From antiquity well beyond the Renaissance, the Italian peninsula was widely considered to be at the center of Western culture. Now, in the 21st century, Italy continues to influence our understanding of the human experience thanks to a tradition of prolific cultural production and intellectual thought.
The first class in Italian at UW-Madison was offered in the 1850s, and Italian language courses became a regular part of UW-Madison curriculum in academic year 1887-88. Italian at UW-Madison remains one of the oldest and most important Italian programs in the world.
UW-Madison students of Italian develop their proficiency in the language while discovering the region’s history, literature, art, architecture and film in one of the largest and most successful Italian programs in the US. Italian faculty are worldly-renowned experts in literature, culture, history, film, and art, from the Middle Ages to the present. A combination of dynamic course offerings, on-campus immersion opportunities, study abroad and a variety of outreach events in Madison make the study of Italian a constantly evolving and enriching experience.
- Why Language?
- Placement
- Certificate in Italian
- Major in Italian
- Honors in Italian
- Academic Advising
- Professional Development
- Study Abroad and International Internships
- Outside the Classroom
- Italian Workmen's Club Scholarship
Skills & Strengths of a Liberal Arts Major
People who speak multiple languages make the best employees for one big reason
Don’t go to school for finance — liberal arts is the future
Why Liberal Arts Majors often Make the Best Techies
STEM is Missing an Important Subject: Languages
We need more STEM Majors with Liberal Arts Training
With some Specific Skills, Liberal Arts Majors have Plenty of Job Prospects
Major in the Humanities for a Good Job – and for a Good Life
Benefits of Multilingualism
For a Better Brain, Learn a Foreign Language
Improved Health, Memory, Decision-making, and Perception
Bilinguals are More Attractive
Benefits of Language Learning
Language learning supports academic achievement
Language learning provides cognitive benefits to students
Language learning affects attitudes and beliefs about language and culture
Language Study as a National Imperative
Some Facts & Figures about Italian
- An estimated 7,000 US companies do business in Italy, while more than 1,000 have offices in Italy: Cisco, Eli Lilly, Microsoft, Mars, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo, City Bank, Fedex, S.C. Johnson, Kraft, Unilever, McDonalds, Kellog, and many more
- There are roughly 30 Italian companies currently doing business in Wisconsin
- Italian is the fourth most-studied foreign language in the world
- Italy is the third largest economy in the eurozone
The Department of French & Italian has an informal Italian placement test to find the best fit for students with previous experience in Italian. To get access to the test, please contact Mandi Schoville, Undergraduate Advisor and Program Coordinator.
Retro-Credits
Students enrolled in 102, 182, 203, 204, 311 or 312 are eligible for retro credits. Consult complete retroactive credit policy for more information.
|
Course taken
|
Retro Credits
|
|
102
|
4
|
|
203
|
8
|
|
204
|
12
|
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311, 312
|
16
|
Note: Italian 201, Italian for Speakers of Other Romance Languages, is an intense, 2 semesters-in-one course designed for students who have had the equivalent of 4 college semesters of another romance language (French, Spanish, Portuguese).
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit Policy
College credit will be awarded to students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on their AP Italian Exam. More information can be found here.
| Score | Credit Policy | To also earn retro credits, take |
| 3 or 4 | 4 cr. 204 | 311 |
| 5 | 4 cr. 452 | 311 |
For information on requirements for the Italian Certificate, please refer to the Undergraduate Guide.
For information on requirements for the Italian Major, please refer to the Undergraduate Guide.
Outcomes
Having completed an undergraduate major in Italian, you will be able to:
Skills
- Demonstrate understanding and ability to analyze literary and non-literary texts in Italian representing a broad spectrum of topics, time periods, and geographical regions
- Express yourself effectively in spoken and written Italian to inform, persuade, and narrate for different audiences of listeners, viewers, or readers
- Express yourself effectively in spoken and written Italian to share information, reactions, and opinions related to a broad spectrum of topics and texts
Knowledge
- Recognize and explain cultural artifacts, practices, and perspectives of the Italian-speaking world including how these cultural elements relate to literary and non-literary texts in Italian
- Demonstrate a good degree of understanding of lexical, grammatical, syntactic, and stylistic features of the Italian language
Dispositions
- Demonstrate awareness of difference and diversity by comparing and contrasting culturally situated beliefs, behaviors, and norms of the Italian-speaking world with your own
- Engage in a sustained fashion with the Italian language, its users, and cultural artifacts in and beyond the classroom, e.g., in your own community, virtual communities, and study abroad
Click here for L&S Undergraduate information about Honors – General
TAKING A CLASS FOR HONORS
Student can choose to register for the course for honors credit. Students taking a course for honors should contact their instructor or professor as soon as possible at the very beginning of the semester to begin organizing the honors curriculum for the semester.
