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Italian Studies Major

Italian is the language of modern and 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.

Requirements for the Major (36 credits)

Foreign Language Placement Assessment

All students new to SLLC courses must take the online Foreign Language Placement Assessment (FLPA) before registering for classes.

Prerequisite Courses

Course Number

Course Name

Credits

Prerequisites

ITAL103

Intensive Elementary Italian

4

None

ITAL203

Intensive Intermediate Italian

4

ITAL103

Note: Students with prior experience in Italian may satisfy these prerequisites with an appropriate Foreign Language Placement Assessment (FLPA) score.

Language Acquisition Courses

Course #

Course Name

Credits

Prerequisites

ITAL204

Advanced Intermediate Italian

3

ITAL203

ITAL207

Speaking and Writing in Italian

3

ITAL204

ITAL301

Italian Composition

3

ITAL207

ITAL311

Advanced Oral Expression: Current Events

3

ITAL207

ITAL401

Advanced Composition and Style

3

ITAL301

Electives

One 200-level Course (3 credits)

Course #

Course Name

Credits

Prerequisites

ITAL252

Stories of Italy

3

ITAL204

ITAL261

Cuisine, Culture, and Society in Italy Yesterday and Today

3

ITAL204

 

Two 300-level Courses (6 credits)

Course #

Course Name

Credits

Prerequisites

ITAL361

Survey of Italian Society and Culture I: From Fascism to the Seventies

3

ITAL207

ITAL362

Survey of Italian Society and Culture II: From the Seventies to the Present

3

ITAL207

 

Three 400-level courses with accompanying 1-credit discussion section in Italian

 (See Testudo for the current list of 400-level ITAL course offerings)

Study Abroad

For information on study abroad programs see the undergraduate advisor and contact UMD Education Abroad.

Declaring the Italian Studies Major

We recommend that interested students declare their major as early as possible.

Step 1: Carefully read ITAL major requirements and download the ITAL Major Advising Worksheet.

Step 2: Read through all information carefully and pencil in a sequence of courses on the worksheet to discuss with the program advisor.

Step 3: Contact the Office of Student Affairs at the College of Arts and Humanities (301-405-2108) to make an appointment to discuss the non-Italian aspects of your 4-year-plan (bring signed form from previous step), including CORE courses. Walk-in hours are also available.

Step 4: If you are adding Italian as an additional major, check with your home department and college to identify paperwork you may need to complete.

Advising

The Italian undergraduate advisor is available for consultation about any aspect of your study of Italian. To ensure that you have fulfilled all the requirements for graduation, the department recommends that every Italian major confer with an advisor at registration time each semester.

Office hours are posted in Jiménez 1104 Hall.

Advisor: Valeria Federici
Office: 4109 Jiménez Hall
Email: federici@umd.edu
Phone: (301) 405-4038

Download the ITAL Major Advising Worksheet

The College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) Office of Student Affairs provides college advising for all ARHU undergraduates in 1120 Francis Scott Key Hall.

Italian Program Director

Giuseppe Falvo

Program Director and Associate Professor, Romance Languages, Italian
Associate Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

4106 Jiménez Hall
College Park MD, 20742

(301) 405-4031

Italian Program Advisor

Valeria Federici

Lecturer, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Lecturer, Italian

4103 Jiménez Hall
College Park MD, 20742

(301) 405‑4038