About our Program
The Italian Language Program is part of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and falls under Italian Studies. We offer first-year and second-year language sequences, an accelerated course for speakers of Romance languages, and third-year language and culture courses on various topics.
We also organize cultural activities and events, such as conversation hours, movie nights, cooking workshops, and others.
News & Events
“Giacomo Leopardi,” a podcast by Carmelo De Grazia Parra
Beatrice Fazio's "The Renaissance of Emotions" course was exciting and thought-provoking for students, allowing them to explore the meaning, history, and evolution of emotions in the texts of Italian literature from the 14th to the early 19th century. The course...
Italian Comics, World Literature. A Talk by Dr. Jamie Richards.
A Roman guy in Syria, a Sardinian in Ukraine, the history of word puzzles between New York and Milan, an imaginary Venice... Italian comics, from memoir to graphic reportage, often alternate between the local and the global, combining a highly personal sense of place...
Huge success for Carnevale all’italiana!
On Tuesday, February 21, Martedì Grasso, the Italian Language Program, and Global Studies joined forces to organize the most beautiful Carnevale night at the University of Chicago. Our night started out with a brief presentation of Carnevale in Italy, and especially...
Chicago brims with events about Italian culture, and certainly the Istituto Italiano di Cultura is at the forefront! These months they have a great selection of biopics you can watch at the Institute downtown (500 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1450, Chicago, Illinois...
Carnevale Cooking Night
On February 21, the Italian Program and Global Studies are haivng their Carnevale Cooking Class. Join us to celebrate Mardì Gras with us and prepare frittelle and frappe, the typical fried pastries served only for Carnevale or Mardì Gras. During our class, you will...
“Una tela completa”, a short story by Carter Beckstein
Paolo sbatte le palpebre, alzando la mano contro la luce del sole che entra dalla finestra. Distoglie lo sguardo, i suoi occhi vagano per la stanza. La luce si riflette su vecchie foto e poster di film. Guarda la tela incompleta, appoggiata al muro; i suoi spazi...
Students’ Testimonials
My favorite part of taking Italian is how energetic and encouraging my professors are. Every one of my professors has been enthusiastic, and that enthusiasm both makes class more fun and makes practicing with the language easier.
Studying Italian with this department has really improved my confidence in group discussions in general and in developing my own voice, whether in English or in any other language. I feel more confident speaking up and sharing my ideas even when I might make mistakes, and I feel like I can express my ideas in my own unique voice even when it’s another language
There are also so many elements of Italian culture and products of Italy that we engage with on a daily basis—from White Lotus to Elena Ferrante to Nutella, pasta, and so much more. Given how much Italy and Italian culture are part of contemporary social life, I see Italian as a great language to learn!
My Italian class has taught me to be confident when approaching new learning opportunities and enthusiastic about developing connections with my classmates. Our small-classroom setting fosters a welcoming environment where I feel comfortable taking risks, and I value the opportunity to work closely and connect with all of my classmates.