Italian Language and Culture Major

Total units 48 Units

Major code ITAL-MAJ

Academic career Undergraduate

Italian occupies a special position in Australia as a language of high culture and also a language spoken by one of the largest ethnic communities in the country. Students will have access to one of the richest European cultural traditions, from the Renaissance to the present day, and to the language of great opera, film, architecture, fashion and industrial design.

The Italian minor develops fluency in standard Italian and an understanding of idiomatic Italian. Attention is given to cultural, social and historical aspects of Italy. Language learning is thus integrated with the development of cultural awareness.

Language level placement tests are held prior to commencement.

Students commencing at introductory level follow a different pathway to complete the major.

Students are advised to check prerequisites carefully and plan their major accordingly.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Due to structural changes in the undergraduate program rules in 2012, the courses that make up the new 2012 majors may be different to the pre-2012 majors, and therefore some courses cannot be counted between majors. Students are advised to contact the CASS Student Office if they are unsure about their Majors.

Learning outcomes

Graduates within the Italian Studies major will have the knowledge and skills to:

Communicate confidently with a proficient Italian speaker using their acquired oral and aural skills.
Read, comprehend and infer authors’ meanings in newspapers, magazines, literary and critical texts written in Italian.
Write texts in Italian in the appropriate genre, with correct grammatical structures and thematic vocabulary relevant to the level of the student.
Write brief creative/imaginative texts (poetry and short stories) individually and collaboratively
Identify and differentiate aspects and issues of the cultures and societies associated with the Italian language
Critique historical and cultural events related to Italian and its associated cultures and societies in a cross-cultural perspective
Engage with authentic media such as Italian news, movies or music by analysing and evaluating their content.

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Requirements

Pathway for beginners

This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:

36 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

ITAL1002 - Italian Studies - Introductory I (6 units)

ITAL1003 - Italian Studies - Introductory 2 (6 units)

ITAL2005 - Italian Studies Continuing 1 (6 units)

ITAL2006 - Italian Studies - Continuing 2 (6 units)

ITAL2007 - Italian Studies - Intermediate 1 (6 units)

ITAL2008 - Italian Studies - Intermediate 2 (6 units)

12 units from the completion of courses from the following list:

FILM2009 - Postwar Italian Cinema (6 units)

ITAL2009 - Literature, History, Cinema: A-Three-Voice Dialogue (6 units)

ITAL2010 - Early Italian Literature from the Sicilian School to the Renaissance (6 units)

ITAL2011 - Italian flair: Cultural life style in today's Italy (6 units)

ITAL2012 - Italian for Singers and Opera Lovers 1 (6 units)

ITAL2013 - Italian for Singers and Opera Lovers 2 (6 units)

ITAL2015 - Language of Institutions and Diplomacy in Italy (6 units)

ITAL3010 - Politics, Culture and Society in Postwar Italy (6 units)

ITAL3015 - Italian Studies - Advanced 1 (6 units)

ITAL3016 - Italian Studies - Advanced 2 (6 units)

ITAL3017 - Apocalypse Then: Dante's Inferno (6 units)

ITAL3018 - Italiano/Standard e Regionale: Aspects of Spoken Italian (6 units)

Pathway for post-beginners