> College of Arts and Humanities     > School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

• Home
• French Undergraduate Program
• Italian Undergraduate Program
• Graduate Programs in French
• Romance Languages
• Faculty
• Study Abroad
• Contact
• Graduate Students

Undergraduate Programs in Italian

Advice to the Undergraduate Student of Italian

The language of Italy has long been known as the language of culture. Italian is the language of art, of music, of poetry. It is also the language of a wealthy, modern industrialized nation now playing an active role in a new United Europe.

It is the intent of the Italian program to bring its students to a linguistic and cultural level of understanding so that they are able to participate actively in the on-going events, both cultural and technological, of this dynamic country.

Students with no prior knowledge of the language may take one of two introductory sequences:

1:

• 101 Elementary Italian I (4 credits)
• 102 Elementary Italian II (4 credits)
• 203 Intermediate Italian (4 credits)

2:

• 121 Accelerated Italian I ( 3 credits)
• 122 Accelerated Italian II ( 3 credits)

After mastering the basic and intermediate levels, students will then want to round out their knowledge and develop greater facility. We recognize the need to develop a variety of skills through strong emphasis on one particular skill at a time. Individual skills are recognized in the following sequences which represent the core of our program. Courses must be taken in order of difficulty.

Writing sequence (grammar, composition)

• Italian 204
• Italian 301 or 302

Conversation sequence (spoken Italian, comprehension)

• Italian 211
• Italian 311

Reading sequence (reading techniques, literary history)

• Italian 251
• Italian 350

A student majoring in Italian will take 36 hours of credit beyond the 122 or 203 level choosing courses from the core sequence and from courses at the 400 level.

Our advice to a serious non major is to consider a strong minor (between 12 and 18 credits) or a coordinated set of electives. This means taking first the 200-level courses in each of the three sequences, followed by at least one 300-level course from one sequence.

At the 400-level the department offers a variety of courses that should appeal to majors and non-majors alike. These include literature, opera, the Renaissance, cinema, civilization, theater, and modern Italian fiction. Finally, both majors and non-majors are welcome for consideration by our departmental honor society, Phi Sigma Iota, and by the undergraduate student organization, the Circolo Italiano. For details, see a professor in Italian or one of our office staff. If you are interested in living in the Italian Cluster of the Language House, see Prof. Stefania Amodeo.

General Description of the Program

While Italian has long been acknowledged as an important language for college students in the study of the humanities (literature, music, art, history, architecture, theatre etc.), it has also become increasingly useful in planning careers in business, government, technology and other professions relating to Italy's influential role in today's global economy. Current data available from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Modern Language Association (MLA) show that Italian has become a major language of study in the United States.

Italy is one of the top five economies in the world and is a leading member of the G8 Group of the wealthiest Western democracies. An estimated 7,500 American firms do business with Italy and more than 1,000 U.S. companies (including IBM, General Electric, Motorola, City Bank and Price Waterhouse) have offices in Italy. These Italy- based multinationals typically and increasingly demand a multilingual and multicultural expertise of their candidates for employment.

Italy is a world leader not only in the culinary arts, interior design, furniture production, fashion, graphic design, but also in machine tool manufacturing, with advanced technologies in robotics, electro-mechanical machinery, shipbuiliding, space engineering, construction machinery, and transportation equipment. Many of these renowned firms have offices in the United States. Moreover, these fields in which the Italians have traditionally excelled have throughout the decades favored a flourishing business of commercial brokerage connected with import-export transactions.

Besides these traditional fields of Italo-American business exchange, new opportunities arise, as Italy's economy changes: state-owned companies are becoming privatized, opening up the Italian market to American companies and professionals in aerospace, transportation, insurance, finance, shipping, telecommunications, banking and other commerce. With the Italian market opening, American companies like AT & T and franchising retailers such as Midas, Blockbuster, etc. are establishing ties with Italian companies in the areas of cable TV, international cellular telephone systems, the Internet and more, and will need employees who speak Italian and English.

The Italian Major

The Department of French and Italian currently offers two options within the Italian major:

1) Language, Culture and Literature
2) Business Italian

The Language, Culture and Literature Option has been redesigned (approved by Senate PCC, May 14, 2002) with the offering of a wide range of courses well suited not only for students who are preparing themselves for graduate study, research or other professional development in the field of the humanities but also for those who are specifically seeking a teaching career in education, combining their language major with a major in foreign language education. Pending approval for the Fall of 2003 is a double major in Italian and foreign language education proposed by the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Education. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) currently provides a certification endorsement for the teaching of Italian in secondary schools (grades 7-12).

The Business Option has recently been added to the Italian major (approved by Senate PCC, May 14, 2002) to provide students who are planning new careers in business, government, technology and other professions with a better opportunity to become more marketable in today's global economy.

