The Pantheon Institute in Rome, Italy

Independent Research Courses

The Independent Research option is designed to provide students with the resources and opportunities to complete a significant research assignment in a topic of their choice. Since many colleges and universities require a final portfolio or senior thesis as a culmination of undergraduate work, this is a fantastic opportunity for students who want to begin generating material while abroad. Others may simply have a topic in which they are personally interested, and this track enables students to independently pursue work that inspires them. The Independent Research class is intended to be a serious exercise in the organization and presentation of a written research paper; however, with the faculty adviser and/or home school approval, a creative project may also be undertaken.

In this program, students will be assigned a Research Project Adviser from among the Pantheon Institute faculty and scholars in Rome. Whenever possible, the Center will attempt to pair students with an expert in their chosen field. Students may also choose to select an adviser from their home campus, gaining approval from that adviser and arranging correspondence prior to participation in the program. Thanks to recent advances in communications technology, an increasing number of students are doing research abroad with the input and guidance of professors from their home institution. In such cases, the independent research project carried may form part of the senior thesis.

The Independent Research program consists of one 3-credit class, and there are no defined class times. Students will work with their adviser(s) to establish times when they can meet and discuss their progress. It is the student's responsibility to design the premise of the course and secure the proper authorization; as long as it falls under the umbrella of humanities and social sciences, students are encouraged to think creatively and construct a subject of study that will truly inspire them. A student with a passion for Catholicism might design a course that attempts an in-depth study of the evolution of the Vatican; a student whose interest has been piqued by the numerous memorials in Rome may wish to explore the 20th century craze of monumentalization. The Independent Research option gives students the freedom to follow a personal path of study that will form a central part of their study abroad experience.

The course will culminate in a paper or project that acts as a culmination of the student's independent study. For a research paper, the student is responsible, with the guidance of adviser(s), for the investigation of sources, the accumulation of data, the selection of pertinent materials, and the preparation of the final product in acceptable form. At the end of each semester, student papers or projects will be published in the Pantheon Institute's annual anthology as a way to showcase the work that was undertaken, and students will participate in an end-of-the-semester poster exhibit to present their findings to their peers.

This program requires students who are self-motivated, disciplined, and willing to do the work required to complete an ambitious research project. However, students also enjoy a tremendous amount of flexibility, allowing them to establish their own work schedules in consultation with their faculty advisors. This program also enables students to study what interests them most. Don't see the class you want to take? The Independent Research track allows you to invent it yourself!

To apply now for this program, simply Click Here!