Program Description
In this 6-week, 6-credit program, you’ll live at Notre Dame’s Roman Villa and attend class in Notre Dame’s Rome Global Gateway, just blocks from the Colosseum — both in the heart of Rome.
In addition to classes in the Rome Global Gateway, Notre Dame engineers participate in Papal audiences, tour the Colosseum, St. Peter’s, and Scavi and San Clemente.
You’ll also visit Orvieto, the small city perched on a rock cliff in Umbria. Students live in the Notre Dame Villa with modern dorm-apartment rooms in the heart of Rome.
The program is open to all Engineering students.
The 2026 program will be led by Professors Paola Crippa and Stefano Castruccio.
Courses
All students enroll in both of the following courses for a total of 6 engineering credits.
- EG 34440: Probability and Statistics
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory of probability and statistics, with a focus on applications in computer science and engineering. Key topics include discrete and continuous random variables, joint probability distributions, the central limit theorem, point and interval estimation, and hypothesis testing. The course emphasizes both the theoretical foundations and practical applications, equipping students with essential tools for analyzing and interpreting data in technical fields
- EGxxxxx: Introduction to weather and climate, and their impacts on ancient and modern civilizations
This course investigates the evolution of weather and climate prediction, from ancient weather lore to modern sophisticated models, using Rome and the Italian Peninsula as a case study. Climate and weather predictions were vital to the success of ancient Roman civilizations, influencing their agriculture, trade, military strategies, and cultural practices. The course begins by exploring personal observations documented in works like Pliny the Elder’s “Historia Naturalis” and traces the development of meteorology and climatology as scientific fields through the Renaissance and beyond, citing figures such as Leonardo da Vinci.
By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the fundamentals of physical meteorology and climatology. They will also gain the skills to experiment with or analyze atmospheric models of varying complexity and to understand the impacts of weather and climate on societies, which will inform engineering decisions related to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Dates
June 25 – July 31, 2026
Housing
You’ll live in the Notre Dame Villa with modern dorm-apartment rooms in the heart of Rome.
The Villa is a three block walk to the Rome Global Gateway.
Program Fee
The cost for the 2026 Summer Study Abroad Program is $9,500, plus a $200 University Study Abroad Administration Fee.
The program fee includes the cost of 6 Notre Dame engineering credits; accommodations; GeoBlue international health insurance; all program academic outings and field trips; and on-site program support from Notre Dame faculty and Global Gateway staff.
It does not include the cost of airfare, meals, or airport transportation; passport/visa fees; international cell phone/plan; or personal spending money.
All students are considered for need-based engineering scholarships to help unwrite program costs.
Apply
Applications will be accepted between October 1 – November 3, 2025.
Program assignments and waitlist notifications occur before Christmas break.
Questions?
Feel free to contact:
Mike Kitz
Executive Director, Summer Engineering International Programs
mkitz@nd.edu
Todd Taylor
Director, Summer Engineering International Programs
ttaylo24@nd.edu