Temple University

Academics: Temple University Rome has a large selection of course offerings, especially for those interested in studying art or art history. During my time in Rome, I had some of the best professors I’ve encountered in my academic career. The professors were truly experts and went out of their way to share everything they knew about their field and the city of Rome Living situation: I chose to live in the student housing during my time in Rome, which was located at the Residence Candia. I found that the residence was in a safe neighborhood a reasonable distance from school (30 min walking, 10 min by bus). All of the rooms are different- some better than others, but overall the housing facility had everything necessary and was a good way to meet other students. Cultural immersion: (pre arranged activities, etc) I really appreciated all of the steps Temple Rome staff took to offer us as many opportunities as possible for cultural immersion. Most classes involve a trip to somewhere in Italy as well as many regular class excursions around Rome. The program puts together extracurricular trips and activities such as cooking classes, dance lessons, a trip into the countryside, etc. There are also volunteer opportunities for tutoring in italian high schools (a unique and rewarding experience), soup kitchens, etc. Administration: The application process was very smooth and the study abroad office was always helpful if I was uncertain on any steps. From my experience, the administration at Temple Rome are incredibly helpful people that really care about the students. Health and safety: Staff clearly communicate with the students about health and safety concerns and what resources are available to them. I got quite sick while abroad and the staff at TU Rome was able to help me with the steps to make an appointment. Community: Temple Rome does a good job of building a lively community at campus, and as the semester continues campus begins to feel like home.

Academics: TUJ is a degree-granting institution so there are a very wide selection of courses available to students to take during any semester. My professors were incredibly knowledgeable on their area of study and on Japan. I found that the upper level art courses I took allowed a lot of independence but also offered us an incredible amount of resources around Tokyo. I also took a beginner Japanese course specifically for study abroad students and found it to be incredibly helpful and the cultural activities that were part of the course were enriching experiences I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Living situation: TUJ offers student dorms that are about a 50 minute commute to campus (which is quite reasonable for a city as large as tokyo). We had single rooms with a bed, balcony, small kitchenette, bathroom, and closet. I found living in the dorms to be quite convenient and enjoyed being based in the same location as my peers. Cultural immersion: (pre arranged activities, etc) I found that TUJ had a wide range of extracurricular activities and trips available for students. The trips are incredibly well-planned and take you to activities or areas of Japan that you wouldn’t know to go to otherwise. I went on most of the trips during my semester and would highly recommend students to go on as many as possible during their time in Japan. I found that the staff and professors created as many opportunities as possible for students to interact with Japanese students and professionals in their field located in Tokyo. Administration: The application process was very smooth and the study abroad office was always helpful if I was uncertain on any steps. The TUJ administration were very helpful and cared about the our experience at TUJ and in Japan. Health and Safety: Japan is an incredibly safe country, and has very accessible medical facilities due to the national health insurance. TUJ has many resources available to students for any medical care they may need. When I got sick, the dorm manager actually accompanied me to the doctor to translate so I wouldn’t have to wait until I could get to an English-speaking office (which are also available). Community: I felt that TUJ has a really strong sense of community. There are a lot of student spaces around campus (even though the campus is located in an office building- the space is well-adapted). I really appreciate the fact that TUJ is also a full-time institution which created a very diverse campus with Japanese students, American Students, and students from all around the work who are looking to attend an English-speaking university in Japan. The student body is incredibly interesting and international.

This excavation abroad was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You experience every aspect of an archaeological dig, hands-on, without the typical dig "hierarchy" of students - the undergraduates can do everything that everyone else can do, in Artena. The living situation was great, just don't expect decent Wi-Fi - or A/C at all (it's very, very hot). Prof. Gadeyne is an incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent man, willing to share any information you could possibly ask of him. It's exhausting waking up at 6 am every day of the week, but the weekends you have to yourself to explore any part of Italy you can reach! Overall, a worthwhile experience, but one month is definitely enough time.

Temple Rome was one of the best experiences that I've ever had. The faculty and staff were great and the opportunities given to students academically and culturally were plenty. Many classes were unique in that they were taught by Italian professors and/or were on-site in the city. There were also events where we were exposed to the Italian culture and lifestyle, creating a highly immersive and educational experience overall.

I am a Temple Main Campus student that studied abroad at TUJ for an academic year, from Fall of 2014 to Spring 2015. The TUJ program provides such a life changing and immersive experience. The staff offers great support to all incoming students and are more than willing to help them throughout the program. My time abroad was such an amazing experience. I was able to learn so much about the Japanese culture and myself. Once abroad though you are given numerous outlets for help, it is truly an experience to learn about yourself and becoming independent. TUJ is a great school to be at while in Japan. It is on the smaller scale so you have more one-on-one time with professors, staff and students. Because it is smaller you also form friendships easily and quickly with native Japanese students or others studying abroad. The school is located a train ride and even walking distance from major shopping and eating districts. Tokyo is full of spectacular places to shop and eat and just sight see. You always find things to do and discover sights just by walking around. TUJ also offers numerous activities throughout the year. Activities that I participated in involved a traditional tea ceremony, skiing in Nagano, visiting historic castles, an overnight trip on a nearby island and an overnight visit in a mountain side onsen. During my time there I also had the chance to visit Okinawa and South Korea with friends, and participated in an Internship. Overall TUJ is a great program that offers great opportunities to students and unforgettable experiences.

