Course at a Glance
Course: ARTH 489G (3 Credits)
Location: Florence, Italy
When: 4 February to 3 March 2026
On-site in Florence: 13-16 February 2026
Register By: 21 January 2026
Status: OPEN
Highlights:
Davanzati Palace
The Uffizi
San Gimignano
The Accademia
Many churches
Tuition and Fees:
$750.00 Undergraduate 3-credit hour tuition cost
$400.00 Field Study Additional Fee includes: (museum/ticket fees, private tours, excursions or other events organized by the faculty). Not included: meals, transportation to and from the location, and hotel accommodation. Please note that the fee is subject to change based on potential increases in ticket prices.
Explore the artistic and cultural milieu of Florence during this field study program at UMGC Europe.
Florence was the birthplace of Renaissance art. While staying in the heart of this medieval city, students will have an opportunity to explore the artistic, historical, and cultural milieu into which Renaissance art was born and where Raphael, Michelangelo, and da Vinci worked side by side. The notion of artistic genius began in Florence, and the level of creativity in this small city changed art forever. Museum visits in the city will allow students to study masterpieces of art up close and where they were meant to be seen.
Topics include:
- The development of humanism and how it influences the arts
- Renaissance architecture and sculpture
- The masters of the 1400s - Masaccio, Uccello, Botticelli, della Francesca
- The High Renaissance and the rivalry between da Vinci and Michelangelo
Faculty member: Professor Megan McCormack, meghan.mccormack@faculty.umgc.edu
Students should consult an academic advisor to determine how the course fits into their program.
Course Details
Pre-Course and Week 1
You will gain access to the online LEO classroom approximately one week before the start of the course. The official course start date is 4 February 2026. Once you access the classroom, take a virtual course walk-through and begin reading assignments and review the on-site itinerary.
On-Site in Florence:
13-16 February 2026
Sample Itinerary (Final confirmed itinerary will be available in the course syllabus)
Meeting point will be provided by the faculty teaching the course
Lectures in the morning (please see location of lectures)
Visit Medici Chapels
Visit Palazzo Pitti
Visit Uffizi Museum
Visit Piazza Signoria
Visit Cathedral museum
Other church visits
Textbooks and Course Materials
Please refer to the current course syllabus found on the schedule for details about course materials.
Registration Details
You may register for the 1-3-credit field study course with your local program coordinator or online at MyUMGC. Tuition assistance or financial aid can be applied toward tuition costs. For more information, contact the UMGC Field Study Office at CIV +49-(0)631-534-800, or e-mail fieldstudies-europe@umgc.edu.
Before completing your travel plans, please verify with your local program coordinator or the Field Study Office at fieldstudies-europe@umgc.edu. that the course will be held as scheduled. If you drop/withdraw from a field study course after the registration deadline, you will be charged a fee of $100. A one-credit hour field study will be charged the amount equal to the pre-purchased tickets. Please see the additional field study fee.
How is a field study course different from a regular course?
A field study course packs all of the 48 contact-hours of other courses into adventure-filled days on location, so you can earn one to three credits at an accelerated pace. In addition, rather than taking place in an education center, a field study course takes place in a historical European city where the subject being studied has its roots. You will visit historical sites and museums as well as participate in lectures that bring it all together for a one-of-a-kind learning experience.
For more information, please visit the Field Study Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.
Helpful Hints
Before you leave:
- Contact your travel agency concerning insurance coverage for cancellations.
- Contact your health insurance company for information concerning coverage at your destination.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of your destination country.
- Check the weather forecast for your destination.
- Obtain city maps for your destination.
- Leave contact information with people at home who may need to reach you during the course.
- Make sure your legal affairs are in order and leave a short-term power of attorney with someone you trust.
- Make two photocopies of your passport and the contents of your wallet--leave one copy at home and bring the other with you.
For more information, please visit the Field Study Resources page.