Students in the L&S Honors Program do not need permission to take a class for honors. Please note that students in the L&S Honors Program must take a minimum number of credits in designated honors sections. More information available here.
GRADUATING WITH HONORS IN THE MAJOR
To graduate with honors, a major in Italian must register with the department advisor as an honors candidate and must complete the junior-senior honors curriculum with a GPA of at least 3.5 in the major. Students must also have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses taken at UW–Madison at the time of graduation.
ITALIAN 101 – 102
A student who wants to do the Honors option will meet with the instructor to discuss projects and activities to do in addition to the normal 101-102 homework and activities. Students need to write down the terms of the agreement in a sort of contract that will be given to the instructor as well as to the Course Chair before the beginning of the project.
ITALIAN 101:
- Attend three screenings at the UW Cineteca OR attend 3 Italian Club events OR attend 3 campus lectures sponsored/approved by the Italian department. Meet with your instructor to present a short summary of the three films / events (who were the characters, what happened, what is your opinion on the films/events) in Italian (a 5 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW in which you present a short summary of the three films / events. You must also write a 3-4-page paper in English in which you describe what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned from the films/events. NB: These extra-curricular events when attended for the honors project will NOT count towards extra credit points.
- Research a topic related to Italian literature, history, art, politics, music, or culture in general (preferably something that we discussed already in class). Meet with your instructor to present your findings in Italian (a 5 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW. Then write a 3-4-page paper in English in which you explain why you chose your topic (what drew you to it?) and what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned in preparing this topic.
ITALIAN 102:
- Attend three screenings at the UW Cineteca OR attend 3 Italian Club events OR attend 3 campus lectures sponsored/approved by the Italian department. Meet with your instructor to present a short summary of the three films / events (who were the characters, what happened, what is your opinion on the films/events) in Italian (a 5 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW in which you present a short summary of the three films / events. You must also write a 2-page paper in Italian in which you describe what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned from the films/events. NB: These extra-curricular events when attended for the honors project will NOT count towards extra credit points.
- Research a topic related to Italian literature, history, art, politics, music, or culture in general (preferably something that we discussed already in class). Meet with your instructor to present your findings in Italian (a 5 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW. Then write a 2-page paper in Italian in which you explain why you chose your topic (what drew you to it?) and what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned in preparing this topic.
Each student will write up an individual contract with the TA stating the following:
– Specific descriptions of the activities the student will participate in and a deadline for the final product. OR A brief description of the topic of the project, sources to be examined, and deadline for the final product.
Copies of the agreed-upon proposal (which are signed and dated by the student) should be shared electronically with the TA, student, and course chair before work on the project begins.
ITALIAN 203 – 204
A student who wants to do the Honors option will meet with the instructor to discuss projects and activities to do in addition to the normal workload of Italian 203 or Italian 204. Students need to write down the terms of the agreement in a sort of contract that will be given to the instructor as well as to the Course Chair before the beginning of the project.
ITALIAN 203:
Attend 4 screenings at the UW Cineteca OR attend 4 total Italian Club events AND/OR campus lectures sponsored/approved by the Italian department. Meet with your instructor to present a short summary of the 4 films / events (who were the characters, what happened, what is your opinion on the films/events) in Italian (a 5-8 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW in which you present a short summary of the three films / events. You must also write a 4-page paper in Italian in which you describe both what you attended and what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned from the films/events. NB: These extra-curricular events when attended for the honors project will NOT count towards extra credit points.
