NEW: Assumption College Opens Rome Campus

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Assumption College students should start brushing up on their Italian, as the school announced the opening of its Rome campus on Tuesday.

Now Assumption students will have the opportunity to conduct their liberal arts studies in one of the hearts of the Renaissance, at a campus located on the property of the Augustinians of the Assumption, the founding order of Assumption College. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in March 2012 between the President and the Augustinians of the Assumption to establish the new campus.

Seven Assumption students are currently studying in Rome this semester with two Assumption faculty members, and the campus can accommodate up to 25 students.

“Our students are experiencing Rome and all of Italy as part of a learning community – living, studying and traveling together, enjoying a transformative adventure as they grow both personally and intellectually,” said Assumption College President Francesco Cesareo. “They can stand where history was made, and where decisions and discussions helped shape our world today.”

The academic program at the Rome campus is geared toward sophomores, providing them with a curriculum that meets general education requirements, and the program is open to students from other colleges and universities as well. Five courses are offered each semester, with one always being Italian. Students can take beginner to advanced levels of Italian.

The other four courses will vary and are selected based on fields of study that benefit most from the richness of Rome, such as history, art history, theology, philosophy and comparative literature.

“The exciting addition of the Rome campus contributes to Assumption College’s distinctiveness in the region, and it enhances our reputation for academic excellence,” said Cesareo.

The campus is walking distance to St. Peter’s Basilica and other historical sites. With full-time faculty leading visits to culturally and historically significant locations, students can take full advantage of their proximity to the many museums, galleries, theatres and landmarks in and around Rome.

For more information, visit Assumption College’s Rome campus website.