ITAL 301 - Conversation and Composition: Italian Regional Culture and Tradition

Prerequisite, ITAL 201, or consent of the instructor. Students will practice conversational Italian and continue to build their skills in writing, reading, and listening. While the focus is on accuracy and fluency, the study of Italian culture will be integrated throughout. Students will read historical, literary and journalistic excerpts, and engage in a number of creative and critical activities focusing on specific regions and cities of Italy. In order to explore the various manifestations of Italian regional life, the coursework will entail the experience and examination of the peninsula’s visual and musical culture, landscapes and cityscapes, folk arts and craft, and food culture. The various components of the course will flow into a semester-long creative writing assignment for which each student will research and compose a short life story of a fictional Italian character living in a specific area of Italy. The class will be conducted in Italian and paced to build linguistic competence. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits