Elizaveta

I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia but always dreamt of exploring Paris. AUP seemed like an incredible way to make that happen, especially after I researched its Art History program and saw that I could choose my own courses and create a made-to-measure experience for myself. I also knew that my French wasn’t at a high enough level to enroll in a French university, so this seemed like an ideal way to continue learning French, while also practicing English. (I’m hoping to add Latin as my fourth language, since I’m currently studying it for Art History.)  

My decision to major in Art History was already made by the time I arrived at AUP. Adding a minor in Philosophy came later, after a Firstbridge class in this subject that I’d never studied before, but which I liked so much that I knew I wanted to pursue it more deeply. 

I’ve really enjoyed my academic experience here. The Art History major covers a broad range of time periods, from ancient times to the 21st century, which is great because it has allowed me to discover what kind of art and from what era I’m most interested in. Our small classes facilitate frequent dialogue with our professors, who are really invested in helping us succeed, and I can see how far I’ve come in terms of oral and written expression. I like that I’m encouraged to take control over my education by selecting classes that are tailored to what I’m interested in and that I have time to take part in external activities: as an example, I’m now taking French classes outside of AUP.  

Finally, let’s not forget that Paris might be one of the best cities in which to study Art History! There are so many different kinds of exhibitions and collections to immerse yourself in and there’s something wonderful about standing in front of famous art works that you’d only ever seen in books.