The 6-week study abroad program in Paris was an experience I will never forget. The courses are taught by native French speakers, but are designed for people who are learning French as a second language. This makes the language accessible and teaches a lot of authentic French culture as well. There are three different options for housing accommodations and meals, so you'll have the freedom to decide what works best for you. I chose to stay in the Foyer because it is the least expensive, but it ended up being the best option for me because staying there made it easier to make friends with everyone in the program. Monday through Friday, you have the freedom to do anything you want after your classes. This is a great time to explore Paris with friends. Then, on Saturdays there are organized excursions which take you to cities outside of Paris. These excursions are included in the cost of tuition, and they are really interesting. What I like about the program is that you can really make the experience what you want it to be. It was a great experience, and I learned so much from it. By the end of the trip, people even started asking me if I was French because they couldn't hear my American accent anymore!

Not much can compare to casually taking a stroll through the neighborhood, only to stumble upon some ruin that dates back thousands of years. And I have Temple to thank for such an experience. The beauty of Rome is unparalleled, and because of Temple Rome's awesome faculty and resources, I was able to experience it to the fullest. The only gripe I had was with the residence facilities in which we stayed (Fall 2015), but Temple had already solidified plans for relocation when I was preparing to return home.

Over the past Summer, I studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan. It was a great experience to meet new friends and become more independent. Japan is so different compared to the U.S and I learned so much about the culture. After the trip, I realized I can do so much in my lifetime and going to Japan makes me more confident to travel around the world. Japan is very unique and there's so much to explore in only a summer. It definitely should be on someones bucket list for the future.

Amazing experience that puts you in contact with the ruins of ancient Rome, fantastic archeologists, and the best faculty professor. Would recommend to any student seriously interested in exploring the option of archeology.

Temple's program opens up a lot of opportunities for its students in terms of cultural immersion, language practice, internships, etc. Getting placed in an internship is easy when working with Temple, although my experience working was a bit shaky. However I was more in the minority as other people I went with seemed to have a good experience with theirs. The school is also small and the teachers weren't my favorite by any means, but I still had a good experience.

The program offered plenty of opportunities to get involved and immersed in Japanese culture. Everyday was an adventure and thanks to a helpful administrative staff, the experience was stress free and manageable. TUJ offered everything that I required for my studies, while also giving me the most challenging and rewarding courses of my academic career. The dorms were cozy, the students welcoming, and campus was small, but intimate. During my time at TUJ, I was able to get out of my comfort zone and experience the many things that make Tokyo so unique.

My study abroad experience at TUJ was incredible. The program was very organized with lots of fun trips throughout the semester. They are very accommodating in picking classes and getting an internship to help immerse yourself in the culture even more. The campus is conveniently located in Tokyo with countless places to see only a short train ride away. They also help you get adjusted to a new culture and a huge city. I would go back in a heartbeat.

I loved my stay in Rome. The city was absolutely beautiful, and the people that I met on the trip were fantastic. Many people want to take really easy classes while they are abroad, but these classes are not a cake-walk; however, I am still able to intelligently discuss the ancient history of Rome, current Italian society, and pretty much anything that I was taught while I was there. The professors are passionate about what they are teaching, and they bring life to the topics at hand. Some of the staff members at Temple Rome may have a hard exterior (which goes along with the Italian culture), but they are all very sweet and caring when you get to know them. Without them, my experience would not have been half as great as it was while I was there. I would, without a doubt, recommend this program.

This program made me fall in love with Spain, its culture, history, and more. The program director is fantastic at his job - everything throughout the program was well organized, and we never had any programs while abroad. I did the summer program and within a short period of time felt that I covered a lot of ground in Spain. The first week in Madrid is a great way to meet the other students in the program as well as gain an idea of the Spanish lifestyle. Oviedo was the perfect city to learn in a classroom setting with plenty of time to spend with host families or travel to adjacent towns. I would recommend this trip to any student who is interested!!

I was overall happy with traveling abroad in Rome. It was a great way for me to immerse myself in a completely different culture than my own. I would definitely do it again. The food and lifestyle of the Italian people is something I will never forget. I am so glad I was able to experience something that I will most likely never be able to do again. The only thing that I had a problem with were some of the other people on the program. They chose to spend their time going to bars, full of english speaking people and party almost every day. I thought this was a bad use of time especially when surrounded by a incredible history, art and food. This however is not the fault of the administration but I feel it reflected badly on the Temple University program. This program was a great way to see Italy and I can not wait to go back.

