Overview

Apart from being the number one study abroad destination among university students, Italy's importance in the corporate world and its complimentary pairing with humanities studies make Italian the fourth most studied foreign language in the United States.

Temple University students have two options for taking a degree in Italian, offered through the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures: a traditional Bachelor of Arts in Italian that focuses on learning Italian language through the advanced level, or a Bachelor of Arts in Italian Studies that focuses on learning Italian language through the intermediate level and includes more major electives in Italian culture but taught in English or Italian. Both majors are interdisciplinary programs of study that, in addition to being built on requirements of language proficiency and core knowledge of Italian literary history, places strong emphasis on cultural, global and national identity studies. An additional learning goal for students of Italian is to demonstrate understanding and appreciation of cultural perspectives and practices in the Italian-speaking world. The program's methodology is based on a communicative approach coupled with technology-based student engagement practice to enhance the students' language retention, level of competency, and proficiency, as well as to provide a window into Italian culture. The transferable communication and critical thinking skills acquired by the program prove invaluable to employers of liberal arts graduates.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: LA-ITAL-BA

Distinction in Major

To be considered for Distinction in Major in Italian, students must:

• Complete the requirements for the concentration in Italian with a GPA of at least 3.50;
• Have an overall GPA of at least 3.25;
• Be recommended to the chair of the department by the Italian faculty advisor.

Study Abroad

Students declaring a major in Italian are encouraged to study abroad. Temple has its own campus in Rome, Italy, which offers courses in a variety of fields, including language, art, art history, architecture and international business. Students interested in studying in Italy should discuss their plans with the Italian faculty advisor as early as possible.

Contact Information

Department Office
532 Mazur Hall
215-204-1760

Patricia Melzer, Chair
527 Mazur Hall
215-204–8259
pmelzer@temple.edu

Cristina Gragnani, Faculty Advisor
537 Mazur Hall
215-204-1816
gragnani@temple.edu

Michelle Xu, Administrator
429 Mazur Hall
215-204-5628
xu.michelle@temple.edu

Stephen Walton, Academic Coordinator
539 Mazur Hall
215-204-1760
stephen.walton0002@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Italian.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements

• MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The specific courses required for this major are ITAL 3096, and either ITAL 2096 or ITAL 4096.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

College of Liberal Arts Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
  • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
  • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
    • Distribution Requirement for Humanities majors: Six upper level credits must be earned in the Social Science, Science, and/or interdisciplinary subject areas. Select from the following CLA departments and programs: Africology & African American Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity and Human Behavior, Economics, Environmental Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Geography and Urban Studies, Global Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies, Liberal Arts, Neuroscience (CLA), Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
  • A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in all CLA/CST coursework, and in the major department.
  • Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
  • Professional Development Requirement
    • All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
  • Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements
    • The requirements of the Italian major exceed the minimum requirements of the College of Liberal Arts; no additional coursework is required.
    • Notes on Foreign Language Study
      • The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
      • Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honor society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
      • See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements (30 credits)

¹

Students who place out of ITAL 2001 will need one additional elective; those who place out of ITAL 2002 will need two additional electives.

²

Indicates writing capstone for the major.

³

Up to two cognate courses in English may be accepted (with written permission of the Italian advisor) as part of the required elective courses. 

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Arts in Italian

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

Accelerated Programs

Students may opt to pursue an accelerated +1 program, enabling them to complete both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in less time than the traditional route.

The following accelerated program may be of interest to students in the Italian BA:

College of Education and Human Development

• Secondary Education MEd with World/Foreign Languages Education concentration