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The Italian Studies programme at UCD offers those with a curiosity about different mindsets the opportunity to develop their critical and linguistic skills through engaging with a distinctive cultural universe.
Students with or without previous knowledge of Italian will learn how to negotiate the culturally diverse forms and contents of the Italian tradition, which has a distinctive multilingual character. The importance accorded to research-led teaching within the subject reflects this diversity, offering historical, sociological, literary and linguistic viewpoints through a variety of modules.
This variety of cultural experiences, alongside the impact of the Italian tradition on other cultures, fosters an appreciation of alternative perspectives as a key prerequisite for cultural and intercultural dialogue, and allows students and graduates with their nuanced understanding of cultural difference to play an important societal role in issues arising from internationalization and globalization. This adds a distinctive quality to those fundamental language skills that are, and will continue to be, in great demand in our society and in the workplace.
The Italian programme is delivered through a mixture of lectures and small group teaching in tutorials and language classes, which allows students to develop critical thinking, enables collaboration and peer learning, and stimulates autonomous learning. Furthermore the mixture of assessment forms (varied language exercises, essays, presentations, written and oral communication, aural and audiovisual comprehension) encourages the development of crucial transferable skills.
Italian is a particularly rewarding language to study; it is easy enough in the early stages to make yourself understood and to pass quickly on to the reading of printed matter, while advanced work reveals subtleties that engross the most sophisticated linguist.
UCD's Italian programme is designed to make you highly proficient in the four language skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing) and to give you a critical insight into the history and culture of Italy past and present. You should have an interest in language and normally some evidence of linguistic ability.
Most Stage 1 students are beginners, and, in small groups separate from those with prior knowledge, you will be given an intensive language programme intended to bring all students to the same level by the end of Stage 1. In addition to teaching, translating and interpreting, the fields in which people qualified in Italian are needed include the fine arts, music, archaeology, museum work, librarianship, journalism, broadcasting, the civil service, international law, EU organisations, industry, commerce, banking, insurance and tourism.
Students wishing to progress must have passed ITAL 10030 Italian Language 1b plus one other Italian module offered in Stage 1.
Students who wish to progress to Stage 2 Italian must take core modules ITAL10020 & ITAL10030.
| Module ID | Module Title | Trimester | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITAL10020 | Italian Language I a | Autumn | 5 |
| ITAL10030 | Italian Language I b | Spring | 5 |