Discover the Italian Studies Curriculum
Italian Studies at USD offers a rich and diverse curriculum led by field experts, fulfilling multiple Core requirements and preparing you for the global job market. You can combine Italian Studies with a major or minor in another discipline, opening doors to careers in diverse fields such as business, politics, science and engineering, art and design, journalism, education and more. Our program fosters critical cultural awareness and global understanding, shaping the next generation of responsible global citizens.
Majors and minors can also enhance their studies through our short-term, USD faculty-led programs and various semester-long study abroad opportunities in Italy.
Major
Students in our program will achieve advanced-level Italian skills to effectively navigate diverse cultural contexts within the Italian-speaking world. They will also learn to interpret significant Italian literary works, cultural texts and artistic movements in their historical context, developing critical research and analytical skills through engagement with Italian culture and society. Students will further examine multilayered, diverse identities and the hybrid cultures produced by the Italian diaspora in various parts of the world.
Italian studies majors may integrate Italian with other fields of study by taking a limited number of upper-division courses taught in English in other departments. In addition, they can combine the major in Italian studies with a second major or a minor in another field.
Minor
The minor provides students an opportunity to study Italian language beyond the basic and intermediate levels and while gaining a critical cultural understanding of the diversity of Italian culture and society.
Explore Italian Studies Courses
Read descriptions of our Italian Studies classes on our Courses page!
Program Requirements
Each student declares their major(s) and minor(s) under a single catalog of record that is identified on the student's degree audit (available on Degree Works).
The program requirements below are based on the current course catalog and may not be applicable if a student is declared in an earlier catalog.
Find all previous course catalogs under on our Archived Catalogs of Record page.
24-27 units
Major
12-18 units
Minor
- Major
- Minor
The Italian Studies Major
Preparation for the Italian Studies Major
Students must have finished ITAL 202 or the equivalent (e.g. placement in upper-division through the Department's Placement exam), thereby demonstrating proficiency in oral and written expression. Lower-division courses provide the necessary training in the four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) as well as basic cultural competency. Upper-division courses further develop these skills and bring students to a level of proficiency of Advanced Low to Advanced High on the ACTFL scale. The experience of living and studying in Italy is highly recommended.
Major Requirements
24-27 units of upper-division work—8 courses plus the optional capstone project (1-3 units) if appropriate—of which a minimum of 18 units (6 courses) must be in Italian (ITAL). The remaining 6 units may be either in Italian (ITAL) or approved interdisciplinary courses taught in English in other Departments.
A minimum of 18 upper-division units must be taken on the USD campus.
Italian Courses (ITAL) Required | ||
ITAL 301 | Writing and Composition in Italian | 3 |
or ITAL 303 | Advanced Writing for the Professions | |
ITAL 302 | Contemporary Italy: Culture, Politics and Society | 3 |
or ITAL 304 | Cultures of Early Modern Italy | |
Select one of the following courses on the early modern period : (Additional courses may be used to satisfy this requirement, if the focus is appropriate. Examples include: ITAL 340, ITAL 341, ITAL 342, ITAL 347, ITAL 394, ITAL 440, ITAL 494. Consult the Program Director for information about these courses) | 3 | |
ITAL 320 | Introduction to Italian Literature and Culture I: From the Middle Ages to the 17th Century | |
ITAL 410 | Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Italy | |
ITAL 420 | Dante and His Times | |
Select one of the following courses on the modern or contemporary period: (Additional courses may be used to satisfy this requirement, if the focus is appropriate. Examples include: ITAL 340, ITAL 341, ITAL 342, ITAL 347, ITAL 394, ITAL 440, ITAL 494. Consult the Program Director for information about these courses) | 3 | |
ITAL 321 | Introduction to Italian Literature and Culture II: From the Enlightenment to Today | |
ITAL 403 | Studies in Italian Film | |
ITAL 411 | Studies in Modern and Contemporary Italy | |
ITAL 413 | Studies in the Italian Diaspora with a Domestic Focus | |
4 elective upper-division courses. Up to 2 of these courses can be Interdisciplinary courses taught in English in other departments (see section on Interdisciplinary courses below) | 12 | |
ITAL 495 | Senior Capstone Project (optional) (The optional capstone project (1-3 units) is carried out in the student’s last year in the program. The student must meet with her or his capstone advisor to determine the parameters for the project and consult with the program director to enroll either in ITAL 495 or in ITAL 497-the Senior Capstone Project with Advanced Integration) | 1-3 |
or ITAL 497 | Senior Capstone Project with Advanced Integration | |
Total Units | 24-27 | |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Students can complete all coursework in Italian. However, a maximum of 6 upper-division units (2 courses) may be taken in English from among the courses listed below, their equivalents, or other appropriate courses offered on campus or by our approved study-abroad programs in Italy. In order for an interdisciplinary course to count for the major in Italian Studies, one of the following conditions must be met:
the course inherently includes significant content on Italy or Italian topics; or
during the course the student completes a project (e.g. research paper, presentation, portfolio, etc.) with a substantial focus on Italy or Italian topics
In either case, all interdisciplinary courses require prior written approval of the Director of Italian. You should meet with the Director before registering for the class.
Examples of Interdisciplinary Courses: ARCH 321, ARCH 322/ARTH 322, ARTH 334, COMM 475, ECON 333, ENGL 330, FINA 405, HIST 312, HIST 321, HIST 322, HIST 331, HIST 332, HIST 341, MKTG 305. Other courses may satisfy this requirement; please consult the Director of Italian.
Double Counting
The Department of Languages, Cultures and Literatures will grant credit towards the Italian Studies major for interdisciplinary courses taken for another major, except for interdisciplinary majors that prohibit double counting (e.g., Ethnic Studies, Environmental and Ocean Sciences, Interdisciplinary Humanities, International Relations and Liberal Studies).
Recommended Program of Study for the Italian Studies Major
This program of study is designed for incoming freshmen with little or no previous knowledge of the Italian language. Students with sufficient prior language preparation, as determined through the department’s placement policy, may initiate upper-division course work as early as their freshman year. Additionally, students can also take one or both of the interdisciplinary courses in English as early as their freshman or sophomore years.
First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
Semester I | Units | |
ITAL 101 | First Semester Italian | 3 |
Semester II | ||
ITAL 102 | Second Semester Italian | 3 |
Second Year | ||
Semester I | ||
ITAL 201 | Third Semester Italian | 3 |
Students may also take ITAL 347 or an interdisciplinary course taught in English |
| |
Semester II | ||
ITAL 202 | Fourth Semester Italian | 3 |
Students may also take ITAL 347 or an interdisciplinary course taught in English |
| |
Junior Year | ||
Semester I | ||
ITAL 301, 302, 303, | Writing and Composition in Italian | 3 |
ITAL 340, 341, 342, | Topics in Italian Literature, Film and Culture | 3 |
Or another 300-level or Interdisciplinary course |
| |
Semester II | ||
ITAL 301, 302, 303, | Writing and Composition in Italian | 3 |
Or another 300-level course |
| |
ITAL 320 | Introduction to Italian Literature and Culture I: From the Middle Ages to the 17th Century | 3 |
Senior Year | ||
Semester I | ||
Upper-Division Course | 3 | |
Upper-Division Course | 3 | |
Semester II | ||
Upper-Division Course | 3 | |
Upper-Division Course or Interdisciplinary Course | 3 | |
ITAL 495 | Senior Capstone Project (optional) | 1-3 |