Information and Policies
Introduction
Students interested in an interdisciplinary approach to Italian culture through the combined study of language, literature, history, art history, and other subjects may pursue a major in Italian studies. A detailed checklist for the major is available on the Italian studies program web site.
Staff advisers for the Italian studies major are available in the Literature Department office, located in Humanities 1, room 303. The Italian studies program is administered by the Literature Department.
Academic Advising for the Program
Students should meet with an adviser for Italian Studies program for assistance in making a plan for completion of the Italian studies major requirements.
Advisers for the Italian Studies program are available in the Literature Department office, located in Humanities 1, room 303, and may also be contacted at litdept@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-4778.
Transfer students should also consult the Transfer Information and Policy section of the program statement.
Program Learning Outcomes
Following is a summary of the program learning outcomes for the Italian studies Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).
Students who complete the major should be able to demonstrate:
- Oral and written communication: listening, speaking, and writing competency in Italian sufficient to engage in meaningful conversation at the intermediate-high to advanced-mid level, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
- Textual comprehension and analysis: ability to understand and appreciate Italian texts in a variety of registers and different areas of knowledge at the advanced level as described by ACTFL.
- Critical analysis: ability to comment with critical insight on a range of topics in Italian history and contemporary culture.
- Cultural competency: ability to demonstrate knowledge of historical and contemporary aspects of Italian culture with reference to study in several disciplines.
- Global engagement: ability to recognize and reflect in an informed way on cultural differences as well as shared values between Italian culture and their own native cultures.
- Knowledge building: ability to conduct research in both Italian and English on topics pertinent to Italian history and culture.
Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process
Major Qualification
Undeclared students may declare the major at any time. While specific courses are not required in order to declare, students will have ideally completed some or all of the lower-division language requirements.
How to Declare a Major
Declaring a major or minor in Italian studies is a three-step process:
- Print a petition for the major or minor and fill it out to the best of your ability. Be sure to indicate your expected graduation term (EGT) on the petition. Your EGT is visible in your student advising summary or on your My.UCSC student portal.
- Meet with the Italian studies program director in order to discuss your plans and fill out a major or minor checklist.
- Meet with an Italian studies staff adviser in order to review and complete your declaration form. In order to schedule an appointment with a staff adviser, email litdept@ucsc.edu, call (831) 459-4778, or come to the Literature Department office (Humanities 1, room 303).
Transfer Information and Policy
Transfer Admission Screening Policy
Students planning to apply in the Italian studies major are not required to complete specific courses for consideration of admission to UC Santa Cruz.
Transfer students are advised to complete two years of Italian language study before enrolling at UCSC. It is also recommended that students complete courses satisfying campus general education requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) before coming to UCSC.
Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student
Transfer students take a language placement test when they come to UC Santa Cruz. If a student joining UCSC is determined (through the placement test) to have completed the equivalent of UCSC's ITAL 1, ITAL 2 and ITAL 3, they can complete the major in two years as shown in the planners for the major (Transfer Plan A). This requires completion of at least one year of Italian language in community college unless a transfer student is a heritage speaker or has studied Italian extensively at the high school level. If a transfer student is determined to have completed the equivalent of ITAL 6, they can follow Transfer Plan B, which is more flexible. Students entering UCSC in winter quarter should have completed the equivalent of UCSC's ITAL 1-ITAL 4.
Students who have not completed Italian language study before coming to UC Santa Cruz should contact the staff adviser for the program after coming to UCSC to plan their program. For instance, a transfer student entering UCSC in the fall quarter can complete ITAL 1, ITAL 2 and ITAL 3 and the five courses taught in English that are required for the major in their first year, followed by intensive Italian in the summer term (e.g., UC Berkeley's language immersion courses), allowing them to take the five required courses taught in Italian during their second year. A transfer student entering UCSC in the winter quarter could take a two-quarter intensive Italian course in winter and spring that is the equivalent of ITAL 1, ITAL 2, and ITAL 3.
Letter Grade Policy
This program does not have a letter grade policy.
Study Abroad
There are several options for study in Italy through the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), either for a year (Bologna, Milan), for an intensive semester or quarter (Bologna, Florence, Milan, Rome), or for the summer (Florence, Rome). Students may also divide their time between Italy and Spain for one semester or one quarter. Please see UC study abroad programs for information.
Honors
Honors in the Italian studies major are awarded to graduating seniors who have earned a 3.70 to 3.89 grade point average in their upper-division Italian studies courses. Highest honors in the Italian studies major are awarded to graduating seniors who have earned a 3.90 or higher grade point average in their upper-division Italian Studies courses. Honors are not awarded in the minor.
