Italian Studies

Italian Studies at Stony Brook is a versatile program that allows the student to concentrate on the study of Italian language, culture, and literature. Students may choose an individualized course of study to fit their needs. Students interested in teaching Italian should concentrate on courses taught in the Italian language, while those interested in other careers should choose courses in culture, film studies, and Italian American social issues.

The Italian Studies major consists of an intensive study of the Italian language along with the study of the culture that has shaped Italian society and its interaction with American society through the study of literature, culture, and film studies.

The undergraduate program in Italian Studies provides training for secondary language teachers and for graduate studies in Italian. In conjunction with other disciplines, the Italian program also provides a basis for careers such as international business, law, and economics.

Placement in Language Courses for Incoming Students

The prerequisites for courses indicate approximate placement levels. One year of high school foreign language is generally considered the equivalent of one college semester. Students are advised to consult the Coordinator of the Italian program if they believe the recommended course is inappropriate.

Requirements for the Major

The major in Italian Studies leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. Students must complete Concentration A or Concentration B. These concentrations are designed to allow maximum flexibility in the students' programs and to fulfill their varying needs and interests. Both require as a basis a solid preparation in the language of the major. Concentration A provides preparation for teaching at the secondary school level or for graduate study in literature; Concentrations A and B both provide appropriate background for students preparing for work in law, government, international relations, business, banking, hotel management, or translation and interpretation.

All students should consult with the Coordinator of the Italian program. Students opting for Concentration B must obtain Departmental approval for their program by submitting it in advance, after consultation with the advisor, to the director of undergraduate studies.

All courses offered for the major must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher. Transfer students must take at least 18 credits of the major language in residence at Stony Brook.

Completion of the major requires 36-42 credits for Concentration A and 42-48 credits for Concentration B, depending on language placement. See https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/llrc/placement_challenge_exams/placement_exam.html for placement exam information.

A. Concentration in Language and Literature
1. Required courses:

ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
ITL 311 Italian Conversation and Composition II
ITL 312 Italian Conversation and Composition II
ITL 395 Readings in Italian Literature I
ITL 396 Readings in Italian Literature I
ITL 411 Advanced Conversation and Composition
ITL 412 Advanced Conversation and Syntax

2. Elective courses:

Six additional ITL courses at the 400-level. In consultation with the program coordinator, up to three of these courses may be substituted with relevant HUI courses.

B. Concentration in Italian and a Second Discipline
1. Required courses:

ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
ITL 311 Italian Conversation and Composition I
ITL 312 Italian Conversation and Composition II
ITL 395 Readings in Italian Literature I
ITL 396 Readings in Italian Literature II
ITL 411 Advanced Conversation and Composition
ITL 412 Advanced Conversation and Syntax

2. Elective courses

Four additional ITL or HUI courses chosen in consultation with the program coordinator, of which 4 must be numbered 300 or higher
Four additional courses in a discipline other than Italian chosen in consultation with the program coordinator and approved by the Department, of which three must be numbered 300 or higher.

C. Upper-Division Writing Requirement

To demonstrate proficiency in writing English, students majoring in Italian must present a dossier of a minimum of two papers of at least three to five pages each. The dossier must be submitted before the end of the second semester of the junior year to the program coordinator. The dossier consists of papers previously composed for upper-division courses. If these papers were originally written in Italian, they must be rewritten in English. The papers are judged by a faculty committee for clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness of style. If the dossier is found to be unsatisfactory, the student will be asked to rewrite and resubmit the work in the senior year.

Notes:

Credits for ITL 411 and 412 cannot be transferred and must be taken at Stony Brook.
Students who wish to offer their native language as the main area of concentration are asked to replace ITL 311 and 312 by English courses appropriate to their level of proficiency in that language.
Students in the Foreign Language Secondary Teacher Education Program must complete 36 ITL credits.
ITL 475, 476 and HUI 475, 476 cannot be applied toward the requirements for the major in Italian.

Requirements for the Minor

For students majoring in other disciplines, an Italian minor, is available with two choices of emphasis. Students must complete either Emphasis A Language or Emphasis B Italian Studies.
All courses for the minor must be taken for a letter grade, excluding those graded S/U. All upper-division courses for the minor must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher.

Transfer students who wish to graduate with a minor in Italian must take at least six credits of upper-division Italian courses in residence at Stony Brook.

Completion of the minor with either emphasis requires 22-27 credits, depending on language placement. See https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/llrc/placement_challenge_exams/placement_exam.html for placement exam information.

A. Emphasis on Language

ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
ITL 311 or ITL 312 Italian Conversation and Composition
ITL 395 or ITL 396 Readings in Italian Literature
ITL 411 Advanced Conversation and Composition
ITL 412 Advanced Conversation and Syntax
Three additional courses with the designator ITL or HUI, at least one of which must be 300 level or higher

B. Emphasis on Italian Studies

ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
ITL 311 or ITL 312 Italian Conversation and Composition
ITL 395 or ITL 396 Readings in Italian Literature
Two HUI courses at the 200 level
Three additional courses at the 300 level or higher in Italian studies chosen in consultation with the student's advisor

Note: Credits for ITL 411 and ITL 412 cannot be transferred from any other institution without prior permission of the department.

Honors Program in Italian

To be eligible to participate in the honors program, majors must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and an average of 3.50 in Italian through the junior year. An eligible student will wrie write a senior thesis with a faculty member of the Italian program to act as thesis advisor. The student must submit a proposal of a project in writing to the program coordinator. Deadline for submission of the proposal for fall semester is April 30 and for spring semester is November 30. Final selection of candidates and topics is determined by an honors committee. Students selected for the program must enroll in ITL 495 for the semester in which the thesis is written. The thesis is evaluated by the thesis advisor, another member of the Italian program, and a third reader from outside the Italian program. For further information consult the director of undergraduate studies

Contact

Irene Marchegiani, program coordinator

Programs