Italian at U of T

Italian is a member of the Italic branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It is one of the Romance languages, the descendents of Latin.
To study Italian is not only to acquire a language, but also to study a rich literature and many-sided culture that has played an important, and sometimes dominant, role in Western Civilization.
Italian is the language of a great literary tradition including Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio, to name but a few. In the fields of drama and music, the importance of the Italian commedia dell’arte , as well as the operas by Rossini, Verdi and Puccini attest to Italy’s preeminence on the cultural stage. Masters of Italian Cinema such as Rossellini, DeSica, Visconti, Fellini, and Bertolucci continue to influence artists and directors on an international scale
The study of Italian language and culture has been part of the University of Toronto curriculum since 1841. The Department of Italian Studies, which is the largest outside of Italy, became an independent department in 1973.
Italian combines well with other modern languages and literatures, and other programs such as European Studies, Literary Studies and Mediaeval and Renaissance Studies. The study of Italian complements undergraduate studies in other disciplines such as music, fine art, architecture, history, cinema, political science or international relations, among others.

In conjunction with Woodsworth College, Italian courses may be taken in Italy at the University of Siena during the Summer Abroad Program and this offers students an invaluable opportunity to include an international experience in their undergraduate academic career. Students may also choose to do an international exchange for a longer period through the International Student Exchange Office.

What can I do with a degree in Italian Studies?
A knowledge of Italian is an asset if you wish to pursue a career in business, government, law, medicine or education. The ability to speak Italian is particularly useful for doctors, lawyers and other professionals who wish to establish themselves in the large Italian communities in North America. Within the business world, the growing trade between Italy and Canada offers many opportunities for those fluent in Italian.
Will I be disadvantaged if I have never studied Italian before?
Not at all. Our department offers separate language streams for beginners, for students who have some knowledge of Italian or an Italian dialect, and for those students who have a senior high school credit in Italian.