Italian Studies (ITAL)

The Italian Studies program offers a major and a minor in Italian Studies. In addition to focusing on developing students’ fluency in Italian, students gain a broad understanding of Italy’s culture and its intellectual and artistic past. It is our goal to teach our students the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge necessary to successfully function in an Italian environment. Our students will also become familiar with Italy’s history, its artifacts, and intellectual contributions of the past and present in order to understand Italy’s unique culture.

Residence abroad is the best way to gain proficiency in the language and knowledge of the culture. A semester or year abroad in Italy is strongly recommended and a variety of opportunities is available. Students wishing to study in Italy are encouraged to contact the director of the Italian Studies program as early as possible to discuss the various options.

Italian Studies Major

The Italian Studies major targets the acquisition of the linguistic and cultural skills necessary to communicate at an advanced-low level in Italian. The major is intended to offer students access to the Italian culture, which has been vital to the development of our global society, and to assist them in developing a new perspective on our rapidly changing world. Italian Studies majors will also develop skills in writing, speaking, and information literacy throughout their studies.

The major in Italian Studies requires seven courses (equivalent to seven full-credit courses) starting with ITAL 104 Intermediate Italian II: Italian Civilization or above. It combines language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and a Culminating Experience. The specific requirements for each of these components are listed below.

Language Proficiency

Students majoring in Italian Studies will gain at least an advanced-low level of language proficiency in Italian (according to the ACTFL guidelines). The major in Italian Studies requires the completion of ITAL 205 Discovering Italy. This course concentrates on the development of skills in writing, speaking, and information literacy.

Cultural Knowledge

Students majoring in Italian Studies will gain familiarity with significant cultural aspects and artifacts of Italy. The major requires at least four courses related to Italy taught in Italian or English. It is strongly recommended that at least one of these content courses be taught in Italian. These courses are offered either by the Italian Studies program, by other programs or departments at Bucknell, or by an accepted study abroad program in Italy.

Culture courses at the 200 and 300-level offered by the Italian Studies program (in addition to ITAL 205 Discovering Italy) include:

Courses related to Italy offered by other programs or departments at Bucknell include:

Culminating Experience

The major in Italian Studies includes a Culminating Experience. The Culminating Experience draws together the skills, knowledge, and experiences a student gained during his/her studies of Italian language and culture. This Culminating Experience component of the major may be fulfilled during the student’s senior year in two ways:

• Any 300-level course offered by the Italian Studies program (that has not been counted toward the cultural knowledge component). All writing requirements of the course must be completed in Italian.
• An Independent Study resulting in a thesis or comparable product.

Study Abroad

Study abroad at a full immersion program is the best way of gaining proficiency in the language and knowledge of the culture. Students may count up to three credits toward the major (up to four if the student chooses to study abroad for a year) from a full immersion study abroad program approved by Bucknell’s Italian Studies program. Students studying at a non-immersion study abroad program in Italy can count up to two of the courses taken there toward their major after consultation with and approval of the Italian Studies program. The courses taken abroad may be counted toward the language proficiency requirement as well as toward the cultural knowledge component of the major. ITAL 205 Discovering Italy must be taken at Bucknell.

Italian Studies Minor

The minor in Italian Studies consists of a minimum of five course credits. Courses offered by the Italian Studies program that count toward the minor include all courses at the ITAL 102 Elementary Italian II level or above. One credit toward the minor will be granted for ITAL 101A Intensive Elementary Italian. ITAL 205 Discovering Italy or ITAL 206 Exploring Italian Studies Exploring Italian Studies is required for the minor. All additional courses counting toward the major may be counted toward the minor as well.

• Those students studying a semester or year in Italy may count up to two of the courses taken there toward their minor, after consultation with and approval of the Italian Studies program.

ITALIAN STUDIES: Learning Outcomes

1. Communication learning outcome: speak, read, write, understand, and communicate in Italian at an advanced-low level according to ACTFL guidelines (3, 7, 9)
2. Culture learning outcome: show level-appropriate cultural competency in Italian civilization, and perform accurate research in Italian literature and culture.  (1, 3, 8)
3. Comparison learning outcome: use concepts and tools of inquiry to compare Italian language, social experiences, and cultural products with those of one’s own culture. (1, 3)
4. Connections learning outcome: relate knowledge of another discipline to the course of the Italian Studies Major, fostering a connection between areas of study. (2)
5. Community learning outcome: use linguistic and cultural knowledge of Italy within and beyond the classroom setting, enabling an engagement in professional and communal life. (5, 9)

Numbers in parentheses reflect related Educational Goals of Bucknell University.

Faculty

Associate Professor: Bernhard Kuhn (Director)

Assistant Professor: Anna Paparcone

Adjunct Assistant Professor: Lisa A. Perrone