Listed below are the requirements for the Italian major. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the College of Letters & Science breadth and other degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. You are strongly advised to consult both the Italian advisor and your L&S advisor to ensure you stay on track towards a degree. Read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages.
Major Requirements
Students who wish to become Italian majors may do so by registering with the Italian Program Director. To be accepted and to continue as majors, students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in all Italian courses attempted at UWM. In addition, the College of Letters and Science requires students to attain a 2.0 GPA in all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
Students who have never studied Italian should begin by taking Italian 103. Students who already have some knowledge of Italian should take the placement exam administered by the Italian Program to determine the language course suited to their skill level. Students placed in more advanced courses can receive up to 14 retroactive credits of Italian if they pass the course in which they are placed with a grade of B or better1.
Course and Credit Requirements
The major in Italian consists of 38 credits. All courses offered by the Italian Program count toward the major. Students are encouraged to take courses in other literatures and Comparative Literature. Up to 6 credits in courses offered in other departments can count toward the Italian major, with the approval of the program director.
At least 15 of the 38 total credits in Italian courses must be earned at the 300-level or above and taken in residence at UWM.
The credits are distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 14 credits of first- and second-year Italian language | 14 | |
| Select both of the following courses | 6 | |
| Contemporary Italian Society and Culture | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature and Culture in Translation: 2 | ||
| Select two of the following (these courses are not sequential) | 6 | |
| Advanced Conversation and Composition: Contemporary Italian Usage | ||
| Contemporary Italian Language and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Italian Literature | ||
| Introduction to Italian Literature and Film | ||
| Select at least 6 additional credits in upper-level Italian electives | 6 | |
| Select 6 additional credits in Italian, the courses below, or other approved electives. | 6 | |
| High Renaissance Art in Italy | ||
| Introduction to Roman Life and Literature | ||
| The Life and Literature of the Roman Empire | ||
| The Graeco-Roman World: (with appropriate subtitle/topic) | ||
| Total Credits | 38 | |
| 1 | For students who do not earn retro credits, additional electives will be required to reach the total of 38 credits. |
| 2 | Italian 457, with a passing grade, satisfies the research requirement of the College of Letters and Science. Students will conduct independent research related to the general theme of the course, presenting their research in a final 10- to 12-page paper. |