Department of Italian Studies

Students committed to the study of Italy, its language, its literature and its culture, thrive in our Italian Studies Department.  Students capitalize on our location in Rome and develop their skills in the language and their knowledge of Italian literature and culture in our classes, in their everyday lives in the city and in learning excursions throughout Italy.

Domenico di Michelino: Dante and the Three Kingdoms, 1465.

Programs and Faculty

Students in Italian Studies learn to read, write, and speak Italian with proficiency

We place special emphasis on language skills and studying Italian literature and culture, but students also enroll in a wide range of related courses such as art history, international relations, film and music. Our approach is interdisciplinary in character, allowing students to experience the intellectual connections between various fields of interest and study.

Students in Italian Studies learn to read, write, and speak Italian with proficiency. They acquire knowledge of the social, literary and cultural history of Italy. They acquire skills in research, analysis and critical thinking. Characteristic of an AUR education is the preparation to live and work in international settings with requisite intercultural skills. The senior thesis provides students the opportunity to explore in-depth an area of their interest. Students in the Italian Studies program may also take an internship as a complement to their academic studies.

After successful completion of the program, students earn a BA in Italian Studies. Graduates are prepared to begin careers in administrative, professional or business positions in Italy and elsewhere in the world or to commence graduate study.

The AUR Department of Italian Studies features faculty with outstanding credentials who were educated in the United States, Italy and England. Faculty members have diverse expertise in the language, literature, culture, history and politics of Italy. The Department’s newest program is a minor in “The Italian Business Environment offered jointly with the Business Studies Department. Students majoring in other disciplines may complement their study with a minor in Italian Studies.

Learning in Other Settings

Faculty members in Italian Studies sponsor various activities to extend students’ learning of Italian language and culture. A semester-long Italian film series, lectures and one-day conferences organized by the department on topics regarding Italian culture and society attract enthusiastic student participation.

Individual classes visit local markets and other sites to practice real-life Italian language skills. The Department of Italian Studies prepares students to live and work in a multicultural society and “Rome truly is our classroom”.

Choosing Aur’s Program in Italian Studies

Students are attracted to our program because of our ideal location, expert faculty, interdisciplinary approach, intimacy of scale and the participatory style of teaching and learning we promote.

The opening passage from Dante's Inferno.