Study Abroad Fall 2025

Can’t join us in San Francisco – Yet? We’ve Got You. Start your Academy of Art journey this fall in Florence Italy. Classes will be taught by our US faculty using the same curriculum they use in the States. Then this spring you can continue your studies at our San Francisco campus *

For international students not in India or China, contact intladmissions@academyart.edu

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BROCHURE DOMESTIC STUDENT BROCHURE

Fall Florence Italy, ArtU Program

When: Tuesday, September 2^nd – Saturday, December 20^th

Deadline to Enroll: Wednesday, July 2^nd

ArtU Tuition Fee: Students must pay ArtU tuition for 12 units for Undergrad and 9 units for Grad. See ArtU tuition costs here.

Classes: see below

Program Fee: $9,450.00; full payment due by July 15^th and non-refundable after August 1^st

Included in Program Fee expand_more

Welcome Gala in Florence, including an overview of the city and all health and safety information
15 weeks of on-location learning with ArtU Instructors on the SRISA campus in Florence
24-hour emergency assistance
On-campus WiFi
Access to on-campus facilities in Florence
An Uffizi Card, which offers unlimited access to the Uffizi, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, and Bardini Gardens
Siena day trip via private bus
Portovenere day trip via private bus
Volterra day trip via private bus

Excluded From Program Fee expand_more

Students must pay ArtU tuition for 12 units for Undergrad and 9 units for Grad
Students are responsible for roundtrip flights
Students are responsible for housing. They can select SRISA housing at a total cost of $4,700 per student for shared housing, or they can secure other housing on their own
Students are responsible for meals
Students are responsible for travel visa fees and processing
Student are responsible for securing travel insurance with healthcare coverage

Campuses in Florence

ArtU will utilize SRISA (Santa Reparata International School of Art) campuses in Florence, Italy to teach select classes for Fall 2025. The main campus and administration is located at Via San Gallo 53r, Florence, Italy 50129. The SRISA facilities are located in the heart of the historic city center of Florence. With all campuses located at least 5 minutes walking distance from one another, getting from class to class is easy. The central location allows students to enjoy all that the city has to offer.

SRISA Provided Shared Housing (optional): $4,700; $500 non-refundable deposit due July 2^nd

Housing Amenities expand_more

SRISA works closely with a housing agency in Florence to procure apartments for students. Although the apartments may vary widely, all shared student apartments include the following amenities:

Kitchen with refrigerator, stove, and either a microwave or oven
Dishes, pots, pans, flatware glasses, etc.
Bathroom with shower and/or bath
Double and single occupancy bedrooms

All apartments are furnished and have exact beds to accommodate students assigned to them. Students with particular needs—especially concerning the amount of space, luxuries, etc. may want to arrange for their own housing. Though apartments vary in size, configuration, and amenities, student apartments do not have air-conditioning, and none have telephones. All have Wifi provided by the landlords. All apartments are centrally located and within walking distance of the school; most are within a short walk, and none are more than twenty minutes away by foot.

Studio and Lecture Facilities expand_more

Students will work in spacious and excellently equipped studios. The printmaking, photography, painting, 3D and 4D facilities, as well as design classrooms, are the best in Florence. Students can take advantage of the facilities after hours and over weekends to make use of the facilities when creativity strikes.

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Animation & Visual Effects

Undergraduate:
ANM 101 — Introduction to Computer Graphics
Explore the different disciplines that collectively contribute to computer graphics production. You’ll learn the basic concepts and terminology of computer graphics used in film, visual effects, games, and animation.

ANM 180 — Principles of Computer Animation
Gain technical skills practicing experimental and stop motion animation. Building a firm foundation for future animation work, you’ll gain hands-on experience with media of clay, paper cutouts, found objects, pixilation, and stop motion puppets.

LA 132 — History of Animation
What’s up, doc? From a historical context, you’ll analyze the work of the creative visionaries, fine artists, and technical pioneers behind classic animated characters from Bugs Bunny to Thanos and beyond.

Graduate:
ANM 610 — Figurative Concepts
Master your ability to draw proportionally accurate figures, both nude and clothed, for entertainment art. You’ll study anatomy, proportion, foreshortening, construction, movement and gesture, making simple still lifes and tonal self-portraits.

ANM 623 — Introduction to Maya
Learn to navigate this complex 3D software and its many tools and workflows as they are used in major animation and VFX studios, preparing you for specialized study in the track of your choice.

