Curriculum

Curriculum Requirements

Students pursuing the Italian Studies Minor complete six courses in the Italian Studies track:

ITAL 201 – Images of Italy I: Intermediate Italian
ITAL 202 – Images of Italy II: Intermediate Italian
Two courses at the 300‑ or 400‑level taught in Italian
Two Italian-themed courses at the 200‑ to 400‑level taught in English – One of these may include a First-Year Seminar with an Italian theme or a course from another department focusing on Italian topics.

Placement Note:

Students who place directly into the 300-level Italian courses may waive ITAL 201 and 202. These students must instead complete:

Four courses at the 300/400 level taught in Italian
Two courses at the 200 level or higher taught in English with Italian content

A maximum of two courses from approved study abroad programs in Italy may count toward the minor: up to two language courses, and no more than one English-taught topics course.

Student Learning Outcomes

Through the Italian Studies Minor, students will:

Communicate Effectively: Speak at the Intermediate-mid level and write at the Advanced-low level in Italian, demonstrating accuracy in grammar and usage.
Analyze Critically: Interpret and evaluate Italian texts and media from cultural, historical, social, and artistic perspectives.
Understand Italian Culture: Develop deep knowledge of Italian values, society, and the Italian diaspora experience.
Make Interdisciplinary Connections: Apply Italian language and cultural insights across academic disciplines and real-world settings, especially during study abroad experiences.

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to study in Italy for a semester, ideally before senior year. Gettysburg’s affiliated program in Florence offers coursework in both Italian and English across disciplines such as language, history, art, philosophy, and gender studies.

Up to two courses from study abroad may count toward the minor:

Up to two upper-level Italian language courses
One English-language course focused on Italian topics

Program Highlights

Develop intermediate to advanced proficiency in the Italian language
Explore Italian culture through literature, film, art, history, and contemporary issues
Experience Italy firsthand through a semester-long immersive study abroad program
Connect Italian language and culture to broader interdisciplinary studies

Sample Course Types

Language Courses in Italian: Intermediate and advanced offerings such as Italian cinema, literature, and contemporary culture
Topics Courses in English: Interdisciplinary courses that focus on Italian themes in areas like history, art, and migration studies

Why Choose This Minor?

The Italian Studies Minor provides students with language fluency, cultural literacy, and global perspective. It is ideal for students interested in international studies, cultural heritage, global business, education, and the humanities. The minor is designed to complement a wide range of majors and offers a dynamic way to engage with one of Europe’s most influential cultures.

Next Steps & Advising

Take the language placement test to determine your starting point in the Italian sequence
Enroll in ITAL 201 and 202, or higher-level Italian if placed appropriately
Select English-taught Italian-themed courses from across the curriculum
Plan early for a semester abroad in Florence
Coordinate with your academic advisor to track completion of the six-course requirement

Courses

Jump to level: 100 • 200 • 300 • 400

Fundamentals of Italian grammar, composition, pronunciation. Emphasis on oral comprehension, verbal communication, reading, and writing. Classroom interaction stresses aural-oral method of language learning. Regular laboratory work reinforces grammar and writing skills and is required of all students. Course includes use of audio-visual materials and introduction to important aspects of Italian culture. Taught exclusively in Italian.
Fundamentals of Italian grammar, composition, pronunciation. Emphasis on oral comprehension, verbal communication, reading, and writing. Classroom interaction stresses aural-oral method of language learning. Regular laboratory work reinforces grammar and writing skills and is required of all students. Course includes use of audio-visual materials and introduction to important aspects of Italian culture. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 101 or equivalent.
Fundamental Italian for students who have completed 2 - 3 years of Italian language study in high school. This elementary language and culture course develops students' abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking Italian by providing a broad re-introduction to Italian grammar, conversation, and culture through the use of authentic texts (Italian websites, newspaper/magazine articles, literary pieces, songs, film clips, and videos). This course meets five days per week, thereby fulfilling the fourth hour requirement in class time.
Fundamental Italian for students who have completed 2 - 3 years of Italian language study in high school, and Fundamental Italian 104 at Gettysburg College. This elementary language and culture course, second in the sequence, further develops students' abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking Italian by continuing their college-level re-introduction to Italian grammar, conversation, and culture through the use of authentic texts (Italian websites, newspaper/magazine articles, literary pieces, songs, film clips, and videos). This course meets five days per week, thereby fulfilling the fourth hour requirement in class time.

