The Italian Studies minor complements a wide variety of majors in other disciplines to enhance the students’ ability to compete for jobs where knowledge of world languages and cultures is desirable. The minor helps students attain sufficient proficiency to converse in Italian at a basic level, and understand and appreciate Italian-speaking cultures around the world and in the U.S.A.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Communication: Students can use Italian for communication in “real life” basic situations. Students communicate in oral and written form, interpret oral and written messages, and show cultural understanding when they communicate.\\n
2. Cultures: Students develop a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between languages and other cultures, as well as their native culture. Students become better able to understand other people’s points of view, ways of life, and contributions to the world.
3. Connections: Students integrate insights from various disciplines to gain a holistic understanding of Italy and its contributions to global and local culture, recognizing interdisciplinary connections.
4. Comparisons: Students are encouraged to compare and contrast Italian language and cultures with their own. They discover patterns, make predictions, and analyze similarities and differences across languages and cultures. Students come to understand their native language and culture better through such comparisons.\\n
5. Communities: Students extend learning experiences to the community, emphasizing living in a global society. Through activities like field trips, participation in clubs, exchange or study-abroad programs, and school-to-work opportunities, students take their skills beyond the classroom.\\n

Outcomes Assessment Activities

• The faculty of the Italian Studies program uses several methods for evaluating student learning outcomes for Italian minors. These include an oral proficiency interview, a written proficiency test, and an exit survey. Students may also present essays or papers written in the target language during their study abroad experiences in Italy or for a course on campus in the US.\\n

Specific Program Requirements