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Dept. of European Studies
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Italian at SDSU: An Overview

Italian Studies in the Department of European Studies
The Italian Studies program is part of the Department of European Studies in the College of Arts and Letters at SDSU. The program currently offers coursework leading to a minor in Italian. It emphasizes language, culture, literature and film. Minors acquire a broad background in contemporary Italy and its origins from historical, social, linguistic, literary, and cultural points of view. In addition, both the majors in European Studies and International Business include a language and culture concentration with emphasis in Italian.

Program Overview
Lower division courses develop students’ skills in language and introduce them to Italian culture. At the upper division level, courses focus on language and composition, literature, civilization, film, or the field of Italian Studies. Students may combine any variety of these courses to complete the upper division requirements for the minor or for the Italian emphasis in their major.

Career Opportunities
The Italian Studies minor opens the door to internationalizing any major. Combined with study abroad students find careers as international marketing representatives, travel agents, museum curators or arts administrators, international press corps or diplomatic corps, librarians, international legal or financial consultants, writers or researchers specializing in Europe. Italian is also very valuable for careers in all aspects of business, computer programming, web design, law, public relations, journalism, telecommunications, public and environmental affairs, government agencies. For more information see Why study Italian.

To further explore career options in this field, visit the Career Services Website: http://career.sdsu.edu/

General Catalog
You can view complete information regarding the Italian Studies program in the General Catalog: http://coursecat.sdsu.edu/0607/ITAL.pdf

Italian Minor
The minor in Italian consists of a minimum of 15 units taught in Italian, nine units of which must be in upper division Italian courses. Any course taught in English needs department approval to apply to the minor requirements. A minimum of six upper division units must be completed in residence at San Diego State University. Students who minor in Italian are strongly encouraged to participate in the California State University International Programs (CSU-IP) and other approved study abroad programs in Italian-speaking countries.

Interdisciplinary Studies in Three Departments
Students selecting Italian as one of their departments in this major must complete Italian 301, all lower division competency requirements, and at least two upper division Italian courses.

Language Requirement for the B.A. Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Students electing the study of Italian to fulfill the language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts and sciences must successfully complete Italian 201 or 210 or the equivalent level of achievement. The usual sequence of coursework is Italian 100A, 100B, and 201 or 210. Refer to section of catalog on "Graduation Requirements" for additional ways to satisfy competency.

High School Equivalents
High school foreign language courses may be used for purposes of placement in college courses and may be counted toward meeting the language requirement in various majors. These high school courses will not count as college credit toward graduation. Secondary school language courses can be used as follows:

The first two years of high school level language count as the equivalent of the first semester of a college level course, although students with fewer than three years of high school level language may complete the first semester college course for graduation credit.
The first three years of high school level language count as the equivalent of the first two college semesters, although students with fewer than four years of high school level language may complete the second semester college course for graduation credit. Students who have completed three years of foreign language in high school will not receive credit for the first semester college course unless at least five years separate the last high school course and the first college course.
Four years of high school level language count as the equivalent of three college semesters or five college quarters, thus fulfilling the language requirement.

Description of Courses

Description of Italian Courses Offered at SDSU

Lower Division Courses

Native speakers of Italian will not receive credit for taking lower division courses in Italian except with advance approval from the department.

All lower division courses in Italian are taught in Italian.

No credit will be given for lower division courses taken after successfully completing any upper division Italian course taught in Italian. No credit will be given when Italian 100A, 100B, 201/210, or 301 are taken concurrently or out of sequence. However, Italian 201 and 210 may be taken in any order or concurrently.

ITAL 100A. Elementary Italian I (5 units)
Pronunciation, speaking and writing, readings on Italian culture and civilization, essentials of grammar. Not open to students who have completed three years of high school Italian unless the third course was completed five or more years ago. Classes meet 4 days a week.

Required texts:
Aski, Janice M. and Diane Musumeci. Avanti!. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007 including the Work book/Lab Manual.
http://www.mhhe.com/avanti

De Giuli A. and C.M. Naddeo, Radio Lina. Firenze: Alma Edizioni http://www.almaedizioni.it/ita/almacat/default.asp?COL=7&NOV=0

ITAL 100B. Elementary Italian II (5 units)
Prerequisite: Italian 100A or two years of high school Italian. Continuation of Italian 100A. Not open to students who have completed four years of high school Italian unless the fourth course was completed five or more years ago. Classes meet 4 days a week.

Required texts:
Aski, Janice M. and Diane Musumeci. Avanti!. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007 including the Work book/Lab Manual.
http://www.mhhe.com/avanti

De Giuli A. and C.M. Naddeo, Modelle, pistole e mozzarelle. Firenze: Alma Edizioni. http://www.almaedizioni.it/ita/almacat/default.asp?COL=7&NOV=0

ITAL 201. Reading and Speaking Italian (3 units)
Prerequisite: Italian 100B or three years of high school Italian. Italian minors and international business majors are encouraged to enroll concurrently in Italian 210 when available. Recommended for students wanting to satisfy the language graduation requirement. Emphasis on spoken language with readings of cultural material serving as a basis for discussion.