Review of grammar, as well as further development of speaking, reading, and writing skills. Text includes culturally authentic excerpts from Italian newspapers and magazines. Course content helps students learn about modern Italian civilization and current social problems. Regular compositions develop students' writing skills; audiovisual materials and required listening assignments improve listening and speaking abilities. Taught exclusively in Italian.
Review of grammar, as well as further development of speaking, reading, and writing skills. Text includes culturally authentic excerpts from Italian newspapers and magazines. Course content helps students learn about modern Italian civilization and current social problems. Regular compositions develop students' writing skills; audiovisual materials and required listening assignments improve listening and speaking abilities. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 201 or equivalent.
This Italian literature course primarily explores late Nineteenth-century fiction from Italy (in English translation) that belongs to the fantastic genre, and in some cases compares the stories to their English-language counterparts. Students read novels (or novel excerpts) and short stories, and are asked to think critically about language and literary devices; to engage in close readings; to incorporate some theoretical discourses (such as structuralism, deconstruction, and psychoanalysis); and to consider the text's socio-cultural, political, psychological, and existential implications.
An accessible Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has become a country of great interest for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Date on immigrant population indicate that by 1992, there were over 648,000 documented foreign citizens living in Italy. By the end of 2011, the immigrant population was over five million. Employing a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinarian approach, students investigate issues of immigration, race, and ethnicity that have shaped contemporary Italy.
A survey of modern Italian history taught in English. The course provides an in-depth analysis of the Risorgimento (The Italian Unification Movement), Italian immigration to America, Italy in World War I, Fascism, Italy in World War II, the Resistance, the Reconstruction, the Economic Miracle of the 1950s, the Student-Worker protests of the 1960s, Terrorism, the Second Economic Miracle of the 1980s, and the fall of the First Republic. Taught in English.
Interdisciplinary inquiry into the historical texts, literature and film which address the historical and sociological conditions of 19th Century Italy, the odyssey of immigration to and assimilation in the United States, and life in the ethnic neighborhood. Other topics include the mafia, forms of prejudice, and ways Italians uniquely manifested their social values in labor unions, religion and education. Taught in English.
Exploration of some of the most influential examples of Italian history, literature, art, music, film, and philosophy in their historical context, from the Roman period to the present, with emphasis on the 20th century. Students will come away with a familiarity of a wide range of Western culture's most celebrated accomplishments, a solid appreciation of Italian history, and an enriched ability to think critically about their own culture. Taught in English.
A survey of some of Italy's most prominent women writers of the twentieth century in English translation. The course covers a variety of themes dealing with the existential condition of women that surface in the writers' texts. Topics such as gendered writing, feminism, violence, gender (ex)change, feminine monstrosities and motherhood are the subject of students' analyses. Taught in English. ITAL 270 and WGS 270 are cross-listed.
Course on the three cantos of the Divine Comedy: Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Students examine the life of Dante Alighieri and his times. Discussion focuses on the characters and events of this classic poem. Questions students ponder include: what happens to us after death? What does it really mean to be a good person? Why do bad things happen to good people? How far would a person go for love? Taught in English.
A study of the work of four prominent Italian women directors: Liliana Cavani, Lina Wertmuller, Francesca Archibugi and Francesca Comencini. While focusing on their depictions of social, cultural and historical issues affecting modern and contemporary Italian society, the course also analyzes the relationship between gender and theories of visual and filmic representation. Topics include social realism, social satire, World War II, concept of family, violence, mechanisms of gender construction, gender and film. Taught in English. ITAL 280 and WGS 280 are cross-listed.
A focus on Italian memory of World War II and efforts at Reconstruction. Through textual and visual analysis students discuss the Italian experience of World War II, the Resistance and Italian Civil War, the Italian Holocaust, the struggles of forging a new Italian republic, and the myth-making processes that explained the suffering and casualties. Through this inquiry, students come to comprehend contemporary Italian society, thought, and culture. Taught in English.
An examination of the early works of the Italian writer Gabriele D'Annunzio, specifically in the context of Decadentism, a literary movement of the turn of the 20th century. Topics of analysis include the author's treatment of Dandyism, malady, aestheticism, sexual promiscuity, deception and infidelity. Given the notorious connection between the male fascist Ideal and the author's adaptation of Friedrich Nietzsche's "Superman," the course also focuses on the development of both male and female characters. Taught in English.
This course provides a close look at Italy’s cinematic tradition from the perspectives of history, aesthetics, and cultural studies. Topics include Italian Neorealism, the Spaghetti Western, the Mafia, and the "cinema d’autore." By employing an interdisciplinary approach, students analyze internationally acclaimed films by directors such as Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, and Paolo Sorrentino. In addition, they investigate Italian history and culture as they delve into issues like migration, gender, race, political corruption, and organized crime. In English. ITAL 291 and CIMS 291 are cross-listed.
This course explores Italian contributions to the practice and critique of science and technology across the centuries. Students read literary and non-literary texts that explore cosmology, architecture, astronomy, anatomy, optics, medicine, engineering, flight, and infinity. Texts include treatises, letters, dialogues, epic poetry, drawings, paintings, science fiction, manifestos and more. The positive and negative implications of scientific and technological advancements are discussed as students adopt a critical approach toward the texts, and the phenomena they depict.

