Academics

NYU Florence offers an exceptional academic program for undergraduate students throughout the academic year. Most content courses are taught in English, while some courses are offered in Italian to students proficient in the language. One way to become familiar with the Italian culture is to study the language. Students are required to take an Italian language course that matches their skill level. Approximately 375 undergraduates per semester study Italy's history and its extraordinary art, literature, philosophy, and architecture, along with the political, cultural, economic, and social issues that play a role in shaping Europe's future. Courses in business, film, photography, psychology, music (in spring semesters), and studio art are offered and will make use of the unique resources only available in Italy. Whenever possible the courses use Florence, Tuscany and often other parts fo Italy to ground your learning in the actual context in which it takes place. Classes are held at the La Pietra estate and at downtown locations. For students with advanced Italian language skills, courses can be taken at the University of Florence.

Featured Programs

Pre-Law in Florence

At NYU, we firmly believe that a well-balanced liberal arts education is the best preparation for law school. Students taking courses in the pre-law track at NYU Florence can take courses that compare and contrast the legal systems of Western Europe and examine issues involving law and human rights.

Pre-Business in Florence

A center of medieval European commerce, Florence flourished as a major banking hub. Today, Italy faces budget deficits and meeting the standards of the European Union. Through the College of Arts and Science (CAS) and the Stern School of Business, economic and business students at NYU Florence specialize in the economies of Europe, which includes a population of 731 million people in 50 countries.

La Pietra Dialogues

LPD convenes some of the world’s foremost scholars, policy makers, practitioners, business leaders, public intellectuals and artists whose ideas and work have made a significant cultural or intellectual contribution to global society and the revival of the spirit of humanism for which Florence is known. They gather at Villa la Pietra, New York University's exceptional site in Florence, to confront some of the most intractable issues of contemporary society through the creative interplay of ideas and perspectives. LPD fosters the creation of partnerships across disciplines, cultures and institutions, as an established center in the heart of Europe attached to an American University with branches throughout the world, and contributes to the emerging global civic discourse that is at the heart of NYU’s mission as a global network university.

Italian Studies

Students who are especially committed to learning Italian culture and language are invited to join the Florence Immersion Program. Take the next step toward fluency with special courses designed for students with Intermediate Italian or beyond.

Course-related Trips

To complement the curriculum, many professors organize local site visits as well as out-of-town field trips. These activities are mandatory and appear on each professor's syllabus. Most art history classes include visits to churches, museums, and villas in Florence and Italian cities to view artwork in context. Local museums are an integral part of many classes, and past visits have included the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Museum, l'Accademia, San Marco Museum, and the Medici Chapels. Recent trips outside of Florence have included visits to the Vatican museum and Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and a viewing of Leonardo's Last Supper in Milan. The Etruscans class regularly visits the archeological museum in Bologna and stops at nearby ancient ruins; the Italian opera course supplemented in-class discussions by attending a performance of Puccini at Verona's opera house; or a backstage tour of La Pergola, the opera house in Florence. Students often opt to take advantage of local holidays and the weeklong spring and fall breaks to travel through Italy and Europe.

View a sample list academic site visits and excursions

Academic Calendar

Fall Semester 
Spring Semester 
6-week Summer Sessions

Regular: March 15

Applications received after March 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Admission will be granted only when space is available and time allows for required travel documents to be attained.

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