/College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Languages and Cultural Studies

Italian Studies

A Major or Minor in Italian Studies at Stony Brook offers a versatile program that allows a student to concentrate on the study of Italian language, culture, and literature.

Italian Studies consists of 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. Italian Studies can also provide training for secondary language teachers and for graduate studies in Italian. In conjunction with other disciplines, Italian Studies also provides a basis for careers in international business, law, and economics.

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 focused on culture, film studies, and Italian American social issues.

Requirements for the Major

The Major in Italian Studies leads to a 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 Italian language. 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 Italian Studies program coordinator. Students opting for Concentration B, after consultation with the coordinator, must obtain approval for their program by submitting it in advance 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 Italian language courses 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 incoming Italian language proficiency and placement.

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 Italian Literature and Culture
  • ITL 396 Literature and Visual Cultures in Italy
  • ITL 411 Advanced Conversation and Composition
  • ITL 412 Advanced Conversation and Syntax
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.

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 Italian Literature and Culture
  • ITL 396 Literature and Visual Cultures in Italy
  • ITL 411 Advanced Conversation and Composition
  • ITL 412 Advanced Conversation and Syntax
Elective courses:
  • Four additional ITL or HUI courses chosen in consultation with the Program Coordinator, all of which must be numbered 300 or higher
  • Four additional courses in a discipline other than Italian chosen in consultation with the Program Coordinator, of which three must be numbered 300 or higher.

To demonstrate proficiency in writing in English, students majoring in Italian Studies 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 student's 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 their senior year.

  • Credits for ITL 411 and 412 cannot be transferred and must be taken at Stony Brook. 
  • Native Italian language speakers are required to substitute ITL 311 and ITL 312 with two 300 level ENG courses
  • Students in the Foreign Language Secondary Teacher Education Program must complete 36 ITL credits. 
  • ITL 475 and ITL 476 (Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I and II) and HUI 475 and HUI 476 (Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I and II) cannot be applied toward the requirements for the Major in Italian Studies.

Requirements for the Minor

For students majoring in other disciplines, an Italian Studies 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 Studies 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 incoming Italian language proficiency and placement.

  • ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
  • ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
  • ITL 311 (Italian Conversation and Composition I) or ITL 312 (Italian Conversation and Composition II)
  • ITL 395 (Italian Literature and Culture) or ITL 396 (Literature and Visual Cultures in Italy)
  • 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

  • ITL 211 Intermediate Italian I
  • ITL 212 Intermediate Italian II
  • ITL 311 (Italian Conversation and Composition I) or ITL 312 (Italian Conversation and Composition II)
  • ITL 395 (Italian Literature and Culture) or ITL 396 (Literature and Visual Cultures in Italy)
  • Two HUI courses at the 200 level
  • Three additional courses at the 300 level or higher in Italian Studies chosen in consultation with the Program Coordinator

Credits for ITL 411 and ITL 412 cannot be transferred from any other institution without prior permission of the Program Coordinator.

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 their junior year. An eligible student will 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 are 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 and the Italian Studies Program Coordinator.

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to participate in the Winter semester study abroad program in Rome.

Program Information

Contact

Loredana Polezzi, Program Coordinator