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.

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Courses

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

Anthropology

  • ANTH1002S 001 Interpretation of Culture (Session B)

Art History and Archaeology

  • AHIS2314S 001 Masters of the Baroque (Session A)
  • AHIS2427UN 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)
  • AHIS3441S 002 New York City and the History of Museums (Session B)
  • AHIS3442S 001 American Art at the Met (Session A)

English and Comparative Literature

  • ENGL3052S 001 The 1990s – A Literary History (Session A)
  • ENGL3053S 001 Reading and Writing Memoir (Session B)
  • ENGL3233S 001 Shakespeare (Session B)
  • ENGL3273S 001 Walt Whitman in New York (Session B)
  • ENGL3699S 001 Arts Matronage in America (Session B)
  • ENGL3782S 001 When American Television Became American Literature (Session A)
  • ENGL3915S 001 The Art of the Essay (Session B)

History

  • HIST3535S 001 History of the City of New York (Session B)
  • HIST3596S 001 History of Latinos/as in the US (Session B)

Film
In partnership with the School of the Arts

  • FILM3022S 001 Flying Above the Towers: New York and the Superhero in Times of American Crisis (Session TBD)
  • FILM3023S 001 Video Games and Film (Session B)
  • FILM3025UN 001 Narrative Design for Video Games and Interactive Experiences (Session A)
  • FILM3045UN 001 Film Criticism and Story Development (Session TBD)
  • FILM3815S 001 Developing the Low Budget Film (Session B)
  • FILM3833S 001 Producing the Low Budget Film (Session A)
  • FILM4030S 001 TV Writing (Session A)
  • FILM4037S 001 Screenwriting 1: Intro (Session A)
  • FILM4039 001 TV Writing Revision (Session B)

Music 

  • MUSI2240UN 001 The Song Within Us (Session B)
  • MUSI3630S 001 Recorded Sound (Session A)

Sociology

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

Theatre
In partnership with the School of the Arts

  • THEA4120S 001 Introduction to Moment Work (Session A)
  • THEA4122S 001 Dramaturgy & Moment Work: Stranger than Fiction (Session B)
  • THEA4215S 001 The New York Theatre Event (Session B)

Visual Arts
In partnership with the School of the Arts

  • VIAR1001S 001 Basic Drawing (Session A)
  • VIAR1701S 001 Intro to Darkroom Photography (Session A)
  • VIAR1701S 002 Intro to Darkroom Photography (Session B)
  • VIAR1702UN 001 Intro to Digital Photography (Session A)
  • VIAR1706UN 001 Photo Exhibitions (Session B)
  • VIAR1707UN 001 PhotoBook History (Session A)
  • VIAR3210S 001 Painting I (Session B)
  • VIAR3411S 001 Printmaking: Silkscreen (Session A)
  • VIAR3411S 002 Printmaking: Silkscreen (Session B)

Writing
In partnership with the School of the Arts

  • WRIT1001S 001 Fiction Workshop (Session A)
  • WRIT1001S 002 Fiction Workshop (Session B)
  • WRIT1101S 001 Nonfiction Workshop (Session A)
  • WRIT1201S 001 Poetry Workshop (Session A)
  • WRIT1201S 002 Poetry Workshop (Session B)
  • WRIT3215UN 001 Writing About Art (Session B)
  • WRIT4313S 001 Writing Children’s Books (Session B)
  • WRIT4320S 001 Travel Writing (Session A)
  • WRIT4323S 001 Writing the YA Novel (Session A)
  • WRIT4324S 001 Misfits and Misanthropes (Session A)
  • WRIT4325GU 001 Writing New York (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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