Off-Campus Extended Studies Courses

Faculty-led domestic and international study and service courses that provide students opportunities to explore and experience other cultures, learn in new environments, develop skills not readily acquired elsewhere, and deepen their understanding of the global community. Curricular offerings earn .5 course credit and count toward satisfying the Extended Studies requirement; co-curricular offerings do not carry academic credit but do count toward the Extended Studies requirement.

Course Catalog

Requirements for a major

Italian Cultural Studies

Requirements for a minor

Italian Cultural Studies

Courses in Italian Cultural Studies

Elementary Italian I

First year Italian. First semester. Offered only in the fall semester. Designed for students with no previous knowledge of Italian, this course is based on interaction and promotes the development of speaking, listening-comprehension, reading and writing skills. The method fosters cultural awareness and understanding of Italian traditions in the greater context of contemporary culture. Italian 171 & 172 are usually taken in sequence. No pre-requisites.

Elementary Italian II

First year Italian. Second semester. This course expands on the acquisition of the Italian language within the cultural context. It further promotes the acquisition of listening, reading, speaking and writing skills, encouraging students to engage with authentic pedagogical material. Like first semester Italian, in this course all students actively participate in class and further pursue proficiency. At the end of the second semester, students are able to express themselves correctly in Italian on a variety of topics and to compare Italian traditions to their own. Prerequisite: ITAL 171, placement test, or approval of the Program Director.

First-Year Seminar

A seminar focused on a theme related to Italian Cultural Studies Open only to first-year students.

Intermediate Italian I

Second year Italian. First semester. The course focuses especially on developing proficiency in writing, reading and oral expression, and all work is contextualized in contemporary culture. The course is designed to widen knowledge of vocabulary, perfect structural use of the language, and prepare students who want to work or live in Italy for a semester or a longer time. Lessons will present a variety of authentic materials such as newspaper articles, listening-comprehension clips, and films to facilitate immersion in Italian culture and society. In this course students gain intercultural competence and grow to be global citizens by learning to be aware of cultural difference, developing skills to listen and observe, opening up to learning from other cultures, adopting new ways to learn, and adapting to new cultural environments. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director.

Intermediate Italian II

Second year Italian. Second semester. Continuation of ITAL 271. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally ITAL 271 & 272 are taken in sequence, but 271 is not necessarily a prerequisite of ITAL 272.

Topics in Italian Literature or Culture

This is the equivalent of ML 295 Topics course. Courses in specific topics, such as culture, literary movements or genres, linguistics or film. Taught in English. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. May count towards Italian Cultural Studies minor or major, and World Literature minor.

Advanced Italian I

This course focuses on the study of contemporary Italian society and culture. Students explore a variety of themes in current events that are significant to today's world, and that present the complexity and diversity of contemporary Italy. The methodological approach is student-centered and favors interaction, while also promoting the development of critical thinking and growth toward linguistic autonomy and fluency. This course connects students' interest in Italian language and culture to their personal life-experience and stimulates intercultural exchange of ideas. Students learn to interpret and relate, to engage with ambiguity, while learning to respect and to value diversity in ways of thinking, understanding the impact of historical and social contexts. The method fosters skills to analyze, interpret, and evaluate. The course stimulates intellectual curiosity, tolerance of cultural difference, appropriate behavior in intercultural situations, and sensitivity toward other worldviews. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 300-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory.

Advanced Italian II

Continuation of Italian 371. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 300-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory. ITAL 371 is not a pre-requisite of ITAL 372.

Topics in Italian Literature and Culture

This course provides an introduction to Italian Literature to students who already have an advanced knowledge of Italian. The curriculum invites students to a full immersion in Italian culture through the literary text, which is a passage to the discussion of ideas, values and experiences connected to specific historical periods. The encounter with some of the most celebrated Italian writers will open up to reflections on Italian culture and to comparisons with other cultural backgrounds. In this course, students will learn how to read between the lines, to question the power of the word, and to investigate the complexity of the human experience. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 300-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

Italian Through Film

Italian 376 is an advanced level course that offers an in-depth look at Italian history and culture through the medium of film. This course on Italian Cinema presents a range of opportunities to discuss historical, literary, cinematic, sociological and cultural issues. While focusing on the Italian language and working on developing conversational fluency, students are encouraged to analyze the complexity of Italian society, investigating the Italian cultural heritage within both a national and international framework. Through films, students continue to work on refining writing skills, increasing vocabulary and perfecting listening-comprehension skills. As in a seminar, students will be asked to present on a variety of topics, lead discussion, debate, re-create dialogues, analyze scenes and interpret specific moments in the movies. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 300-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory.

Italy in the News

This course is based on reading current events in an Italian newspaper day by day, as articles and essays are published. The newspaper will provide an updated reflection of Italian society. We will explore a variety of aspects of Italian culture, including economics, immigration, Black Italy, the justice system, organized crime, immigration, the question of the South, everyday Italian society, the European context, health care, experimentation in education and the school system.

Advanced Topics in Italian Lit., History and Culture

Courses on specific topics, such as culture, literary movements or genres, linguistics, sociology, history, music history, art history and film. May address multiple areas, such as a course on European literature, culture, or History. Taught in English. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

Readings and Projects in Italian

This course is an independent studies course for advanced students of Italian who wish to pursue an independently designed program of research or inquiry in Italian. Open to advanced students in Italian with permission of chair. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

Italian Cultural Studies I

This course has a thematic approach, offering a portrait of Italy through a discussion of work, food, literature, art, theater, history, geography, the economy, and famous intellectual figures of Italy. The course instigates intellectual curiosity, and invites the students to analyze particular aspects of the language and different textual genres, focusing on a variety of language registers, idiomatic expressions, and cultural variations. Students also focus on developing communicative skills of argumentation and negotiation. The course is designed to provide options for interdisciplinary work. It introduces students to different aspects of contemporary Italy. Students will look at the changes happening in contemporary Italian society and culture. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 400-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory.

Italian Cultural Studies II

This course is a continuation of ITAL 471. Prerequisites: ITAL 171 & 172, or placement test, or approval of the Program Director. Normally students enroll in 200-level courses before enrolling in a 400-level course, but the sequence is not strict or mandatory. ITAL 471 is not a pre-requisite of ITAL 472.