Italian Courses

IT 105 Basic Intensive Italian I (I) One unit

An introduction to the Italian language and culture for students with 0-1 year of previous experience with the language. Proficiency methods build listening, reading, speaking, writing, and cultural skills.  No prerequisites. Not designed for native speakers of Italian. Offered fall semester.
 
IT 106 Basic Intensive Italian II (I) One unit

A continued introduction to the Italian language and culture for students with 1-2 years of previous experience with the language. Proficiency methods improve listening, reading, speaking, writing, and cultural skills.  Prerequisite: IT 105 or 1 year of high school Italian. Not designed for native speakers of Italian. Offered spring semester.
 
IT 107 Accelerated Elementary Italian. (I) One unit

An intensive and fast-paced class for students with 0-2 years of Italian who wish to acquire basic speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills before entering the intermediate level. This accelerated course will cover the basic grammatical concepts of both IT 105 and 106, therefore it may not be taken in addition to those courses. Prerequisite: 0-2 years of high school instruction. Not designed for native speakers of Italian. Offered spring semester.

IT 111 Intermediate Italian I (I) One unit

This course provides a review of basic grammar as well as a continuation of more complex grammatical structures, practice in conversation, writing and reading of selected short stories and articles. Materials include newspaper/magazine articles, films, interactive web-based activities and other online resources. Class sessions are conducted entirely in Italian and include individual short presentations, role-playing, and group debates.  Three weekly hours of class instruction are supplemented by a required one-hour conversation class each week. Prerequisite: IT 106 or 107, 2-3 years of high school instruction or 1-2 semesters of college Italian. Offered fall semester.
 
IT 112 Intermediate Italian II (I) One unit

This course provides a continuation of more complex grammatical structures, practice in conversation, writing and reading of selected short stories and articles. Materials include newspaper/magazine articles, films, interactive web-based activities and other online resources. Class sessions are conducted entirely in Italian and include individual short presentations, role-playing, and group debates. Three weekly hours of class instruction are supplemented by a required one-hour conversation class each week. Prerequisite: IT 111 or permission of the instructor. Offered spring semester.

IT 220 Italian Culture and Conversation (I) One unit

This course is designed to develop the listening, speaking and pronunciation skills of students wishing to move into the advanced Italian courses. Class discussions will be centered on popular Italian culture and materials will include music, television shows, movies and websites. Prerequisite: IT 111 or equivalent.  Offered as required.

IT 231 Artistic Adventures: Italian Composition and Conversation (I) One unit

This course is designed for students who wish to master more complex grammatical structures and broaden their vocabulary by means of directed topical conversations, open conversations, presentations, journals and composition writing. Special emphasis will be placed on writing, speaking, and pronunciation. Students will read and analyze different artistic texts (novels, plays, short stories, films, poems), as well as examine and discuss works of art by Italian painters such as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, Boccioni, Modigliani, De Chirico, and Morandi. Prerequisite: IT 112 or permission of the instructor. Offered fall semester.

IT 232 People and Politics in Italy: Advanced Italian Composition and Conversation (I) One unit

This course broadens and deepens students' understanding of Italian grammar and composition as they work on writing and speaking skills at the advanced level.  Various forms of written expression such as letters, essays, summaries, textual analyses, and film criticism will be addressed.  Students will acquire theoretical vocabulary through weekly readings of online newspapers, magazines, websites, and blogs that focus on social, cultural and political issues in Italy.  Prerequisite: IT 231 or equivalent.  Offered spring semester.

IT 241 Italian Civilization (I) One unit 

This course examines the history of Italian culture and civilization through a survey of visual arts, music and literature.  Students will first study the historical background that serves as a context for contemporary Italian culture, before moving on to current events in Italy.  Topics to be studied may include the Renaissance, Romanticism, the unification of Italy, futurism, fascism, resistance, and neorealism.  Prerequisite IT 231 or equivalent.  Offered as required.
 
IT 251 Introduction to Italian Literature One unit

This course introduces students to reading literary texts in Italian and aims to develop skills in literary analysis and critical writing using examples of poetry, theater and prose.  The course also introduces students to major research sources as well as to the nature and methodology of writing scholarly papers.  Prerequisite:  IT 232 or permission of instructor.  Offered as required.
 
IT 352 The Divine Comedy:  Dante's Itinerary to Diversity  (I) One unit

This course focuses on Dante's imaginary voyage from the depths of Hell to the heights of Heaven, one of the most fascinating journeys in literature.  While reading about Dante's winding path to divinity, students will be introduced to the richness of medieval culture, including its refined religious mysticism and its earthy popular traditions.  Dante's use of the theological concepts of gender reversal will be among the themes explored.  The course will be taught in English translation.  Offered as required.

IT 357 Italian Cinema (I) One unit

From neorealist drama to the spaghetti western, from screwball comedy to underground horror film, Italian cinematic imports have inspired American films,  In addition, Italian films paint a fascinating portrait of Italian society as it has evolved over the course of the 20th century.  This course will examine landmark works of Italian films as both works of narrative art and as products  of a rich and ever-changing culture.  Issues of gender, class, religion, and politics will be addressed.  Cross-listed with EN 357.  Offered as required.

ML316(1): International Filmmakers  One unit

How does film’s visual language bring us closer to a country’s culture?

This course examines the various representations of cultural traditions through the works of some of the most influential and thought-provoking international filmmakers. Directors include Chantal Akerman (Belgium), Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon), Icíar Bollaín (Spain), Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey), Arturo Ripstein (Mexico), Michael Haneke (Austria), Chen Kaige (China), Abbas Kiarostami (Iran), Krzysztof Kieslowski (Poland), Akira Kurosawa (Japan), Lucrecia Martel (Argentina), Walter Salles (Brazil), Ousmane Sembène (Senegal), François Truffaut (France), Paolo Virzì (Italy), and others. Students interested in languages, foreign cultures and travel will gain a deeper understanding on the notion of “otherness” as seen through the works of award-winning filmmakers. Prerequisite: none. Offered every three years during the spring semester.