COURSE CURRICULUM

The Italian Studies major is structured across three levels, progressively developing students’ language proficiency alongside cultural and historical understanding of Italy. At Level 1, students complete foundational language units Italian Studies 1 and Italian Studies 2, which introduce essential skills in speaking, writing, listening, and reading Italian. These units build confidence in basic communication while providing an introduction to Italian culture. At Level 2, students continue language development through Italian Studies 3 and Italian Studies 4, alongside Italian Culture in Word and Image: from the Middle Ages to the Risorgimento, which explores key periods in Italian history and cultural expression through literature, art, and historical analysis. At Level 3, students advance to Italian Studies 5 and Italian Studies 6, focusing on higher-level language proficiency and more complex communication skills. They also choose an elective from options such as Linguistic History of Italy, Dante’s Divine Comedy: a medieval masterpiece for the modern world, or Modern Italy in Film, allowing deeper exploration of language, literature, or cultural studies. Overall, the course integrates language learning with cultural and historical perspectives, preparing students for careers in education, translation, tourism, international relations, and other fields requiring strong communication and intercultural understanding.