UCLA Travel Study

Classics and History: Exploring Ancient Rome

  • Dates

    July 3 – July 30, 2023

  • Location

    Rome

  • Eligibility Requirement

    COVID-19 vaccine + booster required for participation by provider

  • Program Fee

    UC Undergrads: $6,300

    UC Grad Students: $6,900

    Visiting Students: $6,900

    Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents: View full fee disclaimer

*2024 Program Information Coming Soon!*

Explore the city of Rome and learn about its ancient history, art, and architecture during four weeks in the summer of 2023.

The program consists of two upper-division 4-unit courses, cross-listed in Classics and History. Study the politics and culture of ancient Rome from its earliest foundations on the heights of the Palatine hill to the triumph of Christianity and the collapse of its vast empire – a span of almost 1200 years.

Daily walking excursions to the major archaeological and cultural sites of the Eternal City include ancient ruins, museums, churches, piazzas, columns, and obelisks. A day-trip to Tivoli and a weekend in Pompeii are also planned.

The program is intended for students who are capable of long walks and climbing (the seven!) hills of the city of Rome during the month of July.

Curriculum

Required Courses

All students will enroll in two required courses.  Students may choose to receive Classics or History credit.

  • CLASSIC M114A or HIST 112C: The Ancient Mediterranean World – Rome (4 units)
  • CLASSIC M114B or HIST 112E: The Monuments of Rome in Historical Context (4 units)

Prerequisites: None

These courses are integrated and focus primarily on the history and monuments of ancient Rome; they will also consider the monuments of the medieval and Renaissance city in their historical context.

Syllabus/Schedule

TBA.  Syllabus and schedule are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

Grading

Travel Study courses must be taken for a letter grade.  Grades will be based on attendance, class participation, journals, quizzes, a final examination and a paper.  Grading criteria is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

Textbooks

TBA.  You are responsible for purchasing your own textbooks. All textbooks and other reading assignments will be available for purchase in Los Angeles. We strongly suggest you read as much of the text material as possible before you depart.

Budget and Financial Aid

Budget Estimate UC Undergrads UC Grad Students Visiting Student
Program Fee $6300 $6900 $6900
Textbooks  $100  $100  $100
Airfare  $1800 $1800 $1800
Meals  $1300  $1300  $1300
Spending Money  $800  $800  $800

Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, program excursions and health insurance.

Airfare, textbooks, optional courses, other meals, optional excursions, and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.

Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.

Document Fee

Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee.  This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information.  Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.

IEI Fee

All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. 

Budgeting

We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, internet cafes, emergencies, etc.  How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.

Purchasing Airfare

Please do not purchase airfare until instructed to do so by your Travel Study Program Coordinator.

Teo Ruiz Undergraduate Travel Study Fellowship

The UCLA History Department is pleased to announce that they will award a $1,500 fellowship to a UCLA History major participating in one of this summer’s History Travel Study programs. Eligible students must be UCLA History majors going on their first summer Travel Study program with a 3.5 GPA or better in History and a 3.0 GPA overall. Students must be financial aid recipients who have applied for aid for Summer Travel Study Financial Aid. See the Scholarships page.

Financial Aid

Financial aid for Summer Sessions Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.

On Location

Accommodations

Participants will reside in centrally-located student apartments in Rome. Each apartment will house 4-8 students with a shared kitchen and bathrooms.

Please note that apartments may be co-ed, although roommates in each bedroom are of the same gender.

UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change the housing location. Should this become necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.

Meals

Students are responsible for all meals during the program.

If you have strict dietary requirements, this program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs, as well as any medical or physical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.

Tentative Participant Schedule

Weekdays and two Saturdays are devoted to formal program activities (4-7 hours each class day):

  • Lectures
  • Student presentations
  • Group discussions
  • Assessments
  • Field trips

All lectures are conducted at museums and various cultural or archaeological sites. Lectures and assigned readings provide the historical context for both field trips and written assessments.

Previous field trips have included the following:

  • Colosseum
  • The Arches
  • Temples
  • Other monuments of the Roman and Imperial Fora
  • Seven Hills of Rome
  • Tiber Island
  • Pantheon
  • Augustan Altar of Peace
  • Baths of Caracalla and Diocletian
  • Pyramid of Cestius
  • Column of Marcus Aurelius
  • Villa Giulia Museum of Etruscan Art
  • Palazzo Massimo
  • St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Vatican Museums
  • Additional Medieval/Renaissance/ Baroque/Modern palaces, churches, gardens, and other edifices

Two excursions outside of Rome are included:

  • Daytrip to Tivoli to see Hadrian’s legendary villa and Villa d’Este
  • Overnight stay to the well-preserved archaeological site of Roman Pompeii, an ancient city whose material culture was frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius at the very height of the Pax Romana