Syracuse University Florence: study abroad in Italy
Syracuse University Florence is Syracuse University's Florence center, active for over six decades. It hosts the longest-running Master of Fine Arts in Renaissance Art History in the United States, running since 1964, alongside programs in Architecture, Studio Arts and Design.
About Syracuse University Florence
Syracuse University Florence is Syracuse University's Florence center, a US public university headquartered in New York State. The campus, a complex of five buildings a ten-minute walk from Florence's historic center, features computer labs, a library and a scenic garden.
Students can choose from three study tracks based on their Italian language level: courses exclusively at the Syracuse center, a mixed track with intensive language and culture study at the University of Florence's Centro di Cultura per Stranieri, or direct enrollment in courses at the Florence university.
The academic offer includes Architecture, Studio Arts, Design, Engineering and a rare Master of Fine Arts program in Renaissance Art History, among the longest-running and most prestigious in the US for Italian Renaissance studies, with two out of three semesters spent directly in Florence.
Main academic areas
Programs in Architecture, Studio Arts, Italian Language, Design, Engineering · M.A. in Renaissance Art (Art History) since 1964
Center statistics and indicators
Employability and business ties specific to the Florence center not published; data available only at Syracuse's US university level.
Syracuse Florence's history
Syracuse University Florence is one of the longest-running American study abroad programs in Italy, active for over six decades. The center was founded to give American students direct immersion in the artistic and cultural heritage of Florentine Renaissance, quickly distinguishing itself for the quality of its art history and architecture programs.
The Master of Fine Arts in Renaissance Art History, running since 1964, is the oldest program of its kind accredited in the United States conducting the majority of its studies in Italy, testifying to the university's long tradition in Renaissance studies.
Over time the Florence center has become one of the three largest study abroad programs across the entire Syracuse Abroad network, alongside those in London and Madrid, with annual student flows ranging from a few dozen to several hundred depending on the semester. The ability to combine courses at the Syracuse center with direct study at the University of Florence has, over the years, cemented the center's role as a bridge between the American and Italian academic systems.
What people say online about Syracuse University Florence
Reviews of Syracuse University Florence are generally very positive, with a recurring limitation around limited interaction with Italian students.
Wide variety of courses available, from painting to film, plus local excursions included in programs.
The homestay option highly valued for language immersion with Italian families.
- Wide variety of courses, from painting to film
- Local excursions included in programs
- Homestay option for deep language immersion
- Quality of specialized courses in art history and architecture
- Long-standing program, among the longest-running in Italy
- Limited interaction with Italian students (program almost exclusively American)
- An inherent limitation typical of large monocultural study abroad programs
- Heavy workload for specific programs such as pre-architecture
FAQ — Syracuse University Florence
Syracuse University Florence represents a historic reference point for the study of the Italian Renaissance, with over sixty years of consolidated experience and an Art History Master's among the longest-running of its kind in the United States.
