CLA 164 (D)

Two thousand years of funny business in Italy! This course starts with the ancient Roman comedy of Plautus and journeys through the centuries, studying Roman humor, Italian Renaissance commedia dell’arte, and more recent traditions of Italian comedy. Site visits include a tour of a Venetian mask-maker’s workshop, the palace of Ferrara, the Roman poet Catullus’ villa in Sirmio, and Rome to see the Colosseum, Forum, and Capitoline Museums. A knowledge of the Latin and Italian languages is not required.

Surrounded by water, Venice is an enchanting city built on 117 small islands. Its magnificent sights are best seen by walking along the narrow streets, crossing the many canals, and meandering through the piazzas. Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, and the Rialto bridge are three among numerous sites that make Venice an unforgettable city. In addition, Wake Forest students may conveniently explore on their own other parts of Italy such as Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Sicily among others.

In 1971, the University, with the assistance of Graham Martin, Ambassador to Italy and Wake Forest alumnus, leased the building that formerly housed the American Consulate. In 1974, the building was purchased by Wake Forest and named Casa Artom in honor of Dr. Camillo Artom, a professor at the Baptist Medical Center until 1969. His wife, Bianca Ara Artom, taught Italian at Wake Forest for many years and served as the director of Casa Artom during the summers until her death in 1994.

Casa Artom is a magnificent two-story building facing the Grand Canal. It is flanked by the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, which houses the Peggy Guggenheim art collection, and the magnificent 15th century home Ca’Dario.

CLA 164 (D)

Two thousand years of funny business in Italy! This course starts with the ancient Roman comedy of Plautus and journeys through the centuries, studying Roman humor, Italian Renaissance commedia dell’arte, and more recent traditions of Italian comedy. Site visits include a tour of a Venetian mask-maker’s workshop, the palace of Ferrara, the Roman poet Catullus’ villa in Sirmio, and Rome to see the Colosseum, Forum, and Capitoline Museums. A knowledge of the Latin and Italian languages is not required.

Dr. T.H.M. Gellar-Goad
Professor of Classical Languages
Email: gellarth@wfu.edu

Casa Artom can accommodate 18 students. There are eleven bedrooms, a library, classrooms, a dining room, a living room, two kitchens, a patio, and an open courtyard. Modern kitchen facilities are available, and students often prefer to cook their meals together in the house. The house is wired for Internet access and students may bring their laptop computers. The faculty director has a suite upstairs consisting of two bedrooms and a bath. Washers and dryers are available in the laundry room. Casa Artom is conveniently located close to the Academia, the Guggenheim Museum, churches, restaurants, coffee houses, and small grocery stores. Participants reside at Casa Artom where they will share rooms with other students.

NOTE: All students participating in the WFU Casa Artom program are required to live in program-provided housing. Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.

The resident professor is responsible for the selection of each group based on the following criteria:

*Academic suitability
*Social and emotional maturity
*Seriousness of the student in pursuing the academic and cultural aims of the program

The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories:

Program Fee – Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program.
Tuition – Students on WFU summer programs pay WFU summer school tuition per credit hour. The 2025 summer rate is $950/per credit hour. 
Airfare – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses – These will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.

Program Fee – TBD
Tuition (3hrs) – $2,850
Airfare (estimated) – TBD
Personal Expenses (estimated) – TBD
Estimated total cost – TBD

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Scholarship deadline through Global Programs and Studies is February 1st. 

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Dr. T.H.M. Gellar-Goad
Professor of Classical Languages
Email: gellarth@wfu.edu

Amanda Batten  
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
336-758-3194
battena@wfu.edu

House Address:
Casa Artom
Dorsoduro 699
San Gregorio
30123 Venice, Italy
Phone: 011-39-041-522-2709
Fax: 011-39-041-522-0277