Requirements for Italian Major: 36 credits

Prerquisites: Successful completion of Italian language through intermediate level (ITAL 203 or ITAL 122 or equivalent)

ITAL 204 - Review Grammar and Composition
ITAL 211 - Intermediate Conversation
ITAL 301 - Composition and Style
ITAL 311 - Advanced Conversation. Current Events

1) Language, Cultureand Literature Option (24 credits)

ITAL 251 - Aspects of Contemporary Italian Literature and Culture
ITAL 261 - Cuisine, Culture and Society in Italy Yesterday and Today
ITAL 302 - Introduction to Translation
ITAL 350 - Readings in Italian Literature
Four courses at the 400 level *

2) Business Option (24 credits)

ITAL 302 - Introduction to Translation
ITAL 306 - Commercial Italian I
ITAL 406 - Commercial Italian II
ITAL 432 - Italian Civilization
Four courses at the 400 level *

* Juniors and Seniors may substitute 1 or 2 courses at the 400 level (maximum of 6 credits) with courses in Experiential Learning (ITAL 386, ARHU 386). The Language, Culture and Literature Option has in place internships through programs sponsored by Office of Education of the Italian Embassy, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Italian Cultural Society of Washington (with its outreach program of Viva l'Italiano! to Elementary and Secondary Schools in Montgomery County and Prince George's County). Internships are also available for students in the Business Option with companies in the Washington/Baltimore area. After completion of two semesters of Commercial Italian (ITAL 306 and 406), a student in the Business Option may choose to arrange with the faculty sponsor an internship with an American firm affiliated with an Italian company, either during the academic year or summer months. See departmental advisor for details.

The Double Major

A student of the University of Maryland may wish to fulfill the major requirements in two chosen fields. If the two majors do not belong to the same college, the requirements of both colleges must be fulfilled. The courses of the other major will fulfill the Supporting Courses requirements for Italian. One year before graduation, the student applying for a double major must fill out a special form declaring his or her intention, recorded by the Arts and Humanities Student Affairs Office, and approved and signed by his or her advisors from both Major departments.

Study Abroad

Through the University System of Maryland (USM), the Italian Program offers students the opportunity to study in Italy at the American University of Rome (AUR). Courses taken through the University of Maryland Study Abroad Program may be applied toward the major in consultation with the Italian Advisor. For further information and application contact the Campus Study Abroad Office.

Minors in Italian

Minor in Italian Language and Culture

The minor in “Italian Language and Culture” is an official recognition that a student has reached a certain level of proficiency in the target language. The minor will serve as a validation to potential employers of the student’s proficiency in Italian.

Requirements (15 Credits)

A student must complete five courses in Italian above the 203 level of which three must be at the 300 or 400 level.

A. Specific Course Requirements (9 credits)
ITAL 204 - Review Grammar and Composition
ITAL 211 - Intermediate Conversation
ITAL 311 - Italian Conversation: Current Events

B. Additional Course Requirements (6 credits)
Choose from the following:
ITAL 301 - Italian Composition and Style
ITAL 302 - Italian Translation
ITAL 350 - Readings in Italian Literature
ITAL 412 - Dante’s Divine Comedy
ITAL 422 - The Italian Renaissance
ITAL 432 - Italian Civilization

All courses must be taught in Italian. A maximum of six (6) credits can be applied to the minor from courses taken at other institutions, with the exception of the Study Abroad Program in Italy, which allows the transfer of nine (9) credits. All courses presented for the minor must be passed with a grade of “C” or better. Students who begin their study as native/fluent speakers should seek the advice of the Italian advisor before choosing the courses they will use to replace the core minor courses.

Advising

Download the advising sheet here.

Minor in Business Italian

The minor in “Business Italian” is an official recognition that a student has reached a certain level of proficiency in the target language. The minor will serve as a validation to potential employers of the student’s proficiency in commercial Italian.

Requirements (15 credits)

A student must complete five courses in Italian above the 203 level, of which at least three must be at the 300 or 400 level.

A. Specific Course Requirements (9 credits)
ITAL 204 - Review Grammar and Composition
ITAL 306 - Commercial Italian I
ITAL 406 - Commercial Italian II

B. Additional Course Requirements (6 credits) Choose from the following:
ITAL 301 - Italian Composition and Style
ITAL 302 - Italian Translation
ITAL 311 - Italian Conversation: Current Events
ITAL 432 - Italian Civilization
ITAL 472 - Italian Cinema

All courses must be taught in Italian. A maximum of six (6) credits can be applied to the minor from courses taken at other institutions, with the exception of the Study Abroad Program in Italy, which allows the transfer of nine (9) credits. All courses presented for the minor must be passed with a grade of “C” or better. Students who begin their study as native/fluent speakers should seek the advice of the Italian advisor before choosing the courses they will use to replace the core minor courses.

Advising

Download the advising form here.