Art & Art History Study Abroad
Learn about study abroad programs focused on art, design, history and culture!
International study provides our students with a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized world. The Department of Art & Art History strongly encourages its students to participate in study programs across the globe. Visit UNC Charlotte’s Office of Education Abroad for in-depth information on applying to programs, the many scholarship opportunities available to students and using financial aid to help pay for your study abroad experience. Learn about the Department’s semester abroad and faculty-led spring break and summer programs focused on art, design, history and culture below, and start planning for your future abroad!
Poland: Semester At E. Geppert Academy Of Fine Arts & Design (Spring Semester, Ongoing)
The Department of Art & Art History has a long-running partnership with the E. Geppert Academy Of Fine Arts & Design in Wroclaw, Poland, one of Charlotte’s “sister” cities. Study art/design and discover 1000 years of central European history during a semester abroad! Visit the Academy’s website to see more information about the classes, programs, and opportunities available to you while there. Classes are taught in English.
Interested? Contact Erik Waterkotte as well as UNC Charlotte’s Office of Education Abroad for information on applying to the program.
Italy: Exploring Art & Culture in Rome & Venice (Summer 2026)
The Department offers a summer program in Italy every other year. Living in Rome, walking its streets to and from our classroom, shopping for dinner, becoming increasingly attuned to its rhythms, students become enmeshed by the living culture of Rome, one in which art and history, in its myriad manifestations, enjoys a central significance and ubiquitous visibility. Living within such a culture comes as something of a revelation, and can provide a lifetime’s worth of inspiration.
We will then travel north to Venice where we will experience one of the most important and vibrant international art events in the world, the Venice Biennale. The Biennale features premier artworks from the entire globe, and its affiliated events throughout the region offer endless opportunities to investigate contemporary global culture.
Through our course work, students will explore Italian Language and Culture, the dense layers of Art History, the living heartbeat of the cities through Street Photography, and the opportunity to explore their own art studio practice in relation to the vibrant Contemporary Art scene in Rome & Venice.
The program is designed for ALL majors, no prior art experience is necessary. Students can earn 6 to 9 credits for: Gen Ed, University Honors, Arts + Architecture Honors, Italian Language, Film Studies, Art History, and Studio Art.
Germany & The Czech Republic: Exploring Cold War Era Art & Architecture in Berlin and Prague (Spring Break 2027)
Berlin and Prague, two cities along the “iron curtain” in the history of the Cold War, have a rich history of art and architecture for us to explore. As the politically divided capital between Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc, Berlin offers a unique context to examine the history and culture of the period. Guided visits to major art museums, monuments, and other public works will illuminate the roles of art as agents of protest, ideology, and cultural diplomacy. Prague has its own unique history in the context of the Cold War: visits to major institutions will illustrate the extent to which political repression and dissent informed Czech art during the late twentieth century. This trip will offer students the exciting opportunity to experience intersections of art, history, and politics in the global arena.
Interested? Contact faculty leaders: Mallory Nanny and Andrew Leventis.
Italy: Exploring Art & Culture in Rome (Summer 2028)
Ancient Roman and Contemporary Art History + Experimental Studio Art + Italian Language & Culture
Living in this city, walking its streets to and from our classroom, shopping for dinner, becoming increasingly attuned to its rhythms, students become enmeshed by the living culture of Rome, one in which art, and history, in its myriad manifestations, enjoys a central significance and ubiquitous visibility. Living within such a culture comes as something of a revelation, and can provide a lifetime’s worth of inspiration.
Through our course work, students will explore Italian Language and Culture, Italian film and filmmaking, the dense layers of Art History, the living heartbeat of the city through Street Photography, and the opportunity to explore their own art studio practice in relation to the vibrant Contemporary Art scene in Rome.
The program is designed for ALL majors, no prior art experience is necessary. Students can earn credit for: Gen Ed, University Honors, Arts + Architecture Honors, Italian Language, Film Studies, Art History, and Studio Art.
Interested? Contact faculty leaders: Dr. Jim Frakes, Dr. Daniela Dal Pra, Erik Waterkotte, Anna Kenar and Aspen Hochhalter
Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.
-Giotto di Bondone, Renaissance painter
Korea: Exploring Design in Seoul (Summer 2029)
Seoul, South Korea, is designated as a UNESCO City of Design. The UNC Charlotte Graphic Design program invites students to explore the rich design culture of Seoul. Students will gain intercultural skills, observe and investigate a plethora of design styles and fields, and experience daily life in the culturally and historically-rich capital of South Korea. The city is packed with cultural heritage sites and traditions, art and design museums, great food, entertainment, and intentionally-designed public spaces and products. Students will also be exposed to basic principles of hangul and hangul typography, one of the most scientific writing systems in the world. Hangul was designed by King Sejong in the 15th century in order to increase literacy rates around South Korea. Join us on this epic learning adventure!
Interested? Contact faculty leader: Crissy Singer
PAST PROGRAMS Ireland: Creative Pilgrimage to Ireland (Summer 2025)
Modern Ireland is a place where spirituality, history, mystery, and art are woven together to create a rich tapestry. Our time in Ireland will be a journey to ignite our creativity, experiencing the wild, magical landscape of the western coastline at The Burren College of Art, which will be our home base for two weeks as we focus on our course work. Throughout the two weeks, we will have various excursions to sites close by, including the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands. At the end of our time in the Burren, we will travel to the bustling city of Galway. Visual and verbal journaling will be taught as well as mindfulness meditation. These practices can also generate a sense of calm, reduce stress, and increase focus and awareness. Students will participate in two courses and earn 6 credits: Image and Text: Art and Journaling as Contemplative Practice and Finding the Light: Photography as Contemplative Practice.
France: Medieval Pilgrimage Sites and the Contemplative Life (Spring Break 2026)
On this trip we will visit pilgrimage sites of Burgundy and Occitanie, including major monastic monuments such as at Conques, Vézelay, Moissac, Sénanque, Autun, Fontenay and Dijon. The trip will include lectures in medieval art history and medieval pilgrimage practice to recreate the medieval pilgrimage experience. It will also involve non-religious contemplative practices, consisting of walking meditation and object-focused meditation. Course content will cover major monuments of Romanesque and Gothic art history and will count as a three-credit medieval art history class.