Frederick C. Cuny Peace & Conflict Summer Program

Named after American humanitarian and disaster relief specialist Frederick C. Cuny, and based at RIT’s Kosovo campus in the heart of Europe's Balkan region, this is a premier international leadership program.

• Participate in a one-week study tour to Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia, where students meet officials and activists and visit historical and recreational areas in the beautiful Balkans.
• Live what you are learning: Kosovo is a  ‘living laboratory' of history in the heart of the Balkans and an ideal location to explore the origin and resolution of armed conflict, reconstruction, and institution building at the end of wars.
• Courses are taught by senior civilian and military officials, NGO activists, and academics with hands-on experience in the Balkans, Middle East, and elsewhere.
• You will meet Kosovo Government senior officials, activists, and officials from diplomatic and international missions. 
• Visit historically significant sites in Kosovo, take part in informal late-afternoon seminars on current issues, and participate in workshops/simulations of peacekeeping operations.

Program Overview:
Explore the history, politics, and economics of conflict situations in an environment that serves as a living example of the subject. You'll learn about the background of the Kosovo conflict of the late 20th century, the dynamic nature of security in the period following the fighting, and continuing challenges to conflict transformation and development. Courses in areas such as war and peace in the Balkans, the role of the international community in conflict resolution, and economic development in post-conflict areas will be taught by renowned experts who have hands-on experience in the crises of the Balkans and elsewhere. Classes include students from around the world sharing one thing in common: an interest in learning about the timeless issues of war and peace in a newly-born country. Your classroom experience will be further enhanced by day trips across the region, highlighting the rich cultural diversity of the Balkans.

Program Term: Summer
Location: Pristina, Kosovo (RIT Kosovo Campus)
Program Dates: June 23-July 25, 2025

The program begins with a week-long study tour (June 23rd to June 28th). Classes start on June 30th. Internships (if applicable) would run from July 1st to August 29th.

Courses

Students will learn to think strategically about the challenges associated with attempting to establish the rule of law in a society emerging from conflict and to understand and analyze international and regional issues from a variety of theoretical and practical frameworks and perspectives.

Undergraduate students can take either two or three courses. Graduate students must take all three courses (9 credits total) and will received an advanced graduate certificate from RIT Kosovo.

No pre-requisites. Program open to all majors. 

Undergraduate Courses (students can take 2 or 3 courses)

• ANTH 345: Genocide and Transitional Justice (3 credits)
• POLS 445: Terrorism and Political Violence (3 credits)
• POLS 541: Peacekeeping and Conflict Transformation (3 credits)
• POLS  542: War, Diplomacy, and State-Building (3 credits)
• ECON 448: Development Economics (3 credits)
  An option to apply for an internship is also available (limited internship placements are available).

Graduate Courses (must take all three)

• POLS 641: Peacekeeping and Conflict Transformation (3 credits)
• POLS 642: War, Diplomacy, and Statebuilding (3 credits)
• POLS 615: Political Science Practicum/Experiential Learning (3 credits)

Application deadline: April 1, 2025

Program Cost: Students can take a copy of the budget worksheet to a meeting with RIT financial aid to determine how their aid may apply toward program costs.

Student Budget Worksheets:

• Undergraduate, 2 courses
• Undergraduate, 3 courses
• Undergraduate, 2 courses + internship
• Undergraduate, 3 courses + internship
• Graduate students, 3 courses

To Apply:

1) Make an appointment to meet with the study abroad advisor for this program, Myles Chalue - choose date and time
2) Start an application in the RIT Study Abroad Compass