A course designed to refine students' fluency in Italian by combining linguistic proficiency with a cultural exploration of one of Europe's most fascinating countries. Students will develop a familiarity with Italy's literary and cultural patrimony through texts, articles and film. Through an analysis and a comparison of cultural differences, students will have the opportunity of exposing and sharing their discoveries through presentations, discussions and brief essays. Brief grammatical reviews will be performed throughout the semester. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
An introduction to several contemporary Italian films of the last twenty-five years that have achieved worldwide recognition with the aim to increase conversational and writing skills. Students advance their proficiency in these areas, as well as their listening and reading abilities, through discussion of questions answered from text readings, self-guided reviews of grammar, and short essays. Fifth semester course taught in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
A study of Italian movies produced in the first decade of the 21st century as a medium for refining students' language skills. The viewing of each film is preceded and followed by oral and written activities in order to familiarize students with the vocabulary and topics covered in the movie. The movies thus serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken and comprehension skills. Students also learn to discuss complex topics as well as discover diverse aspects of contemporary culture, socio-economic issues, history and politics in Italy today. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
A study of classic Italian Film (1946-1960) to refine students' language skills. Students view videos, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of recent Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
Course uses Italian opera to refine students’ language skills. Students view videos and listen to CDs, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos and CDs serve to improve students’ oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
A study of classic Italian Film (1961-1981) to refine students' language skills. Students view videos, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of recent Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
Course is designed as a dialogic Italian course providing the linguistic needs of students studying business who are preparing for international or multinational careers in the areas of business, finance, and law. This course provides students with an intermediate or advanced level of fluency and competence in Italian aiming to equip them with the necessary verbal and written skills that becomes easily transferable later in their careers through interactions with future clients, colleagues, and customers.
Review of grammar, as well as further development of speaking, reading, and writing skills. Course material is based entirely on Italian songs and their related music videos. Course content helps students learn about modern Italian civilization and current social problems. Exams and compositions develop students' writing skills; audiovisual materials and required listening assignments improve listening and speaking abilities. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 201 or equivalent.
A focus on refining students reading and writing skills. Throughout the semester students write different literary and popular genres such as poems, a mini screenplay, a short story, advertisements and journal articles. In order to familiarize students with such literary genres, models are introduced to the class and closely analyzed before each written assignment. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
Advanced composition and conversation course that explores themes related to Italy and Italian culture organized around national identity, race, gender, sexuality, class, region, artistic or historical period, or event. The course uses literary and cultural texts, and may include film, television, digital media, periodicals, visual arts, music, spoken word. Prerequisite: ITAL 202. Counts towards both the Italian Studies & Italian Language majors and minors.
This course examines the “dark side” of Italian literature and film by delving into the literary genres of the gothic and the fantastic, and the cinematic genre of horror. In the first part of the course, we will read novel excerpts and short stories from the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries that belong (often problematically) to such literary movements as the Scapigliatura, Verismo, and Decadentismo. In the second part of the course, we will view early Italian horror films from the 1950s and 1960s. This course will provoke questions related to identity, desire, the unconscious, the abject, the uncanny, fear, and pleasure.
Study of a variety of aspects of recent Italian history and culture. Students learn topics that range from politics and the economy, to environmental issues, the Southern Question, emigration, Carnevale, and popular music. Students advance their reading and language skills through discussion of questions answered from text readings, through short, argumentative papers, and through a review of grammar. Prerequisite: ITAL 300-level language course, or placement.

A course designed to refine students' fluency in Italian by combining linguistic proficiency with a cultural exploration of one of Europe's most fascinating countries. Students will develop a familiarity with Italy's literary and cultural patrimony through texts, articles and film. Through an analysis and a comparison of cultural differences, students will have the opportunity of exposing and sharing their discoveries through presentations, discussions and brief essays. Brief grammatical reviews will be performed throughout the semester. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL300-level language course, or placement.
An introduction to several contemporary Italian films of the last twenty-five years that have achieved worldwide recognition with the aim to increase conversational and writing skills. Students advance their proficiency in these areas, as well as their listening and reading abilities, through discussion of questions answered from text readings, self-guided reviews of grammar, and short essays. Fifth semester course taught in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
A study of Italian movies produced in the first decade of the 21st century as a medium for refining students' language skills. The viewing of each film is preceded and followed by oral and written activities in order to familiarize students with the vocabulary and topics covered in the movie. The movies thus serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken and comprehension skills. Students also learn to discuss complex topics as well as discover diverse aspects of contemporary culture, socio-economic issues, history and politics in Italy today. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.
A study of classic Italian Film (1946-1960) to refine students' language skills. Students view videos, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of recent Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 300-level language course, or placement.
Course uses Italian opera to refine students’ language skills. Students view videos and listen to CDs, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos and CDs serve to improve students’ oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 300-level language course, or placement.
A study of classic Italian Film (1961-1981) to refine students' language skills. Students view videos, learn vocabulary and cultural topics, and conduct activities in class. The videos serve to improve students' oral, written, spoken, and comprehension skills. From class discussions and exercises, students learn aspects of recent Italian history, culture mores, politics, and social conventions. Taught exclusively in Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 202 or equivalent; or placement.