in Rome program provides a compelling curriculum in English focused on business and the social sciences. Crafted for U.S. degree requirements and contemporary hot topics, IFSA classes explore relevant topics in the Roman, Italian, and European contexts by incorporating a variety of case studies and field visits. The 15-credit semester is comprised of five elective courses open to all students without prerequisites. All courses are worth 3 U.S. semester credits.

In addition to your classes, if you’ve never studied Italian before, you’ll take Essential Italian, a 1 U.S. semester credit hour course in contemporary Italian language and culture taught intensively during the first weeks of the program. By introducing key words and phrases in the classroom—and venturing out into the city to practice them—this class also provides insights into local customs and daily life. Right from the start, you’ll gain essential skills to communicate effectively and navigate in a new culture.

Not all courses may be offered in a given semester depending on enrollment. Click on each link below for a detailed course syllabus and suggested U.S. university equivalencies.

Coming Fall 2022 – Directed Research

This course offers a unique opportunity for undergraduates to delve deeply into meaningful research of their own design. The process of research and discovery is supported by IFSA Rome’s network of local experts, including social entrepreneurs, academics, artists, journalist, business leaders, and policymakers who serve as our team of faculty guides. Students conducting independent research projects meet with faculty guides regularly to discuss the formation and execution of their research plans. At the end of the semester, students present a formal research paper and may have the opportunity of publication in a peer-reviewed journals.

Ethical Decision-Making

This course invites students to examine a number of ethical issues revolving around economic order and business by understanding the context in which business agents operate. From empirical and normative perspectives, students engage with theory from moral philosophy, organizational behavior, economics and management, with cases that illustrate the ethical issues in the business environment.

Forced Migration, Refugees, and Change

More than 60 million people are displaced by war, violence, and environmental destruction today. Using ethnographic approaches, students investigate sociological and political forces behind the current increase of refugees impacting Europe, considering what has been accomplished and what can be done in the future through governments, NGOs, citizens, and researchers to address challenges with forced migration.

Intercultural Communication for the Global Workplace

Designed to improve students’ abilities to communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, this course utilizes intercultural theory, verbal and non-verbal communication, personal beliefs and values, and strategies for building cultural intelligence and adaptability. Examination of Italian work environments, professional practices, and business etiquette underpin the course.

International Internship Seminar

Students are placed in individual internships but collectively take part in the seminar to prepare for the experience, understand expectations, set personal objectives, identify, and strengthen specific skills, critically reflect on their progress, share experiences, and learn from each other throughout their term. Students develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their professional areas, and Italian work culture. In this seminar, which is focused on application of theory to practice, students gain real world work experience while developing intercultural agility — skills and experiences that are critically important to personal, academic and professional success.

International Political Economy

This course explores theoretical issues and illustrative case studies related to international political economy. Students examine ways domestic and international politics affect relations between states by examining the role of government in the production, distribution, and consumption of resources. Students also learn to apply core concepts and theories in international political economy to case materials. 

Italian Art, Power, and Influence

Art and culture reflect the society they stem from, and at the same time they can be vehicle for political messages and even play a role in international relations. This course will explore how the “soft power” of art — including literature, cinema, architecture, and visual arts in general — can be leveraged by individuals, groups, or governments as they promote their ideas and values for political gain and influence. Students visit famous monuments, museums, and architectural sites that showcase more than 2,000 years of Italian history through its great artists and leaders. 

Italian Language

Italian language study at beginning through advanced levels is available upon request and based on previous language experience.

Politics of Food and Water

Global population growth is dramatically increasing our demands for food and water, contributing to a degradation of natural resources, reduction of biodiversity, and climate change. Students will explore environmental challenges in light of political strategies that promote sustainable food production and water management. This course will feature multiple case studies on Rome, where unique water management strategies — beginning with ancient aqueducts — have traditionally shaped the identity of the city till the present day.  

Principles of Negotiation

This course will focus on techniques relevant to a wide range of negotiation contexts: from commerce to political debate, from public relations to social and public campaigns. Through lectures and practical simulations, students will compare theories of negotiation grounded in research from the fields of linguistics, psychology, and rhetoric. They will learn to apply a range of written and oral persuasive skills and devices effectively, and to manage a successful negotiation process in a multicultural environment. 

Service Operations Management

This course explores principals of service operations management in the hospitality and tourism industries. Students develop an understanding of service excellence, facility designs and layouts, planning and analyzing service delivery systems, defining and measuring service quality, and service recovery. Additionally, students gain perspectives for managing demand and supply and making continual improvements a competitive strategy.

Sociology of Consumerism

We commonly hear that modern societies place disproportionate significance on money and material possessions – that we live in a consumer society. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this course examines the ubiquitous presence of consumerism influences on individual behaviors, social welfare, culture, environmental quality, economic performance, and public policy. Students learn to critically engage with consumer culture within the Italian context.

Statistics for Social Sciences

This course demonstrates the value of being critical of the conclusions one hears reported, with a primary focus on techniques of measuring and counting for the purposes of analyzing data. Students apply statistical methods to answer questions social scientists ask about the world, and learn to use computerized tools of analysis such as SAS, SPSS and Excel descriptive statistics features.  

Strategic Communication in Business

This course challenges students to explore leadership styles by leveraging strengths to communicate clearly in a variety of settings and to a range of audiences. Students practice effective written and oral internal communication strategies proven to improve moral, inspire innovation, and increase productivity. Similarly, students study strategic communications theories to produce integrated external communications across platforms.

Sustainable Tourism

In the past few decades, the global tourism industry has been increasingly criticized for its disruptive impact on local communities and the environment, while a growing trend of sustainable tourism has begun promoting more responsible, eco-friendly approaches that can help preserve nature, customs, and lifestyles. This course introduces skills and techniques that can be leveraged to expand sustainable tourism, by understanding market needs and designing innovative communication that seeks to make tourist destinations better places to live in, and to visit. 

Urban Event and Project Management

This course explores in-depth planning and project management processes as part of event planning in urban settings. Students develop an understanding of methodologies, best practices, and applications of project management in the field of hospitality and the production of special events. Core PMBOK and EMBOK standards are also analyzed and applied directly to the practice of event management.