Study Options

Choose from a broad array of study options.

Creative Writing–Finding Your Muse in Metropolis

Generations of writers from Edith Wharton to Truman Capote, Stephen King to Anna Quindlen, have drawn inspiration from the hustle and bustle, the diversity, and the culture that makes New York City so unique. This summer, you can immerse yourself in the craft of creative writing in the heart of Greenwich Village, the haunt of some of the most provocative writers of the past, and the home of a newly invigorated contemporary writing community. Learn from the pros, as you transform your ideas and stories into compelling writing. Spend mornings developing the techniques that are fundamental to each genre, focusing on story structure, character development, description, and dialogue. Afternoons and evenings include craft lectures, visits with noted authors, literary events, peer critiques, and instruction that provide tips on publishing your work.

Students can choose a fiction or non-fiction morning workshop; afternoon activities will take place with students from both workshops.

Digital Filmmaking–Telling the Story Through Technology

From low-budget, independent features to major Hollywood productions, an increasing number of movies are being shot digitally. If you are considering a career in filmmaking, this program can provide the essential knowledge base and the skill sets needed for advanced study in college. Learn from faculty members and guest speakers who are working industry professionals. This weeklong exercise will allow you to gain a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of this digital art form including lens usage, light metering techniques, blocking, and professional conventions. You will work in small production crews and share rotating responsibility, learning about writing, producing, storyboarding, cinematography, audio recording, and editing. In addition, you will explore how to develop creative concepts and how to capture them digitally–from the first shoot to the final edit.  Morning and afternoon sessions are packed with hands-on instruction, which will conclude in a showcase screening of your final film. Students will shoot outdoors, locally. Lab fee: $150.

Digital Journalism–Spreading the News Through New Media

Slate, Huffington Post, Mashable, and Techcrunch—all examples of highly successful forays into the world of digital journalism, which have revolutionized the way we consume news and information. If you are thinking about a career in this growing and continuously evolving field, this one-week intensive provides a comprehensive overview. Learn how to use today’s Web 2.0 tools to write and to produce stories. Gain an understanding of the techniques used to research and write compelling articles and opinion pieces for digital consumption. Classes combine theory and practice, and are taught by working industry professionals. Spend mornings identifying topics and writing content. Afternoons offer intensive hands-on learning that focuses on the basics of producing and editing digital photos, video, and audio for use in online news sites, blogs, wikis, and social media sites. 

Finance NYC–High Stakes, High Returns

Ever wondered what life is like behind the sleek facades of NYC-based financial institutions? The NYU-SCPS Division of Programs in Business Finance Department has designed a program that provides high school students with an insider’s view of the high-tech, high-stake world of finance. Live the experience first-hand, as you become immersed in the everyday life of seasoned finance professionals working in New York City—the financial capital of the world. Explore career options that are available within the finance sector. Gain an overview of the qualifications and credentials that are commonly found in the industry, as well as the types of institutions that employ finance experts. Learn about specific career paths including investment banking, trading and portfolio management.

Site visits include: Federal Reserve Bank, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Bloomberg, NYMEX, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Standard & Poor’s, Delmonico’s.

Motion Comics and Illustration–Transforming the Tale

Astonishing X-Men, Iron Man: Extremis, Spider-Woman, the last 10 years have seen the rise of the motion comic as a new form of storytelling. The medium, which lies between a printed cartoon and a full-blown animated work, offers aspiring artists a fresh way to develop their creative ideas using traditional art that is fused with sound effects, music, and cinematic motion. Utilizing Adobe After Effects, students enrolled in this class will bring a whole new dynamic to their drawings and digital illustrative characters and scenes. In this one-week intensive course, you will learn to transfer artwork from the paper page to the digital screen, as well as how to create an active narrative using simple motion techniques. Gain an understanding of how to rig and animate stills, add sophisticated camerawork, and use applicable effects to bring dynamic action and dimensional depth to every scene. This form of digital filmmaking makes every artist eager to create shorts rich with lighting, depth of field, cropping, and sound. Lab fee: $150.

Photographing NYC–Through the Mind's Eye and the Camera Lens

Whether you are considering a career in photography or you are interested in it as a hobby, there is no better place to photograph and to start building your portfolio than New York City. You will find visual stimuli 24/7 in the "city that never sleeps." The sites, the smells, the sounds, and the people are sure to inspire you and to provide you with a new way of looking at things. Work in photo-based, image making and gain the technical skills and the unique vision needed to develop an idea through photography. Each morning, explore the principles of photographic vision—color and composition, form and content, and emotional resonance in the use of atmosphere and exposure. Spend your afternoons visiting sites around the City, while creating a digital image bank of your work. Meet and mingle with students from across the region and the country, and share your ideas while developing your own unique style.

Designed for beginning and intermediate students. Lab fee: $150.

Real Estate NYC–Building a Strong Foundation

Over a third of the world’s wealth is invested in real estate, and more than 9,000,000 people in the United States work in the real estate industry. What goes on behind the scenes?  How does one get started in the field? What makes NYC among the most expensive real estate markets in the world? Learn from top industry professionals during this one-week summer intensive course offered by the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, one of the largest and most prestigious educational entities dedicated to the real estate and construction industries in the U.S. Explore real estate property rights and real estate property types, including those in the multifamily residential, office, retail, hospitality and industrial sectors. Delve into the economic, valuation, financial, investment, legal, transactional, design, construction and management aspects of the industry. By week’s end, you will have gained an in-depth understanding of the phases of real estate development and the role that each sector of the industry plays in the process. 

Understanding Global Issues–Tough Choices for the 21st Century

Economic inequality, energy sources and climate change, development and humanitarian assistance, conflict resolution—if you have an interest in global affairs or are thinking about it as a potential career path, this week-long program, offered by the renowned NYU-SCPS Center for Global Affairs, provides you with a comprehensive overview of the most pressing issues we face today, as well as those that will affect us in the years to come. Go behind the headlines for an intensive and thought-provoking introduction to international relations and political economy, regional dynamics, multilateral issues faced by the United Nations, and the conflicts between developing and developed economies. Explore how our increasingly connected world reacts to interdependence and the conflicts (economic, social, and military) arising from it. Join faculty members who are experts in their fields for a week that is sure to change your perspective on the world in which we live.

Program activities include a special site visit to, and briefings at, the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.