Requirements and Planners
Course Requirements
Lower-Division Courses
Lower-division Italian language sequence (ITAL 1-ITAL 6), or equivalent.
Upper-Division Courses
10 Courses
10 five-credit courses (one may be lower-division), including the following:
Plus the following nine courses:
Two courses in Italian literature (completed at UCSC)
One course in Italian history (completed at UCSC)
One course in History of Art and Visual Culture (completed at UCSC)
The five remaining courses for the major should be selected from the Italian studies course lists; a maximum of two may feature Italy in a European or global context. Up to five elective courses may be approved from UCEAP’s study abroad in Italy.
A course featuring the work of Dante is recommended.
A minimum of five courses must be taught substantially in Italian. These include ITAL 100, ITAL 106, and LIT 185A-LIT 185S.
With prior approval of the Italian studies program director, and guidelines set by the course instructor, one history or literature course taught in English may be modified so that the individual student does substantial work in Italian readings.
Consult the Italian studies course lists for each of the above categories.
Students may also consult departmental websites to view available courses:
Literature Department
History Department
History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) Department
Languages and Applied Linguistics Department
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
The disciplinary communication (DC) requirement and the comprehensive requirement are the same in Italian studies. See Comprehensive Requirement for details.
Comprehensive Requirement
The disciplinary communication (DC) requirement and the comprehensive requirement are the same in Italian studies.
Majors are required to write a senior essay focused on Italian literature, history, or visual culture, and may do so by completing an Italian studies-focused senior seminar (HIS 196C, HIS 196D, HIS 196Y, or LIT 190C) which will count as one of the 10 upper-division course requirements.
As an alternative to an Italian studies-focused senior seminar, students may take LIT 185Z (a one-credit course), in conjunction with an upper-division course in Italian literature, history, or history of art and visual culture, in which they write a senior essay focused on Italian literature, history, or visual culture. Please refer to the updated information.
Planners
Please plan your individual program with the Italian studies director. Please note that the 10 courses beyond ITAL 1-ITAL 6 may be taken in any order, except for the comprehensive/DC requirement, which should be taken later in a student’s career. Thus, the planners below are intended as general guidelines and can be modified according to current course offerings and the interests of the individual student. Students who study in the Education Abroad Program should also consult with the director beforehand.
Frosh Major Planner
| Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 1st (frosh) |
ITAL 1 |
ITAL 2 |
ITAL 3 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 2nd (soph) |
ITAL 4 |
ITAL 5 |
ITAL 6 |
| |
Italian-related HIS
upper-division course |
Italian-related HAVC
upper-division course |
| |
|
|
3rd (junior) |
ITAL 100* |
Upper-division Italian LIT course* |
ITAL 106* |
| |
|
Italian-related
upper-division elective |
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
Italian-related
upper-division elective* |
LIT 185Z and Italian-related
DC seminar course |
Upper-division
Italian LIT course* |
Italian-related
upper-division elective |
|
|
| |
|
|
*Upper-division courses substantially taught in Italian
Courses required for the major satisfy the CC general education requirement. Depending on the choice of electives, students may also satisfy the ER, IM and TA general education requirements. Students must fulfill all general education requirements not completed within their Italian studies coursework.
Transfer Major Planner A (First-year Italian Completed, Fall Admission)
| Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 3rd (junior) |
ITAL 4 |
ITAL 5 |
ITAL 6 |
| Italian-related upper-division HIS course |
Italian-related upper-division HAVC course |
Upper-division Italian LIT course* |
| |
Italian-related upper-division elective |
Italian-related upper-division elective |
| 4th (senior) |
ITAL 100* |
Upper-division Italian LIT course* |
ITAL 106* |
| |
LIT 185Z and
Italian-related DC seminar course |
Italian-related upper-division elective* |
| |
|
|
*Upper-division courses substantially taught in Italian
Transfer Major Planner B (Two Years of Italian Completed)
| Year |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 3rd (junior) |
Italian-related upper-division HIS course |
Italian-related upper-division HAVC course |
Upper-division Italian LIT course* |
| ITAL 100* |
|
Italian-related upper-division elective |
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
Italian-related upper-division elective |
Upper-division Italian LIT course* |
ITAL 106* |
| Italian-related upper-division elective* |
LIT 185Z and
Italian-related DC seminar course |
|
| |
|
|
*Upper-division courses substantially taught in Italian
This planner assumes that a student has completed general education requirements, in addition to Italian language coursework, before coming to UCSC.