Urban Studies
The various academic disciplines define the city in differing ways, but they agree on one thing: the city is a revolutionary human achievement. At New College, the flexibility of the academic contract encourages students to use tools provided by several disciplines to understand cities and the role they play in the development and functioning of civilization.
The New College curriculum does not include a core of regular course offerings on Urban Studies. While courses on urbanism are occasionally offered in some disciplines, majors in this area may pursue their interests through tutorials with the above-listed faculty.
Students become interested in Urban Studies through introductions in any number of fields – anthropology, economics, history, art and architecture – or through their participation in urban projects in Sarasota and other cities. Faculty offer a variety of perspectives on urbanism, including the study of prehistoric and preindustrial cities, the history of urban architecture, urban sociology, contemporary urban cultures and ethnic groups in the United States, and urban politics. Students may also take advantage of internship opportunities in Sarasota – one of the nation's fastest-growing cities – and opportunities for off-campus study in the U.S. and abroad to develop their own senior thesis topics. Throughout students' preparation, this combination of a multi-disciplinary perspective and active involvement in urban affairs characterizes the Urban Studies concentration.
Students learn about cities throughout the world, as well as about a range of problems and solutions that shape modern cities. Whether planning recreational space for the Florida coast or dealing with the problems of the homeless in Sarasota, or examining the historic urbanization of Europe or Latin America, Urban Studies students learn from and contribute to the city as a vital part of modern human life.
