爱荷华大学

Learning Outcomes

The goal is for students who graduate with a major in Italian to be able to:

understand any kind of spoken language even when delivered at fast native speed;
communicate effectively, in both oral and written discourse, taking into account varying registers and cultural contexts;
read with ease virtually all forms of the written language, including complex texts such as specialized articles and literary works;
reflect with critical insight on a range of topics in Italian literature, history, and contemporary culture;
explain the significance of a representative selection of figures, texts, and tendencies in the literature and other forms of cultural production from the target language-speaking world;
recognize and reflect in an informed way on cultural differences as well as shared values between Italian culture and their native cultures; and
develop an intellectual engagement and reflective sensibility that will contribute to their life-long learning.

Why Study Italian?

Italian is the gateway to one of the world’s richest cultures. Italy has the most United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage sites artistic treasures considered to be of universal value of any country in the world, due to its history as the birthplace of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. In addition to an internationally recognized cultural patrimony, the country also possesses one of the world’s largest economies. Italy is a world leader in design, fashion, art restoration, the culinary arts, robotics, shipbuilding, electromechanical machinery, machine tool manufacturing, construction machinery, space engineering, pharmaceuticals, and genetic mapping. Music, cinema, and sports also speak Italian.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Italian requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 32-33 s.h. of work for the major. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major.

A background in Italian is advantageous for students planning careers in international business, tourism, and teaching, as well as for opera singers, musicians, art and art history majors, and for those who study architecture, fashion, and design. With more than a thousand Italian companies doing business in the United States, the major in Italian combines well with career options in a wide variety of fields.

Students majoring in Italian may combine their studies with courses in education to prepare for jobs in high school teaching. They may go on to graduate study in areas such as Italian, comparative literature, and other interdisciplinary areas as preparation for college-level teaching. A number of Italian majors go on to law school. Or they may combine other skills and studies with their major in Italian to prepare for challenging career opportunities in international government, business, finance, public relations, journalism, education, archaeology, arts administration, nongovernmental organizations, publishing, library science, politics, travel and tourism, hospitality management, communications, the culinary arts, and in other fields where the knowledge of more than one language is essential.