Overview Questions Daily Life   "Okay," you're saying, "Rome sounds cool, but I still don't get how this all works." We'll break it down piece by piece. Here's what you need to know... Where is the campus located? The University of Mary's home in the Eternal City is a clean, comfortable guesthouse in the quiet Roman neighborhood of Monteverde Nuovo. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, the campus integrates history with modern technology. All rooms have a private bathroom/shower and high-speed internet is available. Study areas, a library, outdoor recreation grounds, classroom space, and a chapel are on-site. The campus is 20 minutes from the Vatican and the cobblestones of downtown Rome. View UMary Rome Campus in a larger map How long can I study abroad? Students may choose between a semester or 5-week program. Who gets to go? Students are eligible to study in Italy after a semester at the university, and must be in attendance at least one semester immediately prior to participating. Participation is a privilege, and approval by the University of Mary is required. Only students in good academic and behavioral standing are eligible to apply. Students should have a lively interest in the liberal arts and the intellectual tradition of Western civilization. Preference is given to sophomores and students in the Catholic Studies program. What is the cost? The cost of room, board, and tuition is the same as our Bismarck campus. All scholarships and financial aid apply to the cost of the program. Students are responsible for round-trip airfare, a travel fee for academic excursions, and personal spending money. What happens when I’m there? The program features specialized courses in the liberal arts from the core curriculum, the kinds of courses all students at the University take as part of the core curriculum. They'll cover topics such as history, theology, art, architecture, and music. Classroom days are coupled with excursions into the center of Rome where students will have special access to the hidden excavations under St. Peter's Basilica, the treasures of the Vatican Museum, and even an audience with Pope Benedict XVI. But beyond the city of Rome, students will also venture out into the Italian countryside where they will encounter those places shaped more directly by the life of Saint Benedict himself. Truly, students who study have a first-hand encounter with everything that makes the University of Mary "joyfully Christian, faithfully Catholic, and gratefully Benedictine." Will I be free to travel? Classes are usually Monday through Thursday, allowing students to experience all that Rome, Italy, and Europe have to offer. Student travel in Europe, if carefully planned, can be exciting and relatively inexpensive. Are there special occasions to build community? After free weekends, students gather together for an experience that is the heart of the University of Mary Rome Campus, our weekly Community Night. Students come together first around the Lord's Table for a joyful celebration of the Mass, and afterwards, swap stories and reconnect with one another over a traditional Italian meal. Why study abroad? The University of Mary is committed to ever higher levels of intellectual and cultural engagement for its students and advocates for leadership development in a global environment. The goal is for students to have a rich experience of other cultures and ways of life. This is a unique opportunity for them to experience great beauty and wonder firsthand in the cradle of Christian faith and our Benedictine values. Students who take this opportunity seriously will return home with an entirely new vision for life and its purpose. What if I have some other questions? Send any questions to rome@umary.edu or get in touch with: Kemerly Grau Moorhouse, U-Mary's Coordinator of Global Studies