Italian Studies

Program Director:

Daria Valentini
Office: Merkert Tracy 339
Phone: 508-565-1254
dvalentini@stonehill.edu

The College offers an interdisciplinary minor in Italian Studies.

Mission of the Program

The Program fulfills its mission by teaching the language, literature, and culture of Italy, by promoting cross-cultural understanding through the inclusion of courses in different disciplines and incorporating proven instructional methods that foster student learning at each level.

The study of Italian gives students a means of breaking through the barrier of a single speech and culture pattern and provides an encounter with some of the world’s great literature, cultural traditions, and social models. It is also invaluable for those seeking careers in business and commerce, civil service, education, international affairs, media, social services, law enforcement, and scholarly research.

Language Offerings

The interdisciplinary program in Italian Studies offers courses in Italian which may count towards the minor in Italian Studies, the Dual Languages  major, and the General Education requirements. Students are expected to develop and increase their proficiency in a foreign language, whether continuing one previously studied or beginning a new one. Proficiency entails communication, cultural understanding, connections with other areas of knowledge, comparisons on the nature of language and culture, and participation in multilingual communities.

Learning Goals

Regarding the students’ interpersonal communication, Language Majors will be able to:

• Successfully express himself/herself not only on familiar topics but also on some concrete social, academic, and professional topics;
• successfully talk in detail and in an organized way about events and experiences in various time frames and modes;
• confidently handle routine situations with an unexpected complication; and
• share his/her point of view in discussions on some complex issues.
   

Regarding the students’ presentational speaking, Language Majors will be able to:

• Deliver well-organized presentations on concrete social, academic, and professional topics; and
• present detailed information about events and experiences in various time frames and modes.
   

Regarding the students’ written communication, Language Majors will be able to:

• Write on a wide variety of general interest, professional, and academic topics; and
• write well-organized, detailed paragraphs in various time frames and modes.
   

Regarding the students’ interpretive listening and reading, Language Majors will be able to:

• Understand the main idea and most supporting details on a variety of topics of personal and general interest, as well as some topics of professional interest;
• follow stories and descriptions of some length and in various time frames and modes;
• understand information presented in most genres, even when not familiar with the topic;
• understand the main idea and most supporting details in texts on a variety of topics of personal and general interest, as well as some professional topics.

Programs

• Italian Studies Minor