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Summer Session Registration is now open! Columbia University students register through Vergil, Visiting Students apply now. Learn more.
Three students laugh outside of The Met.

Culture and History in NYC

The Culture and History in NYC Focus Area is designed for students with a passion for exploring the arts and humanities while living in the rich cultural landscape of New York City. This flexible Focus Area leverages the artistic hub of NYC with insights from Columbia’s distinguished faculty, making it ideal for students who are preparing for graduate studies in fields like art history, museum studies, or for those building a portfolio for advanced academic or professional work. This focus area also welcomes students interested in studying the vibrant history of NYC and taking advantage of its unparalleled cultural resources.

Visiting students enroll in two courses that may be completed in either one or two six-week sessions, selecting from a variety of curated courses. Students who complete two courses in their Focus Area will receive a Certification of Participation and a Columbia University transcript.

In this nimble program, Columbia’s theory-meets-practice model pairs coursework with specialized co-curriculars, giving students an immersive experience of NYC’s historical and cultural landscape.

Co-curricular activities may include:

  • Lincoln Center Performances
  • Tribeca Film Festival
  • Museum Mile Festival
  • Gotham Center for NY History Dinner

Visiting students study alongside matriculated students at Columbia University and have the same access to top faculty in the arts and humanities at Columbia’s School of Arts & Sciences academic departments. Students can also take advantage of on-campus housing. This holistic program provides students a unique experiential learning experience, offering the chance to study in the only Ivy League university in New York City while connecting with a cohort of like-minded peers.

Program Features

Learn more about the Focus Areas for Visiting Students

Courses

Below is a sample of courses offered in Culture and History in NYC.

Art History and Archaeology

  • AHIS2314S 001 Masters of the Baroque (Session A)
  • AHIS2427W 001 Twentieth-Century Architecture (Session A)
  • AHIS3010S 001 Evaluating Authenticity (Session A)
  • AHIS3010S 002 Evaluating Authenticity (Session B)
  • AHIS3426S 001 Jackson Pollock (Session A)
  • AHIS3426S 002 Jackson Pollock (Session B)
  • AHIS3427W 001 Making Medieval New York (Session A)
  • AHIS3441S 001 New York City and the History of Museums (Session A)
  • AHIS3441S 002 New York City and the History of Museums (Session B)
  • AHIS3442S 001 American Art in a Global Context: 1750-1914 (Session A)

English and Comparative Literature

  • ENGL3233S 001 Shakespeare (Session B)
  • ENGL3273S 001 Walt Whitman and New York (Session B)
  • ENGL3717W 001 Literature & Film of the Boroughs (Session A)
  • ENGL3782S 001 When American Television Became American Literature (Session A)
  • ENGL4526S 001 Comics: Reading the Medium (Session A)

History

  • HIST3535S 001 History of the City of New York (Session B)

Film

  • FILM3001S 001 Intro Study and Theory of Film (Session A)
  • FILM3023S 001 Comparative Study: Cinema and Video Games (Session B)
  • FILM3024S 001 Horror Movies and New York (Session B)
  • FILM3815S 001 Developing the Low Budget Film (Session B)
  • FILM3833S 001 Producing the Low Budget Film (Session A)
  • FILM4030S 001 TV Writing: Intro to Pilot (Session A)
  • FILM4030S 002 TV Writing: Intro to Pilot (Session B)
  • FILM4037S 001 Screenwriting 1: Intro (Session A)

Music 

  • MUSI2205UN 001 Introduction to Digital Music (Session A)
  • MUSI2250UN 001 The Song Within Us (Session B)
  • MUSI3630S 001 Recorded Sound (Session A)

Sociology

  • SOCI3671S 001 Media, Culture and Society (Session A)
  • SOCI3671S 002 Media, Culture and Society (Session B)

Theatre

  • THEA4215S 001 The New York Theatre Event (Session B)

Visual Arts

  • VIAR1001S 001 Basic Drawing (Session A)
  • VIAR1701S 001 Intro to Darkroom Photography (Session A)
  • VIAR1701S 002 Intro to Darkroom Photography (Session A)
  • VIAR1702R 001 Intro to Digital Photography (Session A)
  • VIAR3210S 001 Painting I (Session B)
  • VIAR3411S 001 Printmaking: Silkscreen (Session A)
  • VIAR3411S 002 Printmaking: Silkscreen (Session B)

Writing

  • WRIT1001S 001 Fiction Workshop (Session A)
  • WRIT1001S 002 Fiction Workshop (Session B)
  • WRIT1201S 001 Poetry Workshop (Session A)
  • WRIT1201S 002 Poetry Workshop (Session B)
  • WRIT3215W 001 Writing About Art (Session B)
  • WRIT4313S 001 Writing Children’s Books (Session B)
  • WRIT4320W 001 Travel Writing (Session A)
  • WRIT4323S 001 Writing the YA Novel (Session A)
  • WRIT4810S 001 How to Write Funny (Session A)

Visiting Student Admissions

Visit the Admissions page to review program requirements and deadlines or to start your application.

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