I had an amazing experience abroad as my family was very supportive of my endeavor to travel. I am a graphic designer at Tyler School of Art who now works for Temple University Housing and Residential Life. I academically had an amazing adventure and achieved a 3.7 while abroad taking 17 credits at the 13th best art school in the country. My classes were challenging and kept me excited to go to class. I was lucky enough to play with the olympic development program while in the states and I took my soccer to Italy where I played at the Amalfi Coast, the neighborhood of Prati in Rome, and Sorrento! I even played soccer with people from Naples while i was in Sperlonga. I definitely had the time of my life while abroad. My bestfriend in the fraternity had graduated while i was a freshman in college. He moved to Italy to teach political science, marketing, and english. He gave me an opportunity to be fully immersed in the culture. Greek life was a pivotal part of my education because it gave me an amazing opportunity in Rome!

I found Temple Rome to be a very good program for enjoying and exposing oneself to a lovely city. The staff was, for the most part, very apt and able. The location of the classrooms was excellent. I did not live in a residence, but some of the students had problems with it. Overall though, Temple Rome provided students with a great starting point for being able to get the most out of Rome in a semester's worth of time.

Studying at Temple Rome introduced me to a completely new world and it truly changed my life. I returned to the US searching for opportunities to stay connected to this experience. I'm now involved in helping students find equally enriching expereinces. Academics: Both the visiting professors and full-time faculty are amazing. The Italian language teachers taught me so much, considering I started at nothing. My art courses were super engaging and we left the classroom as much as possible to take advantage of being in Rome. Living Situation: Medaglie d'Oro was clean and close to school. We were very lucky to be so central in Rome, as it's hard to find affordable housing. It needed an update, as the decorations were from the '70s, but it was a suitable place to eat and sleep. You're in Rome!! Get out of your apartment!!! Cultural Immersion: It's up to each individual to take advantage of the opportunities for immersion. Sadly, many students tend to hang out with fellow program participants. However, the program provides many opprotunities to meet Italian students and engage with the community during the publc lecture series organzied by the librarian, the art exhibitions in the campus gallery, or various events hosted by the university. Program Administration: Terri and Manuela are fantastic. They are the true foundation to the program. They are available to help with any student issue, big or small.

Spent my junior year abroad with the Temple Program and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Would encourage anyone to serious consider.

so many people whining on past reviews! this was hands down the best experience of my life!!! people need to realize that your study abroad experience is what YOU make of it. i wouldn't for a minute expect an institute to hold my hand through the experience.if YOU want to meet italians, YOU ARE IN ROME--go ahead and meet them, no one is stopping you! there were no classes on thursdays so, if anything, temple rome ENCOURAGED students to travel and dive into italian culture. NUMEROUS excursions are planned through classes and through the school. I was seeing a new aspect of Rome every single day---and not just the tourist side either. cooking and dancing classes were held outside of class by professors themselves. The professors are amazing, they are always willing to help and are EXTREMELY well connected. the Italian Design Art History class took me on a weekend excursion to Milan where i got in to exclusive design studios and institutions. every semester one of the professors plans a week long excursion to Tunisia (north africa) where students spend a night in the sahara desert, ride camels, and visit a palm oasis. i made plenty of friends within the program and as well as italians. there are many american universities located in rome so if you find yourself running into drunk students i feel it has less to do with the individual institutions and more to do with american cultural values because you NEVER seen italians get wasted. the school ALWAYS encouraged students to go out and meet the locals, pointing us to various places and planning events where we can meet italian students who want to learn english and help us with italian. the dorms are located in a beautiful residential area---10 minute walk from the Vatican, 5 minutes away from the metro---40 minute well worth it walk to school. because the campus itself sits by the tiber river it's surrounded by beautiful buildings, and located about 10 minutes from the heart of rome---the piazza del popolo---every single day after class we would lay out in the sun in the villa borghese (largest park in rome, 15 minute walk from school). this program is SO worth it, i would recommend it to anyone who is brave enough to dive into italian culture without someone holding their hand every step of the way.

I felt that because so much of the program was Temple University art students (most of whom did not speak Italian); the cultural and educational aspects of the program were lacking. I was not that impressed with the quality of the professors (with the exception of Frank Dabell) although the art history classes did take advantage of on-site lectures and weekend field trips to Florence and Naples. I did not live in the dorms, but from what I heard, they were overcrowded and felt VERY American. Despite my disappointment with the program, I still had a great semester and fell in love with Rome.

Rome is great - the program was average but the city more then made up for it. The program doesn't add or subtract anything from the experience. Classes were mediocre, and I was taking it pass/fail. I would recommend Rome the city, but I don't think the program tries to bring you into the culture. You live with other Americans. It wasn't a cultural exchange. There were kids on my program who played beer pong most of the time.

The dean is terrible, the professors are terrible. But I did enjoy being in Rome, despite the program, which sucks. Bryn Mawr is considering discontinuing taking credits from it.

Temple Rome is not very well organized. The academics are terrible and the students tend to live up to the stereotype that Americans are drunk all of the time. Housing is not near the center of the city.

I would NOT recommend this program. Limited subject choice for UPenn approval, if you're coming from UPenn. The building itself is really ugly. There's not a lot of work, which lets you experience the culture. But there are better study abroad programs in Italy.

Alright program. I had one good architecture course. It's not one of the best programs in Rome.

The living situation was bad. The staff wasn't helpful. The classes were awful. In sum a lot of not particularly culturally-sensitive hard-core drinking.