Italian Studies - Undergraduate
A major or minor in Italian Literature and Culture prepares students to succeed in a multilingual and multicultural world. Students will develop the knowledge and critical skills necessary to understand and engage with a variety of aspects of Italian culture and society, enhancing interdisciplinary study in fields such as classical music, opera, art history, and cinema. Our faculty teach students how to read and analyze texts with rigor and insight, write carefully and with well-supported arguments, and refine their written and oral expression.
Interdisciplinary Study
Students may choose from a wide range of courses in Italian literature and culture from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to modern times. Our students are often double majors who bring to the classroom a multiplicity of perspectives that enrich our interdisciplinary approach to the study of language, literature, and culture. Moreover, many of our majors and minors take cross-listed courses that focus on cinema, art history, music, and philosophy, among other disciplines. Students with competence in Spanish, French, Catalan, or Portuguese may wish to pursue a degree in more than one Romance language. Students who complete a BA thesis may be nominated for the Samuel T. Fleck Prize (awarded annually to the best paper written by a student in Italian).
Study Abroad
We strongly encourage our students to study abroad, both to improve their language proficiency, and to gain invaluable cultural experience in a foreign country. The College offers a year-long direct enrollment program at the venerable University of Bologna, where students may take coursework in their major and beyond, alongside Italian university students. The College also offers an autumn quarter program in Rome that fulfills the College's Civilization core requirement and an autumn semester program at Bocconi University in Milan. For summer experiences, students can apply for funding for Italian language study or research in Italy through the College's Summer International Travel Grants. For more information, please visit study-abroad.uchicago.edu
Students are encouraged to participate in events organized by our Italian Language Program which offer opportunities for social interaction and engagement with aspects of Italian culture, from opera to cinema to authentic cuisine. Students can keep up with these events through social media (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook).
Program Requirements
The program in Italian consists of ten courses beyond ITAL 20300 Language, History, and Culture III, and is aimed at developing a broad knowledge of the field through the close study of major works and the critical techniques appropriate to their interpretation.
Students who elect the major program must meet with the Italian undergraduate adviser before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the major. Students choose courses in consultation with the Italian adviser. Students must submit to the departmental office a Major Approval Form for the major program signed by the Italian adviser. Students must then submit a copy of the signed form to their College adviser.
The minor in Italian requires a total of six courses beyond the second-year language sequence (ITAL 20100–20300). These six courses must be upper-level courses in Italian or related fields. Most courses will focus on Italian literature and culture; however, up to two may be Italian studies courses, which are interdisciplinary offerings taught by affiliated faculty.
Students who elect the minor program must meet with the Italian undergraduate adviser before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor. Students choose courses in consultation with the Italian adviser. Students must submit to the departmental office a Minor Approval Form for the minor program signed by the Italian adviser. Students must then submit a copy of the signed form to their College adviser.