Italian Studies
Areas of Study
While the program’s courses are taught in Italian, at least one course is offered in English each year to allow students just beginning their study of Italian to explore more advanced topics in literature and culture. The Italian Studies curriculum consists of:
- language courses that range from elementary to advanced levels
- literature courses spanning from the Middle Ages to contemporary Italy
- culture courses
Majors
The major consists of a minimum of 10 courses at the 102 level or above in Italian language, literature and culture, including:
One to four language courses depending on the starting point (as determined by language placement):
- ITAL 102 Elementary Italian 2
- ITAL 201 Intermediate Italian 1
- ITAL 202 Intermediate Italian 2
- ITAL 301 Italian Comp & Conv
One course in Medieval or Renaissance Studies, for example:
- ITAL 260 Dante
- ITAL 328 Medieval-Renaissance Medicine
- ITAL 370 Italian Philology
One course in Modern/Contemporary Italian Studies, for example:
- ITAL 323 Intro to Contemporary Italy
- ITAL 415 Sicily through Literature & Film
- ITAL 420 Twentieth Century Novel & World War 2
- ITAL 457 Making Modern Italy: Innovation in Italian Society, Culture, and Art
One course that deals with Gender or Racial Identity (in any period), for example:
- ITAL 340 Black Italy
- ITAL 453 Italian Women’s Autobiography
The remaining courses taken to fulfill the major requirements may include any combination of the other courses offered by the Italian Studies Program, such as literature, cinema, Special Topics and tutorials (taken either during the third or fourth year of study). You may also take a maximum of two courses in English. These courses may include Italian Studies courses taught in translation or approved courses in related departments, such as History, Music and Visual Arts.
Students who major in Italian Studies are required to take two courses in their fourth year. You may not take courses in English in your fourth year without the consent of your Italian Studies major advisor.
Students who major in Italian are strongly encouraged to study in Italy. Of the courses taken in Florence, two to four courses may be applied to the major. Certain courses taken abroad may be accepted as the equivalent of the specific requirements listed above or as electives for the major. Students who spend a semester or academic year in Italy are strongly encouraged to declare the Italian Studies major before studying abroad.
Language placement procedures for all languages can be accessed via the STAR student system. A language placement tile is displayed on the STAR dashboard.
You must follow the language placement procedures, beginning with the Background Questionnaire. You will also take the Placement Exam if: 1) you have already studied a language that you wish to continue at Holy Cross, or 2) you have any knowledge of the language through family or community.
Minors
The minor consists of a minimum of 6 courses at the 102 level or above in Italian language, literature and culture, including:
One to four language courses depending on the starting point (as determined by language placement):
- ITAL 102 Elementary Italian 2
- ITAL 201 Intermediate Italian 1
- ITAL 202 Intermediate Italian 2
- ITAL 301 Italian Comp & Conv
Two to five Elective Courses, for example:
- ITAL 260 Dante
- ITAL 323 Intro to Contemporary Italy
- ITAL 328 Medieval-Renaissance Medicine
- ITAL 340 Black Italy
- ITAL 370 Italian Philology
- ITAL 415 Sicily through Literature & Film
- ITAL 420 Twentieth Century Novel & World War 2
- ITAL 453 Italian Women’s Autobiography
- ITAL 457 Making Modern Italy: Innovation in Italian Society, Culture, and Art
The remaining courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements may include any combination of the other courses offered by the Italian Studies Program, such as literature, cinema, Special Topics and tutorials (taken either during the third or fourth year of study). You may also take a maximum of one course in English. This course may be an Italian Studies course taught in translation or an approved course in related departments, such as History, Music and Visual Arts.
Students who minor in Italian Studies are required to take one course in their fourth year. You may not take a course in English in your fourth year without the consent of the Italian Studies Program Director.
Students who choose to minor in Italian are strongly encouraged to study in Italy. Of the courses taken in Florence, two to four courses may be applied to the minor. Certain courses taken abroad may be accepted as the equivalent of the specific requirements listed above or as electives for the minor. Students who spend a semester or academic year in Italy are strongly encouraged to declare the Italian Studies minor before studying abroad.
Language placement procedures for all languages can be accessed via the STAR student system. A language placement tile is displayed on the STAR dashboard.
You must follow the language placement procedures, beginning with the Background Questionnaire. You will also take the Placement Exam if: 1) you have already studied a language that you wish to continue at Holy Cross, or 2) you have any knowledge of the language through family or community.
Program Director
Opportunities
Study Abroad
If you are interested in deepening your study of Italian, various options are available, including studying abroad in Florence, Italy, where you can strengthen and refine your language skills and fully immerse yourself in Italian culture. Students take courses at the Università degli Studi di Firenze (Unifi) while getting to know the city of Florence and its people through daily interactions.
