Italian Culture Minor

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The Italian Culture Minor at the University at Buffalo will promote the knowledge of Italian culture in its complexity and diversity from the Middle Ages to the present. It will offer a fresh look on Italian art, literature, culture, and economy, exploring the many faces of Italian identity. It will give voice to the Italian diaspora as well as to “new Italians” (i.e., Asian-Italians, African- Italians).This minor is interdisciplinary and offers a wide array of undergraduate courses from the elementary to the advanced level. It caters to students interested in working with Italian culture in the US, but also to those seeking to work overseas. The minor is designed to teach students the peculiarity of the Italian identity, how it was built, how it was perceived, and how it is evolving.

Admission Criteria

Current UB students seeking admission to the Italian Culture minor should complete the College of Arts and Sciences Major/Minor Change Request Form. No previous knowledge of Italian is required for this minor.

Course Requirements

Italian Culture Core (12 credits)

Knowledge of the Italian language is not required for these courses.

Italian Culture Electives (6 credits)

Students are required to take two 300/400 level elective courses: one in Medieval and/or Early Modern culture, and one in Modern and/or Contemporary culture. Knowledge of the Italian language is not required for these courses.

Medieval and Early Modern

ITA 403LEC - The Works of Dante Credits: 3
ITA 407LEC - Hist of Italian Language Credits: 3 **
ITA 413LEC - Italian Theatre Credits: 3 **
ITA 423LEC - Dante and the Middle Ages Credits: 3
ITA 425LEC - Italian Novella Credits: 3 **
ITA 426LEC - Masterpieces of Early Italian Literature Credits: 3
ITA 450LEC - The Italian Middle Ages and Renaissance in Movies Credits: 3
ITA 452LEC - Women, Gender and Masculinity in Early Modern Italy Credits: 3

Modern and Contemporary

ITA 405LEC - Twentieth-Century Italian Literature Credits: 3
ITA 407LEC - Hist of Italian Language Credits: 3 **
ITA 413LEC - Italian Theatre Credits: 3 **
ITA 415LEC - Modern Novel From Manzoni to the Present Credits: 3
ITA 422LEC - Modern Italian Literature Credits: 3
ITA 425LEC - Italian Novella Credits: 3 **
ITA 427LEC - Masterpieces of Modern Italian Literature Credits: 3
ITA 429LEC - Italian Cinema I Credits: 3
**The content of these courses may vary each semester. Please consult with faculty to determine which century your selected course will satisfy.

Total Credits Required for Minor: 18

Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This chart should not be used for financial aid purposes.

Academic Requirements

Minimum GPA of 2.5 overall.
Minimum grade required C-

Transfer Credit Policy

At least 50% of required credits for the minor be completed via Italian courses taken on campus.

Learning Outcomes

Think critically using multiple modes of inquiry.
Analyze discliplinary content to identify contexts, learn fresh perspectives, and debate and discuss problems in the field.
Understand and apply the methods of close reading, note taking, analysis, and synthesis.
Recognize and debate ethical issues and academic integrity in a variety of settings.
Demonstrate proficiency in oral discourse and written communication.
Develop essential research and study skills, such as time management.
Understand the academic expectations pertaining to studentship at the University at Buffalo and to higher learning as a research university.