GLA 621 — History of Animation
Understand the artistic and technological history of animation. You’ll examine different regional styles, animation as a reflection of society, early attempts to break the 3D curse, and how the earlier works are referenced in today’s animation.

ANM 629 — Fundamentals of Look Development (Pre-req: ANM 623 — Introduction to Maya)
Learn how to render beautiful animations, just like your favorite studios. You’ll learn core principles of looked and lighting, including painting in 3D, how to work with BRDF shaders, linear lighting, animation caches, compositing of render passes, and much more.

Shared Graduate/Undergraduate:
ANM 680/VIS 380 — Color Scripting
You’ll use cinematic composition, atmospheric use of color, and color continuity to complete a sixteen-frame color script. (This course is cross listed with VIS 380 and ANM 880.)

Animation & Visual Effects

Communications & Media Technologies

Fashion

Fine Art

Foundations

Game Development

Graphic Design

Interior Architecture & Design

Interaction & UI/UX Design

Liberal Arts

Undergraduate:
LA 291 — Designing Careers (Enrollment condition: Sophomore status, 30+ units completed)
Pursue the job you want! Hone your communication skills through collaboration, self-promotion, and other professional interactions. You will collaborate across disciplines to write a persuasive project proposal and conduct industry research for seeking out entrepreneurial and employee-based career opportunities.

LA 142 — Film Music Appreciation
Learn the history of film music, from the birth of sound film to today. You will trace the historical development of the art of film music and how it supports the narrative elements of the story.

LA 258 — Creative Perspectives in Sound Design
Studying motion pictures-from their inception through 1978-you’ll learn how sound design supports the aesthetic and narrative elements of the story. You’ll study the importance of sound design, the influence of technologies, and key historical figures in the history of soundtracks to improve your own creative works.

LA 116 — Looking at Art and Design
Explore the fundamental building blocks of art and design through the study of painting, sculpture, graphic art, architecture, and other media to gain a historical and cultural appreciation of two- and three-dimensional art.

LA 274 — Study Abroad: Art & Architecture of Renaissance Florence
Immerse yourself in the seminal works of art and architecture in Florence, Italy. Through writing and sketching projects, lectures, and readings, you’ll experience Florence’s rich cultural heritage and discover the enduring influence of the Renaissance period. (This course is cross listed with GLA 905.) NOTE: LA 274 meets the undergraduate Art Historical Awareness requirement. Students may also seek director approval to apply this course towards the undergraduate Historical Awareness or Cultural Ideas & Influences requirement.

Graduate:
GLA 618 — Film Music History
This course surveys the development of the film score for motion pictures from its beginnings in silent film through the multitude of styles we hear today. Selected examples will be demonstrated in class. Students will learn how the score functions to support the aesthetic and narrative elements of the story.

GLA 658 — Creative Perspectives in Sound Design
Studying motion pictures-from their inception through 1978-you will learn how sound design supports the aesthetic and narrative elements of the story. You will study the importance of sound design, the influence of technologies, and key historical figures in the history of soundtracks to improve your own creative works. (This course is cross listed with MUS 658.)

GLA 637 — Theory and Movements in Traditional Interior Architecture
Know your design history and the cultural framework guiding its development. Focusing on major movements and innovations, you’ll examine the societal, political, historical, and economical influences that impacted art, architecture, design, furniture, and materials until the early 19th century.

GLA 905 — Study Abroad: Art & Architecture of Renaissance Florence
Immerse yourself in the seminal works of art and architecture in Florence, Italy. Through writing and sketching projects, lectures, and readings, you’ll experience Florence’s rich cultural heritage and discover the enduring influence of the Renaissance period. (This course is cross listed with LA 274.) NOTE: GLA 905 meets the graduate Cross-Cultural Understanding requirement. Students may also seek director approval to apply this course towards the graduate Art Historical Awareness & Aesthetic Sensitivity requirement.

Shared Graduate/Undergraduate:
GLA 905/LA274 — Study Abroad: Art & Architecture of Renaissance Florence
Immerse yourself in the seminal works of art and architecture in Florence, Italy. Through writing and sketching projects, lectures, and readings, you’ll experience Florence’s rich cultural heritage and discover the enduring influence of the Renaissance period. (This course is cross listed with LA 274.) NOTE: GLA 905 meets the graduate Cross-Cultural Understanding requirement. Students may also seek director approval to apply this course towards the graduate Art Historical Awareness & Aesthetic Sensitivity requirement.

Liberal Arts