M.A. in Art History, Florence Program in Italian Renaissance Art

For more than 60 years, Syracuse University has offered a unique master's program devoted to the study of Italian Renaissance art. This is the oldest M.A. art history program accredited in the United States for which most of the study—two of three semesters—is conducted in Italy. Although the Florence M.A. Program’s focus is early modern Italian art, students are encouraged to think broadly about the period and the discipline of art history. Via seminars that are led by internationally recognized scholars and conservators, they carefully analyze artistic styles and techniques, consider issues related to original audiences and settings, and closely study original documents and texts. In addition, they engage with the history and practice of art techniques and conservation; art historical theories, methods, and historiography; the collection and display of art; the digital humanities, and the ways in which the visual culture of the period relates to larger Mediterranean and global historical and artistic contexts. The small size of the Program (an average of seven participants per year) ensures that professors work closely with each student to create a rigorous and dynamic intellectual experience. It culminates in a public symposium at which students present their original research.