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Education Abroad

All Classics majors should be sure to spend a semester or at least a summer session abroad. Education abroad is guaranteed to be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as an undergraduate. Don't miss it!

Start here: UT Education Abroad

Programs for Classics Students

Classics majors must be careful in choosing the best study abroad program to fit their needs. Given our majors’ extensive requirements for Greek and Latin, most Classics students looking to study abroad for a long semester need to choose a program where they can take Greek and Latin courses at an appropriate level. For this reason, there are a few common education abroad programs that are particularly suitable for Classics majors. Summer or Maymester programs can also be a good option for students who cannot fall behind on the required foreign language sequence.

The three major categories of education abroad programs are faculty-led, exchange programs, and affiliated programs. In general, you can explore all program options through the Education Abroad program database.

One common question from Classics students is the difference between education abroad and archaeological field schools. Keep in mind that the fieldwork requirement for our classical archaeology students is an experiential learning requirement, not a study abroad requirement: an archaeological dig located in the United States would fulfill the fieldwork requirement. That said, most of our archaeology students choose to do a dig abroad, and usually in the Mediterranean. There are field schools offered as faculty-led, affiliated, and non-affiliated education abroad programs. Please refer to our fieldwork website for further information on options for the fieldwork requirement.

Faculty-led programs

Faculty-led programs are just what they sound like: they are led by UT faculty, and all or most of the student participants will be UT students. Depending on the program, students must apply through Education Abroad or directly through the offering department. Once you’re accepted, enrollment happens through the normal UT registration system. Faculty-led programs tend to be either in the summer or Maymester programs, although semester-long programs do exist as well. Going abroad in the summer or a Maymester can provide flexibility if you wish to study content outside of Classics; for example, many Classics students who are working on learning modern languages have participated in summer programs to further their study of French, German, or Italian.

Affiliated Programs

Affiliated programs are conducted by a non-UT accredited educational institution, but have a formal connection with UT’s Education Abroad Office. Several affiliated programs cater well to the needs of Classics students. Since the programs are affiliated with UT, students should be sure to apply through UT Education Abroad as well as with the affiliated programs themselves. Two affiliated programs especially cater to the needs of Classics students: College Year in Athens and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies. These two programs make it easy to study abroad in a long semester while completing intermediate or advanced coursework in Greek and Latin. Some affiliated programs offer summer study, while others are long semester only.

  • Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (The Centro): Administered by Duke University, this is the best of the study abroad programs for Classics students.  Students take courses in Latin and/or Greek, art history, the history and archaeology of Rome and, if they wish, Italian.  The program includes visits to the major archaeological sites and museums in and near Rome, with wider-ranging trips to Campania, Tuscany and Sicily.
  • College Year in Athens (CYA): Offers numerous courses in both ancient and modern Greek, advanced Latin, and eastern Mediterranean studies (ancient and modern), classical archaeology, Byzantine history, and modern economics, and politics. In the summer, they offer an archaeological field school.
  • Arcadia in Rome: Administered by Arcadia University, this program includes courses in archaeology, ancient history, and Classical Civilization, as well as other areas.
  • Arcadia in Greece: Includes courses in Ancient and Modern Greek, Latin, Classical Civilization, and other areas. Internships are also available.
  • IES Rome: Includes courses in ancient history and art as well as Italian and other areas, and internship options, including one in archaeology. IES also runs programs in Milan and Siena.

Exchange Programs

Exchange programs are the most immersive type of study abroad program, and are often very affordable. You apply through UT Education Abroad and enroll directly at a foreign university with which UT has a direct exchange agreement. Many universities in Britain, France, Germany, and elsewhere offer a wide range of Classics courses. Keep in mind that many universities offer the opportunity to take courses in English, while others may require prior foreign language proficiency. For Classics students, taking careful account of Latin and Greek courses offered at the exchange institution is crucial. For example, some Italian institutions offer ancient history courses in English, as well as Latin courses—but the Latin courses are taught in Italian! Another example: there are many prestigious exchange programs in the United Kingdom, but watch for their Latin sequencing. At UT, students can start first-semester Latin in the spring semester, but at many schools in the UK, you can only start Latin in the fall, meaning that Latin II is not offered in fall semesters. It’s important to make sure you can stay on sequence at your chosen institution, or that you can afford to take a semester off from language coursework! The Classics advisor can help you ensure that you choose a program where you can stay on sequence.

Non-affiliated programs

Some education abroad programs have no affiliation with UT. Non-affiliated programs can present several challenges for students. You may not be able to apply your UT need-based financial aid to these programs, as you can with the other programs above. If you study abroad for a long semester through a non-affiliated program, you must apply for readmission to return to UT. Additionally, the process of credit pre-approval and evaluation is more challenging with non-affiliated programs. That said, in certain instances a non-affiliated program can be a wonderful fit, especially for students wanting to pursue archaeological field schools offered by other universities. In fact, many of our classical archaeology students fulfill their fieldwork requirement by participating in non-affiliated digs. Keep in mind that Classics department scholarships can be applied to non-affiliated programs.

Credit

If you attend a faculty-led or affiliated program, you will get UT credit with little trouble. You can even search for pre-approved coursework using UT’s My Credit Abroad database. If you attend a non-affiliated program, things are a bit more complicated. It is always a good idea to consult with the Classics faculty advisor before studying abroad, and especially so if you are considering a non-affiliated program.  

Paying for it

Many students let financial concerns keep them from studying abroad. Don't! There are numerous sources of financial aid available, including the following:

  • Scholarships from the programs themselves. Many study abroad programs, including the Centro and CYA, offer their own scholarships.
  • UT Education Abroad Scholarships: You can find them on the Global A$$ist Page of the Education Abroad Web Site
  • Department of Classics scholarships: Some of these are geared specifically for study abroad, and others can be used for that purpose. Keep an eye open for the call for applications in March.
  • College of Liberal Arts scholarships: There are many dedicated scholarships for Liberal Arts faculty-led programs, as well as scholarships that can be applied to any affiliated program.
  • Plan II Honors, Liberal Arts Honors, and UTeach all have funds available for study abroad. Consult the respective program.
  • Many other organizations (e.g., the Rotary Club and many employers) offer scholarships for study abroad. Do some research and find all the ones for which you are eligible. Some outside scholarships are destination-specific; UT Education Abroad lists a few here.
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