Study Abroad

Study abroad, whether during the summer or term-time, is of immeasurable benefit to students committed to perfecting their linguistic and cultural fluency in countries where Romance Languages are spoken. The following is a list of some of the many resources available to students considering studying abroad.

Harvard Summer School

Harvard Summer School offers a number of programs appealing to students in RLL. 

Currently students can study abroad with RLL faculty on Harvard Summer School programs in Milan and Siena, Italy, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Paris, France, or Calabria, Italy.

Spend one month in Milan and one in Siena, Italy, studying the intersection of aesthetics and innovation with Italian Professor Francesco Erspamer.

Contemplate beauty, its meaning, its history, and its connection to technological innovation and economics in two of Italy’s most beautiful cities. You study aesthetics, cultural economics, smart cities, storytelling, fiction, Italian film, fashion, and creative industries as an indispensable vehicle for change and sustainability.

Study Spanish language, history, and culture in Spain’s dynamic, elegant, and hip capital city with RLL Senior Preceptor in Spanish Johanna Liander.

Designed for students at the intermediate level of Spanish language study, this 8-week immersion program focuses on the history, culture and languages of urban, insular and rural Spain. Based in urban and cosmopolitan Madrid, the program will expand your appreciation and understanding of the diversity of Spain through excursions to nearby Toledo and Segovia, as well as a weekend in Mallorca and a week in Galicia—two regions of the country with very distinctive histories and cultures. The program operates in cooperation with San Pablo CEU University, the University of the Balearic Islands and the University of Santiago de Compostela, offering you a wide range of academic exposure throughout the summer.

Explore the City of Light and the revolutions that have shaped it with French Professor Alice Jardine.

The Harvard Summer Program in Paris, France, features an integrated third-year-level interdisciplinary course that explores the city through the theme of revolution. You will hone your language skills by participating in classroom sessions conducted exclusively in French, and your cultural and historical understanding will be enriched through daily explorations of Parisian neighborhoods, film, and theater outings, as well as weekend excursions. The program culminates in an individual project that you design and execute, tying your personal experience to the city’s dynamic literature, history, and culture, past and present.

Master the Italian language in the heart of southern Italy with Italian Lecturer and Resident Dean of Adams House Adam Muri-Rosenthal.

The Harvard Summer School Program in Calabria, Italy will catapult you forward in your study of Italian, covering one year of language study in eight weeks, whilst immersing you in the natural beauty and cultural vibrancy of Southern Italy.

You will benefit from traditional classroom instruction situated within an environment abundant in opportunities for experiential learning through interaction with local community members, visits to sites of historical and cultural importance, and artistic production.

RLL Faculty are always exploring options for future summer programs through Harvard Summer School. A full list of programs offered by HSS can be found here. Offerings are constantly changing, so be sure to check back often!

Office of International Education

The Office of International Education (OIE) works with undergraduate students who are planning for a significant academic year, term, or summer international experience. We work with students to research and plan for their time abroad, provide support during their international experience, and ensure that their re-entry process goes smoothly. We are guided by the academic standards of Harvard College, and work in close collaboration with various academic departments, area centers, and other advising offices on campus.

To learn more about how Harvard is engaged with the rest of the world, please visit Harvard Worldwide, a website maintained by the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs.

David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies

In addition to its office in Cambridge, the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) has overseas offices in Santiago, Chile, São Paulo, Brazil, and Mexico City. These offices help organize comprehensive academic and extracurricular/work experiences for Harvard students in many different Latin American countries. Additionally, through the Office of International Education, students can participate in study abroad programs in these countries.