Italian

This is a semester-long course organized by the UCEAP Bologna Study Center that offers students a chance to practice and improve oral communication skills in Italian. The course is open to all students. Small groups are organized to accommodate all linguistic levels - from beginners to advanced. The course is taught by experts in the field of language acquisition. P/NP grading only.

This course introduces students to the grammatical structures and vocabulary necessary to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases in Italian. Students learn to express themselves using verbs in the present tense. They introduce themselves and others and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know, and things they own. They engage in simple interactions as long as the other person talks slowly and clearly. They ask for or pass on personal details in written form and produce short and simple texts like postcards, greetings messages, isolated phrases, and sentences. Attention is given to the correct pronunciation of the language. All four abilities (writing, speaking, listening, reading) are developed in the class, also with the support of authentic audiovisual materials such as Italian movies, short videos, tv programs, and songs. The course uses a communication-based approach: students engage in daily role-plays, group activities, games, and class discussions. Out of class activities are designed to take advantage of the opportunities for interaction and language practice, as well as immersion in Italian culture, that the city provides.

The first part of the course is introductory and provides the general outlines of the historical development: political, economic, and social of the European continent, as well as of the interaction and circulation of peoples and of the international relations between multinational states and nation-states, from the second half of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century, focusing in the final part also on the processes of European institutional and economic unification. A second part is devoted to an analysis of the early postwar period in Europe, which saw profound political and institutional crises, a new geopolitics on the continent with the emergence of new states, and a phase of revolutions and counterrevolutions in which political violence and social conflicts took on particular magnitude. Starting with Wilsonian proposals and the decisions made at Versailles and imposed by the peace treaties, attention goes to the crisis of democracies, the rise of a new internationalism and trans-nationalism, and communism, and the rise to power of fascism in Italy. On the centenary of the March on Rome, the course takes a close look at 1922 in Italy and at the long repercussions of that historical event on the continent. In addition to an examination of the most recent historiography, the course focuses on sources and especially on analyses, reconstructions and memories relating to fascism's seizure of power written by contemporaries, both opponents and protagonists of the early fascist movement, in the 1920s and 1930s.

The course discusses the historical coordinates for the study of literature, the techniques of textual analysis, and competence in writing and the ability to read in-depth fundamental works of Italian literary tradition. The course provides a good knowledge of Italian literature by means of the direct reading of texts. The course topic varies each term; review the University of Bologna course catalog for the current topic for a specific term.

The course focuses on the fundamental elements of Roman artistic, architectural, and urban civilization and their role in the processes of cultural integration. The course highlights historical and cultural issues and places artistic productions in their social, political, and economic contexts in order to arrive at sound historical reconstructions. Students are encouraged to explore independently scientific instruments and bibliographical references that are of interest to them. The course focuses on typologies, functions, and significance of Roman monuments and artistic expressions. Attention is placed on chronological questions and the history of research methodologies. The course includes an optional seminar for art history majors. Specific topics include: A Plural Art–artistic Roman cultures from the Archaic period to the Late Antiquity; Rome in the Archaic period–places of power, cultural spaces, houses; the urbanistic and monumental evolution of the Urbe in the Republican and Imperial age; places of power, temples, and sanctuaries, spaces of entertainment, houses, tombs; originality of Roman art, relationships between Greek art and Classicisms; Romanization–diffusion and assimilation of romanitas, town urbanism and its public and private monuments; art of construction–techniques and materials; artistic “languages” Arte colta and arte plebea; sculpture, painting, and mosaics, Achillean statues, historical rendering, portraits. Assessment is based on an oral exam aimed at verifying knowledge of the materials presented in class as well as the assigned readings. Exchange students are given the option of a written exam in lieu of the oral exam, if they prefer. The written exam consists of four essay questions on the general themes of the course and the identification and analysis of specific works of art.

Italy's cultural heritage represents at least 50% of the world's cultural heritage, according to UNESCO. This cultural heritage and the artistic and cultural institutions involved require management and promotion. This course studies the main economic issues in the creative industries (tv, radio, cinema, publishing, theaters, museums, music) and the value chain. Special attention is given to exploring means of service erogation, with a focus on service management both in main and accessory services. The course analyzes the organizational theme of the compatibility of the administration/management aspects of culture with the artistic/intellectual aspects, and the business mechanisms needed to make these work together. Guest speakers from creative hubs and businesses in the field bring real-life cases to class.

ADVANCED BEGINNING ITALIAN (A2) This course is designed to provide students who already have some familiarity with Italian, a more comprehensive knowledge of the language. The course follows the language proficiency guidelines set up the European level and is equivalent to the A2 level according to the European framework. At the end of the four-week intensive program, students are expected not only to be able to express themselves in a simple, fluid, and clear manner, and describe events that have taken place in the past and express personal preferences, but also to be able to talk about plans and projects using the future tense, express desires and hopes, and give suggestions using the conditional, and give commands, using the imperative in both the (Lei) and (tu) forms. Finally, the course focuses on storytelling, and the use of the IMPERFETTO vs. PASSATO PROSSIMO verb tenses. The course is designed to cover the second semester of Italian, and prepares students for the B1 Level according to the European framework. All four abilities including speaking, listening, reading, and writing are emphasized with the support of authentic materials (videos) and real-life situations such as visits to local venues and cultural sites. The course follows a communicative approach to language acquisition and involves opportunities for role playing, group activities, games, class discussions, and exchanges with native University of Bologna students. Activities outside the classroom are organized in order to reinforce observation and communication skills that facilitate immersion in Italian culture. The course includes a major field trip. Students select the number of quarter units from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 6. The course is organized by Inlingua with supervision from the Study Center. Course materials are provided by Inlingua. The basic text for the course is: Nuovo Contatto A1 (Loescher, 2018)