- Research a topic related to Italian literature, history, art, politics, music, or culture in general (preferably something that we discussed already in class). Meet with your instructor to present your findings in Italian (a 5-8 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW. Then write a 4-page paper in Italian in which you explain why you chose your topic (what drew you to it?) and what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned in preparing this topic. NB: This research project cannot be the same topic as the final oral exam project for Italian 203.
ITALIAN 204:
- Attend four screenings at the UW Cineteca or watch 4 Italian films (chosen in consultation with the instructor) and write 4 analytical essays (2 pages each) in Italian based on the movies, with emphasis on cultural content. NB: Screenings at the Cineteca when attended for the honors project will NOT count towards extra credit points.
- Research a topic related to Italian literature, history, art, politics, music, or culture in general (preferably something that we discussed already in class). Meet with your instructor to present your findings in Italian (a 5-8 minute one-on-one oral presentation) OR record a video to share with your classmates on Learn@UW. Then write a 6-page paper in Italian in which you explain why you chose your topic (what drew you to it?), your overall findings, and what new or surprising information regarding Italian life/culture you learned in preparing this topic. NB: This research project cannot be the same topic as the final oral exam project for Italian 204.
Each student will write up an individual contract with the TA stating the following:
– Specific descriptions of the activities the student will participate in and a deadline for the final product. OR A brief description of the topic of the project, sources to be examined, and deadline for the final product.
Copies of the agreed-upon proposal (which are signed and dated by the student) should be shared electronically with the TA, student, and course chair before work on the project begins.
ITALIAN 311 AND ABOVE
Curriculum for honors level work in courses at the 311 level and above will vary depending on the instructor.
TO GRADUATE WITH HONORS, STUDENTS MUST:
– Register as an honors candidate with a department honors advisor
– Take 16 honors credits beyond 204. Honors credit is generally available in all courses
– Complete the junior-senior honors curriculum in the department with a Major GPA of at least 3.5
– Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses taken at UW-Madison at the time of graduation
– Complete a Senior Honors Thesis of 6 credits (Italian 681 and 682) or substitute two semesters of literature (6 credits) at the 600 level
Italian academic advising will help you:
– Navigate the Italian language program.
– Learn about majoring or double majoring in Italian.
– Choose the best study abroad program(s) for you.
– Explore the possibility of post-undergraduate studies.
– Investigate careers related to the language and your degree.
– Understand Letters & Science degree requirements for graduation.
– Discover resources on campus for additional support.
Before making an appointment with an advisor:
– If you’re just getting started, check out this great Academic and Career Planning Guide.
– It is sometimes very helpful to run a “DARS” report, or a “DARS What-if” if you are considering a major or interested in adding a study abroad program to your udergraduate career. You can run these through your ‘My-UW‘.
– You could also print out and fill out your portion of the Major and Certificate Declaration Form if you haven’t done so already.
– If you are considering study abroad, make sure you research your opportunities at studyabroad.wisc.edu and read this handout on How to Determine Equivalents.
Academic Advisor in Italian
Contact Mandi Schoville, Undergraduate Advisor and Program Coordinator.
A degree in Italian strengthens your credentials and offers unique career paths in International Business, Law, International Affairs, Education, Diplomacy, Translation, Security, Retail, Design, Fashion, Apparel Merchandizing, Public Relations, Communication Arts, Telecommunications, Historian, Management, Arts Administration, Public or Environmental Affairs.
Our graduates acquire and develop versatile world-readiness skills and competences that can be applied in a variety of different careers:
- intercultural knowledge and competence
- public speaking
- leadership
- creative and critical thinking and writing
- communication
- analysis and interpretation
- collaboration
- conflict management
- self-expression
What can you do with a major in Italian?
The National Association of Colleges and Employers confirms that a degree in foreign languages assures the highest salary among the liberal arts majors. Read more here.
Many Italian companies do business in the US: Fiat Chrysler, Armani, Bulgari, Dolce&Gabbana, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Peroni, Bianchi Bicycle, Lavazza, Illy, Edison G&E, Ferrero, Vespa, Telecom, EXOR, Unicredit, Enel, etc.
Many US companies do business in Italy: Cisco, Eli Lilly, Microsoft, Mars, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo, Fedex, S.C Johnson, Kraft, Unilever, McDonalds, Kellog, Starcom Mediavest, etc.