Events
The Italian Studies Program offers a range of co-curricular programming designed to engage students more deeply in their study of Italian language, literature, and culture beyond the classroom. Popular events include cooking classes, game nights, film screenings, karaoke, and aperitivo.
Worcester Community Resources
Worcester offers several community resources, including museums, educational institutions and cultural societies, which provide opportunities to learn more about Italian language and culture.
Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester
Museum of Worcester, 30 Elm St., Worcester
American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury St., Worcester
We the Italians, Italian Conversation Circle, West Boylston
Boston Community Resources
Boston offers various community resources, including museums, educational institutions and cultural societies, which provide opportunities to learn more about Italian language, literature, history, art and culture.
Consolato generale d’Italia Boston, 600 Atlantic Ave., Boston
Dante Alighieri Society, 41 Hampshire St., Cambridge
Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington St., Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 25 Evans Way, Boston
Italian Honor Society
Gamma Kappa Alpha (GKA), the Italian National Honor Society, recognizes the academic achievements of student majors and minors who have devoted much of their undergraduate career to the study of Italian language, literature and culture.
Awards & Scholarships
Holy Cross Opportunities
- The Edna Grzebien Prize is awarded for excellence and commitment in the study of world languages.
- The Italian Studies Prize is awarded for the best essay on a theme of Italian literature or culture.
Other Opportunities
Please consult Italian Studies faculty for more information.
- AATI Essay Contest: The American Association of Teachers of Italian annually awards two outstanding undergraduate college students for an outstanding essay in Italian language, culture, literature, and cinema.
- Agnes E. Vaghi Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding female Italian American undergraduate student majoring in Italian, English, literature or journalism.
- Angela Gajarsa Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Italian American student who is an incoming freshman. This student must demonstrate financial need.
- Caroline Guarini Memorial Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Italian American student (undergraduate or graduate) majoring in music or a music-related field. This student must originally be from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut.
- Emanuele Gianturco Memorial Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Italian American students (undergraduate and graduate). The student must be a first-generation college student and demonstrate financial need.
- Frank D. Stella Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Italian American undergraduate student majoring in business or a business-related field.
- Frank J. Corsaro Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Italian American student who is majoring in political science, law (either in law school or declared prelaw in undergraduate school) or medicine (either in medical school or majoring in a medical related field in undergraduate school). This student must demonstrate financial need.
- Giargiari Medical Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Italian American medical student (either in medical school or declared premed in undergraduate school) with a GPA of 3.5 (or the equivalent) or higher.
- Pescosolido Family Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships for study at accredited and acceptable educational institutions in Italy.
Program Outcomes
Fourth-year students and alumni may also apply for a Fulbright award, whose recipients spend a year in Italy either teaching English or conducting research. Our most recent awardee is Gabriella Mooney, Class of 2026.
Students who wish to pursue an M.A. or PhD in Italian Studies are encouraged to meet with the Graduate Studies Advisor in Italian to discuss the selection of a program. Holy Cross graduates have attended Middlebury College, Harvard University, University of North Carolina, Indiana University and New York University, among others, to pursue an M.A. or PhD in Italian.
To select the appropriate program, it is important to consider:
- What kind of job the student hopes to find after completing the degree
- What specific field they wish to study (e.g., contemporary literature, cultural studies, Dante, cinema)
- If there is a professor/scholar with whom the student would like to study
- If they would like to study in Italy or in the U.S. (and where, specifically, in these countries)
- What financial resources the student has available
Holy Cross graduates have worked at the following fields and jobs:
- Teaching Italian in private schools and universities
- Fashion houses in New York
- Museum curation
- Italian American non-profit organizations
- Italian Trade Commission
- Italian textbook publishers
- Travel agencies that specialize in Italy
To work for an Italian company in the U.S., it is useful to have an Oral Proficiency Interview score through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
Holy Cross graduates have worked in the following industries and establishments abroad:
- American companies
- Italian schools, as English teachers
- American universities abroad, in administration or teaching
- Tourism (food, cycling, ecotourism)
- Advertising
- Data Analysis
- Childcare
Opportunities for teaching English in Italy:
- Teaching or Research Fulbright in Italy
- Internships (SITE program, Visit SITE)
- Private English language institutes in Italian cities
Other Resources (for scholarship and internship information):
I can’t put into words how my experiences in Holy Cross’s Italian program and at the Università di Firenze have positively impacted my life. By immersing myself in Italian language and culture, I’ve met many lifelong friends, both on campus and abroad, and I’ve become a more confident communicator.
