Religious Traditions of Rome

The following email was sent to the All-Students Conference in early May 2007. Final information will be available in early September. Please email Prof. Michael Hartwig if interested in this program. Students interested in using loans should especially note financial aid recommendations to follow this summer.

Emmanuel College's Department of Religious Studies and Office of International Programs are very pleased to announce that they will again be offering the"Religious Traditions of Rome" travel course to Rome, Italy over Spring Break 2008.

This 4-credit course, RELIG 2151, will satisfy one course towards Emmanuel's Religious Thought General Requirement, and will be led by Professor Michael Hartwig of the Religious Studies Department, who lived in Rome for several years and regularly leads similar travel programs. Students will visit sites that few tourists see and gain a perspective of Rome that only comes through the eyes of a seasoned local scholar. The course will include several pre-departure academic and orientation meetings, and pre-departure and post-return assignments including a journal and final research paper.

Although full details will not be ready until September, we want interested students to have time to plan academically and financially for this experience, which received very positive evaluations this past spring. Students who would like to be placed on a mailing list to receive updated information throughout the summer should email Professor Michael Hartwig at hartwigm@emmanuel.edu.

 Applications

Applications will be available in the Office of International Programs on the first day of FA07 classes, and will be taken until the program is full (final limit to be determined).

A nonrefundable $500 deposit (check or credit card) will be required with the application, due no later than October 1 or when the course is full. Half of the remaining balance will be due on November 1, and the final balance will be due on December 1. Students must be in good academic, social and financial standing with Emmanuel in order to be accepted.

Travel Costs

Due to rising travel costs in the very popular city of Rome as well as current exchange rates, we are currently estimating a cost range of $3100-$3400 for the travel costs of the program. This includes airfare, lodging, some meals, significant entry fees and local guides for numerous historical and religious sites, local transportation, and insurance. Students should estimate an additional $400-500 for other meals on their own, personal expenses, souvenirs, etc.

Tuition is not included in the above travel costs and will be charged according to standard registration and cross-registration policies. Thus if your total course load is 12-20 credits including RELIG2151, then no additional tuition will be charged for RELIG2151. If RELIG 2151 increases your course load to more than 20 credits, each credit over 20 will be charged at $815.63 per credit.

Emmanuel students interested in paying for travel costs using a private student loan or private or federal parent loan should contact the Office of Student and Financial Services over the summer, so that they can include the estimated travel costs in any loans they apply for in July to cover their fall charges - even though travel will occur in Spring.

This will prepare students to follow the payment schedule above, should they register for the program in September. Should you borrow for the program over the summer and then choose not to participate, you may contact the Office of Student Financial Services who will cancel or reduce the loan on your behalf.

Again, interested students should contact Professor Hartwig (hartwigm@emmanuel.edu) with academic questions or to be included on the email list for more information as it becomes available. Enjoy your summer, and see you in September!