Major Learning Goals

Students who complete a major in Italian reach a level of proficiency that corresponds to ACTFL guidelines for Advanced High in Speaking and Writing and Advanced High/Superior for Reading and Listening.

Students are expected to:

• be able to communicate fluently with native speakers and use the Italian language in both everyday and formal situations to cover a wide variety of topics ranging from personal conversations to abstract discussions;
• understand not only the main ideas but also deeper meanings expressed in a variety of textual genres in Italian, as well as the pragmatic elements that characterize communication in those genres;
• acquire a solid grasp of sociolinguistic differences in Italy (e.g., the ability to clearly distinguish different registers, regional accents, and typical gestures);
• choose the language register best appropriate in different genres and forms of interaction;
• understand the role and evolution of form (in terms of language politics and ideology) in each individual Italian text;
• understand the relationship between a) the individual text and the genre it belongs to and/or transgresses; b) the individual texts and its broader context;
• incorporate literary and critical theories in written assignments;
• explore connections and understand the Italian literary and cultural tradition from past to present;
• show familiarity with different theoretical approaches to Italian literature and culture.