Skip to main content
Department of French and Italian

Bachelor of Arts in Italian

Students on Summer 2022, Fall 2022, or Spring 2023 requirements ITALBA

The Bachelor of Arts in Italian fosters proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in Italian, and it explores the literature, cinema and cultures of Italy. Major requirements focus on developing a solid mastery of the four basic language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), intercultural competence, and general understanding of and appreciation for Italian literature, arts, and civilization across the centuries. In-depth study can be pursued through a variety of courses, with topics ranging from Dante's Divine Comedy to the Mafia in Italian cinema. An overseas summer program in Florence and semester and year-long study abroad programs in Bologna offer great opportunities to majors for immersive learning.

An Italian major allows students to acquire linguistic fluency and cultural awareness, which are important attributes for jobs in many fields in our global economy. In addition to language skills, students who major in Italian gain many other skills that are important in today's job market: communication, negotiation, flexibility, adaptability, and multicultural understanding, among others.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. 200–499 Level Courses in Italian. 18 credit hours:
    • FRIT-M 200 Intermediate Italian I
    • FRIT-M 215 Accelerated Second-Year Italian
    • FRIT-M 250 Intermediate Italian II
    • FRIT-M 300 Italian Conversation and Diction
    • FRIT-M 301 Italian Reading and Expression
    • FRIT-M 305 Perspectives on Italian Culture
    • FRIT-M 306 Italian Short Fiction
    • FRIT-M 307 Masterpieces of Italian Literature I
    • FRIT-M 308 Masterpieces of Italian Literature II
    • FRIT-M 322 Visions of Italy through the Arts, Media, Society, and Culture
    • FRIT-M 390 Studies in Italian Film
    • FRIT-M 396 Foreign Study in Italy
    • FRIT-M 403 Italian Renaissance Literature
    • FRIT-M 435 Theatre Workshop
    • FRIT-M 450 Seminar in Italian Literature
    • FRIT-M 453 Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature and Culture
    • FRIT-M 455 Seminar in Italian Cinema
    • FRIT-M 463 Contemporary and Popular Italian Culture
    • FRIT-M 474 Workshop on Advanced Italian Stylistics and Expression
    • FRIT-M 496 Foreign Study in Italian
    • FRIT-M 499 Reading for Honors
    • FRIT-X 493 Individual Readings in Italian Literature
  2. 400–499 Level Courses in Italian. Seven (7) additional credit hours:
    • FRIT-M 403 Italian Renaissance Literature
    • FRIT-M 435 Theatre Workshop
    • FRIT-M 450 Seminar in Italian Literature
    • FRIT-M 453 Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature and Culture
    • FRIT-M 455 Seminar in Italian Cinema
    • FRIT-M 463 Contemporary and Popular Italian Culture
    • FRIT-M 474 Workshop on Advanced Italian Stylistics and Expression
    • FRIT-M 496 Foreign Study in Italian
    • FRIT-M 499 Reading for Honors
    • FRIT-X 493 Individual Readings in Italian Literature
  3. 400–499 Level Residency Requirement. Three (3) credit hours to be taken on the Indiana University Bloomington campus:
    • FRIT-M 403 Italian Renaissance Literature
    • FRIT-M 435 Theatre Workshop
    • FRIT-M 450 Seminar in Italian Literature
    • FRIT-M 453 Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature and Culture
    • FRIT-M 455 Seminar in Italian Cinema
    • FRIT-M 463 Contemporary and Popular Italian Culture
    • FRIT-M 474 Workshop on Advanced Italian Stylistics and Expression
  4. Electives. Five (5) additional credit hours:
    • Additional course(s) from the 200–499 Level Courses in Italian list.
    • One of:
      • FRIT-M 202 Conversational Practice with Advanced Italian Speakers
      • FRIT-M 203 Conversational Practice with Italians
    • FRIT-M 222 Topics in Italian Culture
    • FRIT-M 234 Florence in Florence
    • FRIT-M 235 Rome, the City and the Myth
    • FRIT-M 236 Dante's Divine Comedy
    • FRIT-M 237 Boccaccio's Social Decameron
    • FRIT-M 238 Visual, Musical, and Literary Culture in Italy
    • FRIT-M 311 Italian Film and Culture
    • FRIT-M 334 Power and Imagination in Italy
    • FRIT-M 391 Hollywood Italians
  5. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the FRIT-M subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
Exclusions

The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements or the College Breadth requirement (unless otherwise noted) :

  • FRIT-M 100 Elementary Italian I*
  • FRIT-M 112 Italian Through Music*
  • FRIT-M 115 Accelerated Elementary Italian*
  • FRIT-M 150 Elementary Italian II*

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) will count toward the College Breadth requirement.

Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to the minimum credit hours required in the major:

  • No more than one (1) credit hour of the following may count toward the major:
    • FRIT-M 202 Conversational Practice with Advanced Italian Speakers
    • FRIT-M 203 Conversational Practice with Italians

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Minor in Italian (ITALMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.