You can study Italian as a major or a minor subject as part of the following programmes:

BA International Modern Languages (DN541), 4-year programme

Italian plus one or two further languages: for students who wish to focus on two or more languages and their related cultures, and who wish to spend a year studying abroad.

BA Arts (DN520), 3 or 4-year programme

Italian plus another arts subject (e.g. music, history): for students who want to complement Italian with another arts discipline or who wish to try out other arts subjects in their first year. A year studying in Itally is advised (but not obligatory).

BA Humanities (DN530), 4-year programme 

• “Languages, Cultures and Linguistics” pathway: for students interested in linguistics and cultures and who wish to spend a semester or a year studying in Italy

• “English, European and World Literatures” pathway: for students interested in literature and who wish to spend a year studying in Italy

BComm. International (DN660), 4-year programme (Italian minor)

For students particularly interested in careers in business and finance and who wish to spend a year studying in Italy.

BSc Social Sciences (DN700), 4-year programme (Italian minor), Italian with Economics, Sociology or Politics

For students interested in a Social Science major and who wish to spend a year studying in Italy.

Italian modules may also be chosen as electives by students from other programmes, subject to availability of places.

It is possible, in fact normal, to take up the study of Italian at university without previous knowledge of the language. The module ITAL10020 in the first trimester is therefore designed for absolute beginners. Non-beginners have a dedicated module running in trimester 2, ITAL10100. Non-beginner students whose programme requires two language modules in italian may of course register to the beginners module ITAL10020 in trimester 1, where they will be placed in a group of their own (if their timetable allows it). The two streams are merged from trimester 2.

In the course of BA Stage One (First Year), students must accumulate 60 credits overall in order to progress to BA Stage Two. Within this broad requirement, subjects set their own progression requirements.

To pursue Italian at Stage Two as a joint major, students must meet two requirements:

(1) having passed one of either ITAL10030 (Italian language I b) or ITAL10100 (Italian language for non-beginners), both in trimester 2, AND

(2) having passed at least one more Italian module, for a total of at least 10 credits in Italian at Stage One. This means having passed either the trimester 1 language module (ITAL10020, Italian language I a), or the trimester 2 ‘culture’ module (ITAL10080, Making Italy), or both.

Different requirements apply to other programmes, like BComm International.

For all the BA programmes

Beginners in Italian must take a minimum of 10 credits from level 1 Italian modules, to include ITAL10030 Italian Language Ib and one other Italian level 1 module.

Non-beginners in Italian must take a minimum of 10 credits of modules in level 1 Italian to include ITAL10100 Italian Language I non-beginners and one other Italian level 1 module.

For B.Comm. International (with Italian as a Minor)

Beginners in German must take ITAL10020 Italian language Ia, ITAL10030 Italian language Ib, and ITAL10080 Making Italy.

Non-beginners in German must take ITAL10020 Italian language Ia, ITAL10100 Italian language I non-beginners, and ITAL10080 Making Italy.

For BSc Social Sciences (with Italian as a Minor)

Beginners in German must take ITAL10020 Italian language Ia and ITAL10030 Italian language Ib.

Non-beginners in German must take ITAL10020 Italian language Ia and ITAL10100 Italian Language I non-beginners. 

Stage One (First Year)

Trimester One

ITAL10020 Italian language I a (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

Trimester Two

ITAL10030 Italian language I b (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

ITAL10080 Making Italy (Dr Ursula Fanning)

ITAL10100 Italian language for non-beginners (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

You can find all module descriptors (opens in a new window)HERE.

BA Joint Major and BA Humanities

(“English, European and World Literatures” pathway or “Languages, Cultures and Linguistics” pathway)

Students must register for a minimum of 25 credits in Italian (level 2). This must include 10 credits from language modules.

BA International Languages Joint Major

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in Italian (level 2). This must include 10 credits from language modules.

(BAIML students who take 20 credits at stage 2 must take a minimum of 25 credits in Italian [level 3] in their Final Year.) 

BComm. International

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 2 Italian modules. This must include the language modules ITAL20010 and ITAL20080. 

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 2 German modules. This must include the language modules ITAL20010 and ITAL20080. 

Trimester One

ITAL20070 Italian Language IIa (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

ITAL20200 Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio (Dr Francesco Lucioli)

ITAL20160 Reading Italian literature (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

Trimester Two

ITAL20080 Italian Language IIb (Dr Francesco Lucioli)

ITAL20170 Italian Short stories (Dr Ursula Fanning)

You can find all module descriptors (opens in a new window)HERE.

According to UCD regulations students, must have earned a minimum of 110 credits before they are allowed to progress from stage 2 to stage 3.

Students MUST pass ALL Level 2 core modules. In addition, students must pass three level 2 option modules. Students must pass Level 2 language modules before proceeding to Level 3 language modules.

Many students spend the third year of their programme abroad through the Erasmus+ programme. For International Modern Languages students, BComm. International students, BSc Social Sciences students with a minor in Italian and BA Humanities students who opted for a joint major in Italian as part of their pathway, this is an integral part of their programme. BA students may apply for an Erasmus place during semester 1 of stage 2 and are encouraged to do so. Before they can take up an allocated place, progression rules above apply.

BA Joint Major and BA Humanities

Students must register for a minimum of 25 credits in level 3 Italian modules. This must include both language modules ITAL30070 and ITAL30080. 

BA Humanities

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 3 Italian modules. This must include both language modules ITAL30070 and ITAL30080. 

BA International Languages Joint Major

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 3 Italian modules. This must include both language modules ITAL30070 and ITAL30080.

(BAIML students who have taken 20 credits in level 2 Italian modules at stage 2 must take a minimum of 25 credits in level 3 Italian modules in their Final Year.) 

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 3 Italian modules. This must include both language modules ITAL30070 and ITAL30080. 

Students must register for a minimum of 20 credits in level 3 Italian modules. This must include both language modules ITAL30070 and ITAL30080.

Stage Three/Four (Final Year)

Trimester One

ITAL30070 Italian language III a (Dr Francesco Lucioli)

ITAL30110 Italian Women Writers (Dr Francesco Lucioli)

ITAL30290 Interwar Culture and Poetry (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

Trimester Two

ITAL30080 Italian language III b (Dr Ursula Fanning)

ITAL30200 The story of Italian 2 (Dr Paolo Acquaviva)

ITAL30260 Renaissance Italy (Dr Francesco Lucioli)

You can find all module descriptors (opens in a new window)HERE.