Immerse yourself in the West Coast arts and entertainment industries! Both semester-long and short-term opportunities are offered to College of Visual and Performing Arts students.
Semester-Long Programs
VPA LA Semester
Our LA Semester is an immersive professional development program that provides students with a unique opportunity to work as interns in Los Angeles while taking academic courses taught by LA professionals with expertise in their given discipline. Learn more about the VPA LA Semester program.
Turner Semester
The Turner Semester is a residency program for a small cohort of M.F.A. degree students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The program allows the students to experience the arts of the West Coast and to live and work in San Pedro (the Los Angeles Harbor area) during the fall and spring semesters.
The Turner Semester is generously supported by Marylyn Turner ’56 G’57 and Chuck Klaus G’05. They provide a residence in San Pedro for Turner Semester students known as “the Turner House,” as well as lease studio space at the Angels Gate Cultural Center, where the students pursue their creative work. The semester culminates in an exhibition of the students’ work at a local gallery.
Short-Term Programs
Turner Art Week in LA
Turner Art Week in LA gives master of fine arts students the opportunity to undertake an intensive investigation of art collections housed in the city’s most significant museums, as well as visit galleries and contemporary studios to hear from prominent artists, curators, and gallery owners, many of whom are accomplished Syracuse University alumni. Held during Spring Break, the program provides students with the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for little to no cost. This experience is generously supported by Marylyn Turner ’56 G’57 and Chuck Klaus G’05.
Sorkin in LA Learning Practicum
The highly successful Sorkin in LA Learning Practicum, also known as “Sorkin Week,” is generously supported by award-winning writer, director, producer, and drama alumnus Aaron Sorkin ’83 H’12. The practicum provides students with a week-long, “hit-the-studios-running” immersion in the heart of America’s film and television industries. Students selected for the practicum meet and learn from alumni and industry insiders for seminars, workshops, and more.
Summer in LA
Summer in LA is a six-week industry immersion program held in and around Hollywood and based at the Syracuse University’s Los Angeles center. Drama students participate in regular evening classes with working professionals on audition technique and spend their days participating in a professional internship. Previous internships have provided hands-on experience with agents, managers, producers, casting directors, and various other industry companies.
Support VPA LA
It’s easy to see the advantages a Los Angeles learning experience brings to our students. Opportunities to learn from the world’s leading experts, interaction with the world-renown entertainment industry, visits to diverse cultural institutions, the challenges of living in a major metropolitan environment—all of these give students unique real-world insights that simply can’t be gained anywhere else. You can make such experiences possible by designating your gift to the VPA LA fund. Many of these activities rely on ongoing funding, and your gift can be a source of crucial support.