Italian Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill
Italian courses at UNC range from beginning and intermediate language courses to courses on Italian conversation, composition, literature, culture and cinema. Italian is a popular choice to fulfill the university’s language requirement. Many students who start studying Italian become so interested in the language and in study abroad opportunities in Italy that they proceed to higher courses in language, literature and culture.
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The undergraduate program in Italian includes a major and minor. Students take a combination of courses in advanced Italian language, conversation, composition, literature, culture and film. Most courses are in Italian, but students may also get credit for a number of courses taught in English. A major in Italian is an obvious choice for anyone considering graduate school in language education, linguistics, or literature. The demand for language teachers in some parts of the country provides career opportunities for Italian majors who receive teaching certification from the School of Education. A double major in Italian and another academic discipline can be of great professional value, and graduates of the program have pursued careers in journalism, diplomacy, publishing, international education, international business, and the travel industry. For many other career paths, the proof of second-language proficiency is a great asset to a resume.
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For students who wish to supplement language instruction with real-life experience, the UNC Study Abroad Office offers a variety of opportunities for academic credit in Italy. These opportunities include summer, semester and year-long programs in Bologna, Florence and Rome. The language component of each program varies, and students of the sciences and the arts can participate in programs in their areas of specialization.
To enhance the classroom experience, the Italian section organizes a series of extracurricular activities for its students, including an Italian club, conversation hour, film festival, and lectures by guest speakers.
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There are many online resources for undergraduate students to take advantage of while taking courses and seeking extra ways to improve their language skills.
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This service is offered by UNC's Learning Center. Once a week, interested students meet with an undergraduate with advanced proficiency in the language. These sessions are free. This spring, peer tutors in Italian are available 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. every Wednesday in Dey Hall. (Room numbers are posted outside the main door to the building). If you are an advanced student of Italian interested in becoming a peer tutor (for credit), please contact Mimi Keever at the Learning Center (learnctr@email.unc.edu).
The instructors in the Italian section collaborate closely to offer students maximum access to out-of-class help with grammar explanations, pronunciation and conversation. Students enrolled in Italian courses receive lists of names, office numbers, and office hours of all Italian faculty and Graduate Teaching Fellows and are encouraged to visit anyone whose hours they find convenient.
UNC-Chapel Hill is a charter member of Gamma Kappa Alpha (GKA), the National Italian Honor Society, whose purpose is “to recognize outstanding scholastic performance in the fields of Italian language and literature, and to encourage college students to acquire a greater interest in, and a deeper understanding of, Italian culture.” Every year instructors nominate students from their Italian classes who have reached a certain level of achievement in the language. These students receive a certificate, and the distinction is recorded on their transcript.
Italian Studies
CB 3170, Dey Hall
UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3170
(919) 999-9999
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