Course description
Major in Modern Languages
The Italian component consists of 30 credits.
Minor in Italian
Students may earn a minor concentration in Italian by obtaining 24 credits in Italian courses.
Italian 100b Introductory Italian Language: Intensive Course 6-6-1
A beginners course conveying a basic knowledge of spoken and written Italian as well as the fundamentals of Italian grammar; it covers the contents of ITA 101a and ITA 102b in one semester.
Italian 101a Introductory Italian Language I 3-3-0
This course intends to give beginners a basic knowledge of spoken and written Italian as well as the fundamentals of Italian grammar.
Italian 102b Introductory Italian Language II 3-3-0
Continuation of Italian 101a. Intensive practice in oral and written Italian.
Prerequisite: Italian 101a or equivalent.
Italian 201a Intermediate Italian I 3-3-0
The aims of this course are to continue the linguistic studies begun in the first year and to introduce students to modern Italian society. Intensive practice in speech patterns and written structures.
Italian 202b Intermediate Italian II 3-3-0
Continuation of Italian 201a.
Prerequisite: Italian 201a
Italian 203a Selected Topics in Italian I 3-3-0
The course is designed to give students the opportunity to develop the oral and written skills as well as the confidence needed to complement the study of grammar, previously undertaken, with a variety of contemporary texts emphasizing the more practical aspects pertaining to the country’s historical, social and cultural manifestations. A linguistic analysis of students’ written assignments, aiming at reviewing structures and vocabulary, will be dealt with by way of group discussions.
Prerequisite: Italian 102b
Corequisite: Italian 201a
Italian 204b Selected Topics in Italian II 3-3-0
A continuation of Italian 203a. Further development of communicative skills and discriminate use of audio-visual material.
Prerequisite: Italian 203a
Corequisite: Italian 202b
Italian 235ab Introduction to Italian Literature 3-3-0
A survey of Italian literature from its origins to the 16th century. The course focuses on writers such as Dante, Petrarca, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, and Ariosto in an effort to elucidate the many facets of Italian Renaissance and at the same time comprehend the enormous impact, both literary and linguistic, these authors had on future generations of Italian as well as European intellectuals. This course is given in English and cannot be counted towards fulfilling the credit requirements of an Italian concentration within the Major in Modern Languages or of a Minor in Italian.
Italian 301a Advanced Italian I 3-3-0
The aim of this course is to reinforce the active and passive knowledge of the Italian language. Selected readings on specific topics i.e.: Italian language and civilization, will be presented and discussed.
Texts: TBA
Prerequisite: Italian 202b
Italian 302b Advanced Italian II 3-3-0
Continuation of Italian 301a.
Prerequisite: Italian 301a
Italian 303a Grammar and Composition 3-3-0
Texts relating to Italian language and civilization.
Prerequisite: Italian 202b or equivalent
Italian 304b Conversational Italian 3-3-0
Aspects of Italian culture, history and writing.
Prerequisite: Italian 202b or equivalent
Italian 305a Introduction to Italian Literature I 3-3-0
A survey of Italian literature from its origins to the 16th century. The course focuses on writers such as Dante, Petrarca, Boccaccio, Machiavelli and Ariosto in an effort to elucidate the many facets of Italian Renaissance and at the same time comprehend the enormous impact, both literary and linguistic, these authors had on future generations of Italian as well as European intellectuals.
Prerequisite: Italian 202b
Italian 306b Introduction to Italian Literature II 3-3-0
Continuation of Italian 305a. Influential authors ranging from Tasso to Goldoni, from Manzoni to Leopardi, Verga and Pirandello will be presented and studied through excerpts of some of their most important works, in an attempt to investigate the sociocultural contexts of Italian society from which specific issues were to evolve.
Prerequisite: Italian 305a
Italian 307a Modern Italian Prose 3-3-0
The course intends to offer students the opportunity to get acquainted with some of Italy’s most representative prose writers of the 20th century. Selected passages from novels and short stories will be read and discussed so as to penetrate the socio-cultural realities from which such works originated.
Prerequisite: Italian 202b
Italian 308b Modern Italian Poetry 3-3-0
The course is complementary to Italian 307a. Major poets of the 20th century, from D’Annunzio to the avant-garde, will be studied. The last part of the course is devoted to the “cantautori” [=song writers and singers] phenomenon, in trying to assess the profound influence they had on some layers of Italian society of the post-war years, especially from the sixties on.
Prerequisite: Italian 307a
Italian 309ab Italian Cinema and Society 3-3-0
This course will investigate a few pivotal moments of Italian history during the twentieth century, through some of the major works of Italian cinema. Its main purpose is to develop an appreciation and understanding of the evolution and current of Italian cinema. The first part will concentrate on films associated with Neo-realism, specifically with those produced in the period of De Sica, Visconti, Rossellini and Antonioni. The second part deals with important directors active during and after the economic boom. Special attention will be drawn to the most politicized and socially committed filmmakers such as Monicelli, Scola, Moretti, Amelio and Giordana.
Italian 310ab Italian Cinema and Society (II) 3-3-0
This course deals with some of the critically acclaimed directors of the “commedia all’italiana”, a cinematic genre originating in the “commedia dell’arte” tradition, as well as with some of the more politicized and socially committed filmmakers such as Rosi, Bellocchio, Petri and the Taviani brothers. The course will focus on directors representative of the first generation (Monicelli, Risi, Germi and Scola) and of the second generation (Moretti, Salvatores, Benigni and Amelio) so as to develop an appreciation of the evolution and current trends in Italian cinema.
Prerequisite: ITA 202 or equivalent
Italian 315a Independent Studies I 3-3-0
Individual study projects within the area of Italian language, literature, cinema or civilization.
Permission of Instructor
Italian 316b Independent Studies II 3-3-0
Individual study projects within the area of Italian language, literature, cinema or civilization.
Permission of Instructor
Italian 321a Letture guidate I 3-3-0
Guided readings in Italian literature. Masterpieces of Italian literature from the Risorgimento to World War I. A basic knowledge of Italian is required.
Italian 322b Letture guidate II 3-3-0
Guided readings in Italian literature. masterpieces of Italian literature from World War I to the present time. A basic knowledge of Italian is required.
