International Studies and Languages Division

Course Descriptions: Italian (ITAL)

The following abbreviations denote a course that satisfies or partially satisfies a particular general education requirement: GE (General Education), PS (Presentation Skills), RM (Research Methods), and WI (Writing Intensive).

ITAL 121. Italian Language and Culture (1-4)
Teaches basic, practical conversation and limited reading and writing skills along with a study of Italian culture. This course does not prepare a student to take ITAL 152. Taught only in the Florence program during the summer term.

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ITAL 151. * Elementary Italian I (4)
Basic conversation, reading, and writing; study of Italian culture. Must be taken for a letter grade.

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ITAL 152. * Elementary Italian II (5)
Continued practice of basic conversation, reading, and writing; study of Italian culture. Must be taken for letter grade. Prerequisite: ITAL 151 or equivalent competency.

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ITAL 251. * Second-Year Italian I (4)
Emphasizes language production skills and interactive language use with a concentration on conversation. This course also develops reading strategies and examines complex grammar structures. Prerequisite: ITAL 152 or equivalent competency. (GE)

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ITAL 252. * Second-Year Italian II (4)
As in ITAL 251, this course emphasizes language production skills, but focus is on composition and reading literary texts to prepare students for upper-division courses. Prerequisite: ITAL 251 or equivalent competency. This course is a prerequisite for all upper-division courses.

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ITAL 292. Selected Topics (1-4)

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ITAL 299. Directed Studies (1-4)
Consent of the divisional chairperson is required.

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ITAL 341. Advanced Italian Grammar, Conversation, and Composition (4)
This course offers an intensive study of more complex grammatical structures with an emphasis on pronunciation and language nuances while providing an in-depth practice of written Italian and style. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency. (WI)

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ITAL 342. Italian in Communication: The Language of Media (4)
Focuses on the techniques of communication typical of different types of media. Includes a study of radio, television, and advertising in relationship to the cultural and sociological aspects of Italian life. Intensive practice in written and oral expression. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency.

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ITAL 380. Italian Civilization (4)
An overview of the major historical, intellectual, religious, and political movements in Italy to the present. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency.

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ITAL 450. Masterpieces of Italian Literature (4)
This course focuses on several masterpieces of Italian literature from the Medieval period through the 19th century. Each work chosen provides a solid background for further study in the field. The class will emphasize the role that Italian literature has played in Western civilization. Prerequisite: Any 300-level Italian course. (PS, RM, WI)

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ITAL 451. Contemporary Italian Literature (4)
A general introduction to 20th-century Italian literature with an emphasis on contemporary theatre, poetry, and the narrative. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency. (GE)

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ITAL 452. Italian Theatre (4)
This course introduces students to prominent works in Italian theatre including Machiavelli, Goldoni and Pirandello, as well as more contemporary playwrights such as Eduardo de Filippo and Dario Fo. Prerequisite: Any 300-level Italian course.

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ITAL 461. Italian Literature through Film: From the Novel to the Script (4)
This course offers a study of the relationship between literature and cinema through the analysis of literary texts successfully adapted to the screen. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or consent of instructor.

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ITAL 462. Italian Cinema from Neo-Realism to the Present (4)
A study of Italian cinema from its beginning to present times. This course consists of the screening, close study, and analysis of 14 masterpieces of Italian cinema. Each screening is accompanied by a reading assignment followed by a lecture and discussion. While readings and lectures aim at presenting the films within their historical, social, aesthetic, and ethical contexts, the discussions encourage students to respond critically. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency. ITAL 462 is equivalent to FILM 462. (PS, WI)

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ITAL 562. Italian Cinema from Neo-Realism to the Present (4)
A graduate-level study of Italian cinema from its beginning to present times. Each screening is accompanied by a reading assignment followed by a lecture and discussion. While readings and lectures aim at presenting the films within their historical, social, aesthetic, and ethical contexts, the discussions encourage students to respond critically. Prerequisite: ITAL 252, equivalent competency, or consent of instructor.

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ITAL 592. Selected Topics (1-4)
Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency.

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ITAL 599. Directed Studies (1-4)
Consent of the divisional chairperson is required. Prerequisite: ITAL 252 or equivalent competency.

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Although the above are excerpted from the 2011-2012 Seaver catalog this is not an official binding document. To view the actual catalog visit: http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/academics/catalog/