Program Details

From the wonders of Ancient Rome to the sweet buzzing of contemporary Roman Society, the "Eternal City" is rich in history and culture unlike anywhere else in the world. Catholic University's Honors Track in Rome offers students an introduction to the vibrant existence of the Italian capital and its role in the development of Western civilizaiton.

Catholic University offers an Honors Track in Rome every fall semester. Students enroll in one or two Honors courses, an Italian language course, and two-to-three additional area studies courses within a liberal-arts intensive curriculum that focuses on the history and culture of Rome. The Honors Track emphasizes sharing ideas and presenting original arguments in a rigorous but supportive seminar-style setting.

Participants in the Honors Track are awarded multiple benefits. In addition to an extra week in Rome at the start of the semester, students are given the opportunity to participate in Honors-exclusive activities, outings, and an academic excursion to Venice.

Learn more about CatholicU's Rome Center

  • After studying abroad in Rome with the Honors Program, I can honestly say I'm a better and happier person. I explored the earliest beginnings of Western Civilization, celebrated holidays in a new culture, and journeyed deeper into my spiritual life, all in four months. We swam in the Mediterranean in September, learned the proper way to drink wine in Tuscany in October, and in December, we witnessed Pope Francis open the Holy Doors of Saint Peter's, to begin the Jubilee Year of Mercy. On top of all this, the Honors Program took wonderful care of me. I was able to continue my track with honors classes abroad, and I was given an all-expenses-paid trip to Venice, where the entire honors group explored the city together. And of course, there was the gelato-tasting and the long Italian dinners and midnight walks to the Colosseum that will always hold a special place in my heart. My only regret: That I didn't have more time! – Clare Whitton, Class of 2018