Italian Language and Literature Major
A major in Italian Language and Literature gives students at the University of Pittsburgh the opportunity to study in detail a foreign language and to acquire an education in a literary and cultural tradition central to the humanities.
Beyond the Major
Studying Italian language, literature, and culture prepares students for graduate study
in law and international affairs, advanced work in the humanities, and careers in business, governmental
service and teaching.
The University is committed to international study and students are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to study abroad.
Students can also combine a major in Italian with a second major in fields such as political science, history, history of art and architecture, English, business, or another foreign language. Students who choose to study the grammar, linguistics, rhetoric, literature and film of Italy will acquire an invaluable technical resource and an in-depth knowledge of a diverse and foundational intellectual tradition.
Learn more about Italian major advising or visit the Italian advisor, Professor Lina Insana.
Required Courses
After one year of college instruction in the language, (ITAL 0001 and 0002, or the equivalent as determined by placement test results), Italian majors may enroll in ITAL 0003 for credit toward the major.
The major requires the completion of 33 credits beyond elementary Italian and
must include:
ITAL 0003, 0004, 0055, a fifth-semester course (either 0060 or 0061 or 1041), two Cultural Heritage courses (both 0080 and 0081), and five 1000-level courses.
At least three 1000-level must be taken from courses given in the Italian language: Italian 1030, 1031, 1041, or any 1060-numbered courses; no more than two may be taken from courses given in English: Italian 0086 (Italian Cinema) or 1080-numbered courses (subect to the major advisor's approval).
Because ITAL 0080 and 0081 have no prerequisites and are taught in English, it is recommended that students interested in majoring in Italian take those courses (as well as other courses in English--ITAL 0086 and the 1080-numbered courses) as early in their studies as possible, while still working toward the upper-level courses given in Italian (1030, 1031, 1041, or the 1060 series).
| Requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| ITAL 0001, 0002 (do not count towards major) | |
| ITAL 0003, 0004 | 6 cr. |
| ITAL 0055 Italian Conversation (effective 2074; students declaring the Italian Major prior to that term may have ITAL 0050 satisfy the conversation requirement) | 3 cr. |
| ITAL 0060/ITAL 0061 Intro to Literary Italian or ITAL 1041 Italian Theatrical Workshop | 3 cr. |
| ITAL 0080 Italian Cultural Heritage I (Fall) and ITAL 0081 Italian Cultural Heritage II (Spring) | 6 cr. |
| Five 1000-level courses in Italian (two may be in English) | 15 cr. |
Total credits for the major above elementary level should equal 33.
Note: Students must take either 0060, 0061, or 1041 before enrolling in upper-level courses taught in Italian (unless otherwise stated in course description or in consultation with the instructor).
0080 and 0081 are not sequential, and so may be taken in either order. 0080 and 0081 are given entirely in English and there are no prerequisites for these two courses.
Grade Requirements:
A minimum QPA of 2.0 in departmental courses is required
for graduation.
Satisfactory/Audit Option:
Majors cannot take ITAL 0060, 0061, 1041, or any 1000-level
course on an S/NC basis.
Writing (W) Requirement:
Students must complete at least one W-course in
the major; ITAL 0060, 0061, and 1041 are all W-designated courses.
Related Area:
A minimum of 12 credits is required in any one (1) Arts and Sciences
department chosen in consultation with the major advisor. The completion of an official Arts and Sciences
minor or an Arts and Sciences/UCIS certificate also satisfies this requirement.
Honors Major Requirements:
To earn departmental honors in Italian, students must
demonstrate superior performance in departmental courses, and be enrolled in 1000-level Italian
courses, preferably no later than the first term of their junior year.
Selection of honors candidates takes place in the second term of students’ junior year.
To qualify for departmental honors, students must complete and present a research paper. Work on this project customarily takes place over three terms, as follows:
- During the summer before the senior year, students choose an appropriate topic with their faculty advisor and begin independent preparatory work leading to the writing of a rough draft.
- In the fall term of their senior year, students continue researching and begin writing their paper. This work must be done in consultation with their faculty advisor.
- In the spring term, students finish writing the paper and present the thesis before a faculty committee.
Honors will be determined by the quality of the paper and the presentation, as well as the cumulative grades in all departmental courses counting toward the major.
Language Study:
Reading competency in another language is recommended for
those students planning to do graduate study in Italian.
Language-Learning Goals:
Our goal in the French and Italian language programs is to guide
you in the development of literacy skills in Italian through the communicative acts of
reading, writing, and creating discourse around texts of all types.
We want you to develop to the greatest possible extent a competency in comprehending and producing Italian, both spoken and written, as well as socio-cultural competency in communicating with people who speak it.
The main focus of classes is on communication, and we strive for maximum use of the foreign language in the classroom. Because you might have limited opportunities to speak or hear Italian outside of class, classroom time is devoted to help develop your competency in these areas. This means that your instructor will speak only Italian to you during class, and you will be expected to do the same with your instructor and classmates.
Should you need additional explanations or wish to discuss matters not directly related to course content, your instructor will be happy to speak to you in English before or after class and during office hours.