From Steve Jobs to Wall Street Journal to Forbes, everyone agrees that a degree in liberal arts gives you an edge in the ever-changing job market: “technology alone isn’t enough” and therefore “software companies are discovering that liberal arts thinking makes them stronger.” Read more here and here.
Studies have shown that a degree in a less-commonly taught language adds significant amount to your salary, with Italian being at the top of the list. Read more here.
Studies have shown that knowing a second language provides a significant advantage over competitors in job market.
Seek and Gain Experience
Morgridge Center for Public Service
Center for Leadership and Involvement
Study Abroad with UW International Academic Programs
Study Abroad with the School of Business
Study Abroad with International Engineering Studies and Programs
Consider taking INTER-LS 210: L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative – This one-credit course helps students develop critical skills and knowledge for making future career-related decisions. Designed specifically for L&S students, or those exploring an L&S major, course discussion focuses on leveraging and articulating the value of the liberal arts and science degree. Our goal is to enforce students’ capacity to become leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the 21st-centrury workforce. Students are encouraged to take the course in their second-year of college.
Career Exploration
SuccessWorks, provides career advising specifically for L&S students.
Hand Shake connects students and employers.
UW-Madison Language Institute offers career advising.
The Institute for Regional and International Studies Advising Office offers advising in the area of international opportunities and helps students navigate international resources at the UW-Madison.
If you are interested in international internships, visit the International Internship Program’s advising service.
Bureau of Labor and Statistics
Join Badger Bridge: This professional network is an exclusive place where UW-Madison alumni and students can come together to offer support in achieving career goals and exploring professional opportunities.
Career Kickstart in Ogg Hall: Launched in Fall 2015 in Ogg Residence Hall, Career Kickstart is a career-themed program in a community that is designed for non-freshmen. Join returning students and make the next step in your life with access to special events and resources: On-site academic/career advising and related programming; “Back stage access” to employers, alumni, and resources on campus; learn how to land and internship and get a job; develop your resume, polish your interviewing skills, and more!
Fully immerse yourself in the Italian culture, improve your language skills, and spend your academic year or semester engaged in courses with Italian students at the University, and other BCSP participants in consortium classes.
This program is ideal if you’re looking for an academically rich study abroad experience with an introduction to Italian language. In Florence, the renowned history of Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, the Medici, and Botticelli will become part of your daily experience.
On this program, you will be intentionally immersed in an Italian language and culture experience.
This program will help you navigate new educational systems, observe Italian perspectives on academic disciplines and daily life, and deepen cross cultural understanding through site visits and educational tours.
UW in Rome
Study abroad at John Cabot University in Rome. This experience will help you strengthen your language skills, and allow you to discover a distinctly American learning experience while being enriched by Rome and the international faculty and student population.
INTERNSHIPS
International Internship Program heps you explore international internship options. Click here for there latest schedule and deadlines.
Italian Club
An avenue to expand interest, knowledge, and enjoyment of Italy and Italian culture. Contact Loren Eadie for more information.
Cineteca Italiana
Weekly Italian film screenings with English subtitles. Contact Irene Hatzopoulos for more information.
Italian Workmen’s Club Scholarship
The Italian Workmen’s Club (IWC) is a men’s club of Italian heritage. The IWC has been in existence since 1912 and was started by Italian immigrants living in the Regent Street area of Madison. The IWC’s mission is to preserve and promote the history, culture, language and traditions of Italians and Italian Americans and to express appreciation for and support the understanding of their impact in Madison.
The IWC will award a NEW Scholarship ($2,000) to a student of Italian spending at least a semester studying abroad in Italy. Preference will be given to:
- Students pursuing a Major in Italian or a Certificate in Italian at the UW-Madison (any student who has declared the Italian Major or the Italian Certificate by November 2024).
- All students are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to students of Italian heritage.
- Students planning their first study-abroad experience in Italy.
- Students with at least a 3.0 GPA.
Deadline: November 8, 2024
The successful recipient will be notified in December 2024 and will receive $2,000 from the IWC to help offset study abroad expenses. At the end of the semester abroad, the successful recipient agrees to an in-person update for the IWC members and to send a one-two page final report about their study experience in Italy to IWC by email (jptripalin@gmail.com).