Temple students aren't afraid to soar to new heights. This spring, the first cohort of 11 Temple Engineering sophomores will have an opportunity to take on some new horizons.

These students will take part in an exciting semester abroad in Rome, Italy. They will take thirteen credits over their four months in the Eternal City as the Temple Rome campus celebrates its golden (50th) anniversary. The program is geared towards Mechanical and Civil Engineering majors, specifically second-semester sophomores. These majors share the same core curriculum classes in the first two years. Currently, Temple Rome and its local education partners don't yet have the lab capabilities for Electrical and Bioengineering majors.

Shawn Fagan, the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the College's Center for Academic Advising and Student Affairs, has led the effort to create this unique opportunity. One of the big advantages for students is they can take the same classes in Rome as they would on main campus, including three towards their Engineering degrees. So instead of all the paperwork and wrangling of a traditional semester abroad, this will be just another semester at Temple, but of course it will be anything but ordinary.

Students will have access to the many cultural activities and outings offered by Temple's Rome campus. The location is rich with history that is absorbed just by walking through the streets. The campus is located just north of Piazza del Popolo and a short distance from the Spanish steps.

Fagan sees this specific semester as the best available opportunity for students. "Doing it during a freshman year is too early for students. Doing it junior and senior year doesn't work because that's when the programs' curriculum break away from each other."

In addition to the three Engineering classes, all students will take Italian I. This allows students to experience one of the great cities of the world, rich with history, food, fashion, and a jumping point for trips to other incredible destinations. Students have the choice of living in a dorm-like setting with other Temple Rome students or getting fully immersed by living with an Italian family. Fagan imagines that this program could eventually draw engineering students from other universities.

"Students who study abroad over the summer usually take general education courses. On the contrary, these are engineering credits that transfer seamlessly. They count towards your GPA. There's no issues with tuition or administration. It's an opportunity to study abroad and still fly in 4."

While other schools like Minnesota and Arcadia offer their own abroad programs, Temple's College of Engineering is one of the few that are able to offer this format. Additionally, the program has the unique advantage of being available to students regardless of need or scholarship situation and with virtually no disruption to financing because Temple Rome is really just another Temple campus. All the classes are Temple courses.

For current freshmen who might be interested, Fagan recommends that they start planning for Spring 2018 right now. Being abroad means preparing for only one semester of local housing for the year, and there are some considerations for coursework planning. Everything else will be straightforward. Grades will go directly into the student's records; no need to equate or estimate. "This is a packaged program for students, not a boutique one like others schools offer," said Fagan.

For more information about Temple Rome, talk to your advisor and visit https://studyabroad.temple.edu/rome.