Required text:
Antonella Olson, Eric Edwards, and Sharon W. Foester. In Viaggio. McGraw Hill, 2003. http://catalogs.mhhe.com/mhhe/home.do

ITAL 210 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3 units)
Prerequisites: Italian 100B or three years of high school Italian. Italian minors and international business majors are encouraged to enroll concurrently in Italian 201 when available. Comprehensive survey of Italian grammar at intermediate level. Study of a variety of prose models and practice in writing.

Required texts:
Graziella Lazzarino & Moneti, Da Capo, 6th edition, including workbook/lab manual. http://dacapo.heinle.com

A. De Giuli and C.M. Naddeo, Dolce Vita. Firenze: Alma Edizioni. http://www.almaedizioni.it/ita/almacat/default.asp?COL=7&NOV=0

Upper Division Courses
(Intended for Undergraduates)
All upper division Italian courses are taught in Italian unless otherwise noted.

ITAL 301. Advanced Oral and Written Composition (3 units)
Prerequisites: Six units of 200-level Italian, and completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations II.C., Humanities. Grammar review. Reading of modern Italian prose, with written reports and oral discussions in Italian. Italian 301 is not open to students who hold the Italian secondary school diploma.

Texts currently required:
Niccolò Ammaniti. Io non ho paura. Torino: Einaudi, 2001. http://www.internetbookshop.it/
http://www.einaudi.it/

Michele Dalosio, Quaderni del cinema per stranieri: Io non ho paura Gabriele Salvatores. Perugia: Guerra Edizioni, 2007.
http://www.guerra-edizioni.com/

Film:
Gabriele Salvatores, Io non ho paura (I am not scared).
http://www.iononhopaura.it/

ITAL 305A. Italian Literature (3 units)
Prerequisites: Six units of 200-level Italian, and completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations II.C., Humanities. Important movements, authors and works in Italian literature from Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Required text:
Paolo E. Balboni and Mario Cardona. Storia e Testi di Letteratura Italiana per Stranieri. Perugia: Guerra Edizioni, 2004.
http://www.guerra-edizioni.com/

ITAL 305B. Italian Literature (3 units)
Prerequisites: Six units of 200-level Italian. Continuation of Italian 305A from the Renaissance to the present.

Required text:
Paolo E. Balboni and Mario Cardona. Storia e Testi di Letteratura Italiana per Stranieri. Perugia: Guerra Edizioni, 2004.
http://www.guerra-edizioni.com/

ITAL 421. Italian Civilization (3 units)
Prerequisites: Six units of 200-level Italian, and completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations II.C., Humanities. Major aspects of Italian civilization with emphasis on art, music, history, and cinema.

Required text:
Daniela Bartalesi-Graf. L’Italia dal fascismo ad oggi: percorsi paralleli nella storia, nella letteratura e nel cinema. Perugia: Guerra Edizioni, 2005.
http://www.guerra-edizioni.com/

ITAL 422. Issues in Italian Studies (3 units)
Inter disciplinary approach to major themes and figures of Italian culture. Emphasis on social, literary, artistic, and political movements underlying development of contemporary Italy.

Required text:
Andrea Fedi and Paolo Fasoli. Mercurio: An Intermediate to Advanced Reader in Italian Language and Culture. New Haven: Yale UP, 2005. http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/mercurio.asp

ITAL 424. Italian Cinema (3 units)
Two lectures and two hours of activity. Prerequisite: Completion of at least one upper division course in Italian. Development of Italian cinema. Previewing lectures enhance cultural comprehension. Post-viewing discussions stimulate ideas for written work and final projects. Lectures and discussions in Italian.

Required Text:
Garofalo, Piero and Daniela Selisca. Ciak… si parla italiano: Cinema for Italian Conversation. Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2005. http://www.pullins.com/Books/00943ItalCinema.htm

ITAL 496. Selected Topics (1-4 units)
Topics in Italian language, literature, culture and linguistics. Conducted in English or in Italian. See Class Schedule for specific content. Limit of nine units of any combination of 296, 496, 596 courses applicable to a bachelor’s degree. Maximum credit eight units.

ITAL 499. Special Study (1-3 units)
Prerequisites: Italian 301 and 305A or 305B. Individual study. Maximum credit six units. This course is intended only for students who are currently enrolled in or who already have credit for all upper division courses in Italian available in any given semester.

Class Schedule
http://www.sdsu.edu/schedule.html

Course Catalog
http://coursecat.sdsu.edu/0607/ITAL.pdf