Italian Studies Major

Program Director: Giuseppe Falvo, Ph.D.

Italian is the language of modern, contemporary Italy, through which its culture has become known to the world, including the beauty and ramifications of its art, music, poetry, fashion, food, and architecture. Italian has also emerged as the language of an industrialized nation playing an active role within the European Union. It is the intent of the Italian program (ITAL) to bring its students to a level of linguistic and cultural understanding that allows them to participate actively in on-going events and conversations connected to the cultural and professional worlds of this dynamic country. The Italian program offers a range of courses well suited for students who are preparing themselves for graduate study, research,  professional development in the varied fields of the humanities and sciences, and those seeking a teaching career in education.

Placement in Courses

For information about the World Language Placement, go to: http://arhu.umd.edu/academics/world-language-placement/.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to communicate effectively in writing in Italian;
    2.
  2. Students will be able to express knowledge of Italian culture and society orally at the intermediate level according to the ACTFL Standard scale;
    3.
  3. Students will be able to summarize, understand and interpret written texts in a variety of genres and topics.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Italian language through intermediate level (ITAL203 or equivalent)

Course Title Credits
College Requirements
Major Core Requirements
ITAL204Advanced Intermediate Italian3
ITAL207Speaking and Writing in Italian3
ITAL252Stories of Italy3
or ITAL261 Cuisine, Culture, and Society in Italy Yesterday and Today
ITAL301Italian Composition3
ITAL311Advanced Oral Expression: Current Events3
ITAL4013
ITAL361Survey of Italian Society and Culture: From Fascism to the Seventies3
ITAL362Survey of Italian Society and Culture: From the 1980s to thePresent Day3
Select three courses at the ITAL4xx level each with associated ITAL478 course 112
Total Credits36
1

N.B. For each course at the 4xx level, Italian majors must register for a 1-credit colloquium (ITAL478)

Students must earn a grade of "C-" or higher in each course applied toward a major or minor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Additionally, an overall GPA of 2.0 in a major or minor is required for graduation.

Click here for roadmaps for graduation plans in the College of Arts and Humanities.

Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages:

Study Abroad

For information on study abroad programs see the program advisor and/or the Education Abroad website http://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/education-abroad/.