Italian Studies Program

Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures

Lidia Radi, Section Coordinator
Associate Professor Russell
Assistant Professor Radi
Director of Intensive Language Program Marcin
Affiliated Faculty: Elena Calvillo (Art History), Joanna Drell (History)

This section contains information specific to the degree programs in Italian studies. For full information regarding departmental policies relevant to all the MLC degree programs, study abroad, and course sequencing, see the main page of the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures.

Study Abroad

Study and travel abroad are strongly encouraged for all students. For students of Italian, the department offers summer study programs in Italy. In addition, there are exchange agreements for study during the academic year in Verona, Ferrara, and Milano. For a complete list, contact the Office of International Education.

The Residency Requirement

For all Italian majors, at least 5.5 units of the 9.5 units required for the major must be taken on the University of Richmond campus. If the student participates in a study abroad program, at least one upper-level course in the major must be taken upon return from the program.

Courses in Italian language, literature and culture are offered in the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures. Additionally, students may pursue the Italian Studies major or minor, which combine work in MLC with related courses in other departments.

The Italian Studies Major

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

9 courses and a senior project (498-499) including

ITAL 301 Italian Conversation: Culture and Contemporary Issues
ITAL 305 Advanced Grammar and Composition
ITAL 321 Italian Literature in Context
Two units, chosen from ITAL 411 Italian Identities: Sicily, Veneto, and Tuscany ITAL 423 Le Tre Corone: Dante, Petrarca and Boccaccio ITAL 453 Selected Readings in 19th- and 20th-Century Italian Literature and Culture ITAL 497 Selected Topics in Italian Literature and Culture
Four units, chosen from (with a LAC in Italian, if taken in English) ITAL 315 Folklore and Legend in Northern Italy MLC 340 European Romanticism MLC 350 Introductory Linguistics MLC 351 Contemporary Literary Theory MLC 357 The Idea of the Renaissance: Self, History and Knowledge MLC 358 Desire and Identity in the Renaissance: The Lyric Tradition MLC 360 Representing the Holocaust ART 310 Late Antique and Early Christian Art ART 311 Medieval Byzantine Art ART 315 Art of the Italian Renaissance ART 316 Art in the Age of Reform CLSC 302 Roman Art and Archaeology HIST 223 The Roman Empire HIST 225 Medieval Italy HIST 227 The High Middle Ages HIST 228 The Medieval Economy: Pre-Industrial Europe, 500-1500 HIST 230 The Renaissance HIST 249 Twentieth-Century Europe LATN 303 Roman Epic LATN 306 Roman Philosophical Literature LATN 307 Catullus LATN 309 Cicero PLSC 344 Europe Today RELG 356 Religious Thought of the Renaissance and Reformation
ITAL 498-499 Senior Project I and II

In addition to the regularly offered courses there will be others offered occasionally that may count towards an Italian studies major. All courses outside MLC that can be taken for credit towards the major will be announced by the section coordinator at the beginning of each registration period. Students should always check with the section coordinator to make sure that courses outside of MLC will count towards the major. Students are strongly encouraged to satisfy some of the requirements of the major by studying abroad.

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the major. Prerequisites do not count toward the major unless otherwise noted.

The Italian Studies Major/International Business Option

(Earned in conjunction with a major in the Robins School of Business with an international business concentration.)

9 courses and a senior project (498-499), in addition to completing all requirements of the international business concentration for the business administration major, including

Five units in Italian at the 300 or 400 level
ITAL 498-499 Senior Project I and II
One semester full-time study at Bocconi University of Economics and Business Administration (four courses)

The Italian major/international business option represents a joint project between the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures in the School of Arts and Sciences and the International Business Program in the Robins School of Business. The curriculum includes a semester abroad at one of the University's partner institutions. There, students will continue their Robins School concentrations in classes with both local and other international students.

In order to prepare for the experience abroad, students in Italian will need to have completed at least Italian 221 on the Richmond campus; they must take at least one concurrent course in Italian while at Bocconi.

The Italian Studies Minor

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70). Up to three classes in transfer may be used toward minor requirements.

5.5 units, including

Three Italian courses above the 200 level
Two units, chosen from (with a LAC in Italian, if taken in English) ITAL 315 Folklore and Legend in Northern Italy MLC 340 European Romanticism MLC 350 Introductory Linguistics MLC 351 Contemporary Literary Theory MLC 357 The Idea of the Renaissance: Self, History and Knowledge MLC 358 Desire and Identity in the Renaissance: the Lyric Tradition MLC 360 Representing the Holocaust ART 310 Late Antique and Early Christian Art ART 311 Medieval Byzantine Art ART 315 Art of the Italian Renaissance ART 316 Art in the Age of Reform CLSC 302 Roman Art and Archaeology HIST 223 The Roman Empire HIST 225 Medieval Italy HIST 227 The High Middle Ages HIST 228 The Medieval Economy: Pre-Industrial Europe, 500-1500 HIST 230 The Renaissance HIST 249 Twentieth-Century Europe LATN 303 Roman Epic LATN 306 Roman Philosophical Literature LATN 307 Catullus LATN 309 Cicero PLSC 344 Europe Today RELG 356 Religious Thought of the Renaissance and Reformation

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the minor. Prerequisites do not count toward the minor unless otherwise noted.

In addition to the regularly offered courses there will be others offered occasionally that may count towards an Italian studies minor. All courses outside MLC that can be taken for credit towards the minor will be announced by the section coordinator at the beginning of each registration period. Students are strongly encouraged to satisfy some of the requirements of the minor by studying abroad.

Courses

ITAL 121 Intensive Elementary Italian

ITAL 221 Intensive Intermediate Italian

ITAL 301 Italian Conversation through Cinema

ITAL 305 Italian Composition, Grammar and Conversation

ITAL 315 Folklore and Legend in Northern Italy

ITAL 321 Italian Literature in Context

ITAL 388 Individual Internship

ITAL 389 Practice Assistantship

ITAL 411 Italian Identities: Sicily, Veneto and Tuscany

ITAL 423 Le Tre Corone: Dante, Petrarca and Boccaccio

ITAL 453 Selected Readings in 19th and 20th Century Italian Literature and Culture

ITAL 495 Independent Study

ITAL 497 Selected Topics

ITAL 498 Senior Research Project I

ITAL 499 Senior Research Project II

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