Program of Study (CAS Bulletin)

Major in Italian Studies

Satisfactory knowledge of Italian is a prerequisite for majoring in Italian. This is normally interpreted as the completion of Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30) with the grade of C or better.

The major consists of nine 4-point courses (36 points). Qualified students choose one of two programs of study within the major: either Italian Language and Literature, or Italian Language, Culture, and Society.


Italian Language and Literature

This plan of study normally consists of the following:

  • Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30)
  • One conversation course, either Conversations in Italian (ITAL-UA 101) or Italian through Cinema (ITAL-UA 107)
  • One composition course, either Creative Writing in Italian (ITAL-UA 103), Advanced Composition (ITAL-UA 105), or Translation (ITAL-UA 110)
  • Two readings in literature courses: Readings in Medieval and Renaissance Literature (ITAL-UA 115) and Readings in Modern Italian Literature (ITAL-UA 116)
  • Three advanced literature courses
  • One culture and society course
Italian Language, Culture, and Society

This plan of study normally consists of the following:

  • Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30)
  • One conversation course, either Conversations in Italian (ITAL-UA 101) or Italian through Cinema (ITAL-UA 107)
  • One composition course, either Creative Writing in Italian (ITAL-UA 103), Advanced Composition (ITAL-UA 105), or Translation (ITAL-UA 110)
  • One readings in literature course, either Readings in Medieval and Renaissance Literature (ITAL-UA 115) or Readings in Modern Italian Literature (ITAL-UA 116)
  • Three culture and society courses
  • One additional Italian culture and society course, chosen from the relevant course offerings of other departments, such as history, medieval and Renaissance studies, music, politics, or Italian graduate courses open to seniors (for general requirements, please see Course Description page)
  • One advanced literature course

The prerequisite for introductory literature, advanced literature, and culture and society courses conducted in Italian is Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30) or permission of the instructor.

Transfer students must complete at least five courses (20 points) of the nine courses (36 points) required for the Italian major while in residence at New York University.

All prospective majors should consult with a department adviser prior to registration.

Internships do not count toward the Italian major.


Major in Romance Languages

See the Romance Language section of this Bulletin for details and requirements.


Major in Italian and Linguistics

This joint major requires a total of nine 4-point courses (36 points).

The Italian part of this major is satisfied by taking four 4-point courses (16 points) as follows:

  • Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30)
  • One advanced Italian language course (ITAL-UA 101, ITAL-UA 103, ITAL-UA 105, ITAL-UA 107, or ITAL-UA 110)
  • Two advanced courses in either Italian literature or culture and society, to be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies

The linguistics part of this major is satisfied by taking the following five courses (20 points):

  • One introductory course: Language (LING-UA 1) or Language and Mind (LING-UA 28)
  • Sound and Language (LING-UA 11)
  • Grammatical Analysis (LING-UA 13)
  • A total of two additional courses from two different fields of linguistics, chosen from the following (please see Linguistics in this Bulletin for course titles and descriptions):
    • Historical linguistics (LING-UA 14, LING-UA 17, LING-UA 76)
    • Sociolinguistics (LING-UA 15, LING-UA 18, LING-UA 30, LING-UA 38)
    • Phonology (LING-UA 12)
    • Syntax and semantics (LING-UA 4)
    • Computational linguistics (LING-UA 3, LING-UA 24)
    • Psycholinguistics (LING-UA 5, LING-UA 43, LING-UA 54)
Minor

All students who wish to minor in Italian must contact the department and consult a departmental adviser prior to registration. The minor normally consists of four courses beyond Intermediate Italian II (ITAL-UA 12) or Intensive Intermediate (ITAL-UA 20). These courses shall consist of the following:

  • Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30)
  • One advanced language course (ITAL-UA 101, ITAL-UA 103, ITAL-UA 105, ITAL-UA 107, or ITAL-UA 110)
  • Two courses in literature and/or culture and society, to be chosen in consultation with an adviser

Note: Internships do not count toward the minor.


Honors Program in Italian Studies

Eligibility

To qualify for honors in Italian Studies, a student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.65 and a major GPA of 3.65 or higher. Students who wish to pursue honors should contact the director of undergraduate studies or a departmental adviser for an application during their junior year.


