Since 1987, Cornell in Rome has offered a transformative experience for talented undergraduate artists, architecture students, and urbanists. A world-class and specialized program, Cornell in Rome is focused on instruction in the disciplines of architecture design, history, and theory; visual arts; art history; urban studies; and Italian language, history, and culture.

Students benefit from an intimate environment and the opportunity to build interdisciplinary and lasting relationships with the faculty and each other. The maximum enrollment is 60 students each semester and faculty remain consistent for the entire semester.

Classes can generally be applied to Cornell graduation requirements and participation in the program does not necessarily require extra semesters of study or delay graduation. Interested Cornell students should speak with their college registrar to determine how classes will be applied toward degree requirements.

Fine Arts

The Fine Arts semester curriculum draws upon Rome's extensive historical and cultural resources. Students receive individual instruction flexible enough to accommodate personal artistic practices and can work in a variety of media, including painting, photography, collage, performance installation, sculpture, drawing, and book art. Prominent international artists lecture, critique, and host students at their studios, while an extensive and varied field trip program balances historic collections with modern and contemporary art. Students may also enroll in art history, architecture history, contemporary art, and Italian language classes. Internship opportunities are available in galleries, museums, arts organizations, or artist studios. 

Students who are accomplished in studio art and have completed a comparable amount of work from their home institution, of equal rigor and quality as compared to Cornell B.F.A. students may apply. Applicants must demonstrate both ability and fit for the program in a portfolio of visual work.