NYU in 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.
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.