Introduction and Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, strong in its interdisciplinary and international dimensions, supports a flourishing Italian Studies Program for Undergraduates. The Program's distinctive configuration reflects our setting on the Penn campus and in the heart of Philadelphia, as well as the the opportunities to study abroad. Students can choose a traditional concentration in language and literature or shape more individualized curriculums that connect to sister programs. Such cross-disciplinary study may engage French or German or reach beyond the Department, through courses sponsored by Comparative Literature and Cinema Studies, and a growing number of electives in Arts and Sciences related to Mediterranean Studies or Global Medieval Studies. Additionally, at a time when the study of foreign languages at the k-12 level is growing across the country and there is a global need for teachers of English as second language, undergraduate students in the Italian program are eligible to apply for an accelerated program of master's degree study by seeking admission to the Graduate School of Education as submatriculants, in their junior or senior year.
Philadelphia, whether sampled informally or more in depth on academic field trips, complements Penn Italian Studies. Its rich history and multicultural heritage are arrayed in the city's museums, libraries, national monuments, musical institutions, theatrical troupes, its Italian Market, and International Film Festivals. A sister-city of Florence, Philadelphia is home to an Italian Consulate with which the University closely collaborates.