Aug. 18, 2025
Image
Applications now accepted on a rolling basis until the end of the Spring 2027 semester, as long as funding is available.
See further below for application instructions.
In 2027, the Department of Religious Studies & Classics at the University of Arizona is pleased to offer scholarships to students pursuing study abroad with Arizona in Orvieto. The department is offering a General Award to any U of A student enrolled in Classics courses through Arizona in Orvieto, as well as additional award funding for majors and minors in the department.
Enrolling in at least one of the following courses is required to be eligible for the Arizona in Orvieto Awards:
Dr. Park will be offering the following courses for the summer 2027 Arizona in Orvieto, Italy study abroad program:
- CLAS 160D2: Classical Mythology: Ancient Stories and What they Tell Us (Gen Ed: EP Humanist / Tier 1 Traditions and Cultures). Description: The myths, legends, and folktales of the Greeks, Romans and the peoples of the ancient Near East have remained popular for thousands of years. Together we'll not only learn about these stories themselves, but also think about why these stories are so popular, where they came from, and what insights they give us into the various people and cultures who created and reinterpreted them across the millennia.
- CLAS 342: The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Epic Tradition (Gen Ed Exploring Perspectives, Humanist / Tier 2 Humanities). This is a General Education Exploring Perspectives (Humanist) course carrying the Writing and World Cultures and Societies attributes. We will build a community of inquiry into Homeric literature and society using tools like close reading to examine the Homeric characters within the Iliad and Odyssey with a view to what forces--social, divine, individualistic, artistic--inform their thoughts and actions. We will draw parallels and examine contrasts between our own societies and that of the characters within the Iliad and Odyssey, and we will be assisted in these critical analyses by the work of modern scholars who have attempted to understand the world of Homer using interpretive tools like close reading and literary analysis. Students will be invited to use their own experiences as interpretive lenses through which to understand the world of Homer; conversely, students will also be invited to use the world of Homer to understand their own. Religious Studies majors/minors: Contact Dr. Park to arrange to take these courses for RELI credit!
- CLAS/RELI 399 - Independent Study. Please contact Dr. Park directly to discuss independent study options. (Only for majors/minors who have already taken the courses above and need an upper-level CLAS/RELI course.)
Application Instructions:
- Students must submit a statement of intent, which includes the following:
- At the top of your statement, please list 1) your name, 2) your university email address, 3) your major(s) and, if any, your minor(s), 4) the name of the award for which you are applying ("Arizona in Orvieto Award"), and 5) indicate which of the following courses you plan to take in Orvieto: CLAS 160D2 and/or CLAS 342.
- In 1-2 pages, provide a detailed statement about your interests in studying abroad, including:
- Why do you want to pursue this particular study abroad program?
- What interests you about the courses CLAS 160D2 and/or CLAS 342?
- What strengths and qualifications do you have that will help you make the most of this study abroad opportunity?
- Please list the name and contact information for University of Arizona faculty member who can serve as a reference for you. If you are a Classics or Religious Studies/RSHP major or minor, please list a faculty member from the Department of Religious Studies & Classics as your reference.
- Finally, applicants must submit a University of Arizona transcript. It is fine to send an unofficial transcript.
To apply, please email all application materials listed above to Hector Silva (religious-studies-classics@arizona.edu) by the end of the Spring 2027 semester.