Requirements

Students will complete an 8-point sequence consisting of the Senior Honors Seminar (ITAL-UA 999), taken in the fall of senior year, and the Honors Independent Study (ITAL-UA 990), taken in the spring of senior year. Both of these courses may be counted as advanced courses for the major. The subject of the Senior Honors Seminar changes each year and is decided on by the faculty member teaching the seminar. Students select and work on an individual basis with a departmental faculty member who becomes the honors thesis adviser. The adviser is chosen in consultation with the director of the honors program. The thesis should be a work of scholarship and/or criticism in the field of Italian studies and should be from 40 to 60 double-spaced pages in length. In consultation with an additional faculty member who also evaluates the thesis, the student's thesis adviser determines whether or not to recommend him or her for honors in Italian. A grade of at least A- is required for the award of honors in Italian. Students receiving a lower grade will simply be awarded 8 credits toward the major.


Internships

In addition to the basic requirements for the major, students also have the opportunity to participate in internships in a variety of areas such as international trade, banking, publishing, community organizations, and television and radio programs. For more information, please contact the department. Please note that internships do not count towards the major or minor.

Accelerated B.A/M.A. Program in Italian Studies

The Department of Italian Studies offers qualified students the opportunity to earn the B.A. and M.A. degrees in a shortened period of study. Undergraduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible for the five-year program in Italian Studies, with the fifth-year M.A. held entirely in Florence. For full-time students in CAS, tuition for the fifth year in Florence is offered at a 50 percent discount and the application fee and GRE exams are waived.

Undergraduates majoring in Italian may apply to the program once they have completed between 48 and 96 credits toward the B.A. Students in the program must satisfy all of the requirements of both the B.A. and M.A.; there is no double-counting of courses. To complete the program in five years, students are required to finish at least a fourth of the master's requirements (two graduate courses) before the beginning of the fifth year.

While enrolled in the B.A./M.A. program, students in the fifth year take courses during the fall and spring semesters in Florence with resident faculty from the Department of Italian Studies, the Università di Firenze, and the Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane. With the assistance of a senior academic adviser, B.A./M.A. students visit research institutions, such as the Biblioteca Nazionale, Villa I Tatti, and Archivio di Stato, and attend biweekly seminars at Villa La Pietra led by distinguished Italian and American scholars. While in Florence, they may have the opportunity to work as a peer adviser in one of the undergraduate dorms and receive free room and board; otherwise, they are entitled to receive assistance with housing options from the University.

Current majors in Italian at NYU are encouraged to begin thinking about the B.A./M.A. program in their junior year and should plan to register for two graduate-level seminars before graduating. For further information on the M.A., students should contact Professor Jane Tylus (jt76@nyu.edu), departmental liaison to the program in Florence, or Professor Virginia Cox, Director of Graduate Studies (vc28@nyu.edu). A designated adviser in the College of Arts and Science (CAS) Advising Center in the Silver Center for Arts and Science (100 Washington Square East, Room 905; 212-998-8130) is also available for assistance with the B.A./M.A. program.


Facilities

Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò

The Department of Italian Studies is located in Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at 24 West 12th Street. Once the residence of General Winfield Scott, it is a national historic landmark. Donated to NYU by Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò in memory of her husband, the late Baron Guido Zerilli-Marimò, Casa Italiana is now a widely recognized center for Italian cultural and social activities. Students are encouraged to participate in the many lectures, conferences, concerts, and film series that Casa Italiana and the Department of Italian Studies offer.


NYU Florence

NYU Florence at Villa La Pietra

NYU's Global Academic Center in Florence is situated on a hillside just north of the city. A magnificent 57-acre Renaissance estate with five villas, La Pietra houses a notable early Renaissance art collection and one of the most beautiful and authentically restored Renaissance gardens in Italy. This extraordinary campus environment features newly renovated classrooms, computer labs, e-mail and Internet access, and other facilities. Students are lodged in villas at La Pietra or in private apartments and households in residential areas.

Students can study at NYU Florence for the fall or spring semester, as well as for the full academic year. A full course load is typically four courses per semester (16 to 18 points) or 32 to 36 points for the academic year. While most courses are taught in English, NYU Florence is also proud to offer an Italian immersion program for majors and minors in Italian, as well as for those whose language abilities are sufficiently advanced. Students are eligible to take upper-level content courses in Italian, taught at the Villa, as well as courses at the Università di Firenze. They may live at Casa Fiorentina, an Italian-speaking-only residence located in the city center, which offers special events and trips for students, or they may choose to live with an Italian family. Students may also participate in one of the many internship possibilities in Italian schools, museums, or with the elderly in a "meals on wheels" program.

Additionally, NYU Florence offers a six-week summer program for NYU undergraduates and visiting students. Students can attend Italian language as well as literature, cinema, opera, and art history courses. Courses include all levels of intensive Italian language classes and offer a chance to experience the city of Florence in its different aspects. Students live in the modern residences that surround Villa La Pietra and participate in weekend excursions and cultural activities.