The Department of Classics works closely with Pitt’s Office of Study Abroad to design innovative and exciting overseas programs that engage the intellect and spark the imagination. We also partner with leading institutions and consortia to offer our students access study abroad opportunities in Greece and Italy uniquely tailored to fit the needs and interests of Classics majors and minors.
Pitt in Sicily
When offered, Pitt in Sicily (pictured above, at the Greek Theater in Taormina in 2016) brings a dozen Pitt undergraduates to one of the most significant mercantile and cultural centers of the ancient Mediterranean world. Based in the picturesque coastal town of Siracusa, we leave no corner of Sicily unexplored. Students study over 1,000 years of archaeology and cultural history, and earn 6 credits in two core Classics courses: Greek Archaeology (CLASS 1610) and Mediterranean Crossroads (CLASS 1154). You can read about our experiences and adventures by reading the Student Blog, or this brief article by 2022 Pitt in Sicily alumna Dallas Mercurio. You can also read about and watch 360° videos produced by the 2017 cohort.
Pitt in Israel
When offered, Pitt in Israel is an opportunity for students to engage with ideas of multiculturalism and identity through an exploration of the archaeological sites and literary forms of Israel. In the first half of the program, students are based in the heart of Jerusalem and learn about the politics of archaeology in the “Holy Land.” Most days are spent touring archaeological sites or museums in the area of Jerusalem. The final two weeks of the program will be based in the center of Tel Aviv, where students will read modern Israeli and Palestinian literature while living a short walk from the Mediterranean Sea. Throughout the program there will be beginners-level language lessons in Hebrew and Arabic and guest lectures from local experts in the fields of archaeology and literature.
ICCS
The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS) in Rome or the “Centro,” as it is affectionately known to its friends and alums, is the oldest and best-known semester-long program for American and Canadian Classics undergraduates in Rome. Each year, the ICCS selects 30-40 Classics students in their junior and senior years from a consortium of over 100 North American colleges and universities. In fact, Frances Harrington (Classics and Linguistics, '23) is a former centrista!
ASCSA
The American School of Classical Studies in Athens (ASCSA) is the best resource in Greece for American students and scholars working on all periods of Greek cultural history. Semester-long programs are available for graduate students, and an intensive 6-week Summer Session in June/July is open to advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and teachers at all levels of Classics and Ancient History. Offering exclusive access to archaeological sites and warehouses around Greece, under the guidance of leading experts, the ASCSA is the best way for serious classicists to visit and study the sites, monuments, and culture of Greece first-hand.
You can find a description of current Summer Programs here.
College Year in Athens
College Year in Athens (CYA) offers semester-long, year-long, and summer study abroad programs, taught in English and covering subjects from prehistoric to modern Greece.
For more information about these and other Study Abroad opportunities in ancient lands, contact Professor Marcie Persyn.