Italian

The Italian Department in St Andrews is one of the largest in the UK, and offers a range of specialist modules as well as expert language teaching at all levels.

Members of the Department have high international research profiles, with particular interests and expertise in a wide range of areas of Italian culture, including:

  • Italian literature from the 13th to the 21st century
  • Environmental Humanities
  • Renaissance and Reformation intellectual culture
  • contemporary transnational Italian identities and material culture
  • colonial and postcolonial Italy
  • migration and diaspora.

Undergraduate study

There are two starting points for an Honours degree in Italian at St Andrews:

  • Beginners - starting from scratch with no prior knowledge of Italian.
  • Advanced - for students with Advanced Higher, Higher or A-level in Italian or an equivalent qualification or experience.

The study of Italian language continues progressively and cumulatively with core modules in every year of the programme. Teaching at all levels takes place in relatively small groups which helps teachers to follow the progress of individual students more closely.

Alongside the study of language are literature and culture components. You can also choose from a wide range of optional modules in the Honours years.

Postgraduate study

The School of Modern Languages’  M.Litt in Global Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers qualified students a broader context in which to deepen their knowledge of Italian literature and culture as well as literary and cultural theory and training in research methodologies.

The Department of Italian welcomes applications for PhD study and can offer supervision in a broad range of areas corresponding to the research interests of staff.

Why study Italian?

From fashion and food to art and literature, music and cinema, Italian culture has a global presence well beyond the borders of Italy and spanning centuries. The Italian language is the key to fully unlocking and engaging with this rich and influential culture from the inside.