Italian Studies
Certificate
The program serves full and part-time students seeking educational enrichment in Italian language and culture. It may be completed concurrently with, and complements a variety of major/minor programs in FASS and other faculties. It requires basic Italian language proficiency (writing, reading and oral skills) and may be completed with a degree program.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences BA students may complete the certificate so that some of the FASS breadth requirements are fulfilled by the same courses.
Certificate courses may also be used toward a major or minor program.
Admission Requirements
There are no specific admission requirements. To declare your Italian studies certificate, please contact the World Languages and Literatures Advisor at wlladv@sfu.ca.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 18 units comprising both ITAL courses and approved electives is required. A maximum of six units may be obtained by the combined mechanism of course challenge and transfer credit.
Students complete at least four ITAL courses from
ITAL 100
-
Introductory Italian I
(3)
Introduction to Italian for students with no previous background in the language. Introduces basic oral and written skills, and cultural competence. (A1 level of CEFR). Students with previous Italian training should contact the department for assessment and placement. Breadth-Humanities.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
B100
|
Vlad Vintila
|
|
TBD
|
B101
|
Vlad Vintila
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
D200
|
Sessional Instructor
Gianluca Oluic
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
Show lab/tutorial sections
ITAL 110
-
Introductory Italian II
(3)
Follows ITAL 100. Continues introduction to Italian for students who have developed the necessary foundations from ITAL 100. Students will acquire elementary conversational skills and basic reading ability, along with cultural competence. (A2 level of CEFR). Prerequisite: ITAL 100 or equivalent. Students with credit for ITAL 101 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
D100
|
Sessional Instructor
Sonia Del Torto
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
ITAL 200
-
Intermediate Italian I
(3)
Follows ITAL 110. In addition to the consolidation of the four skills developed in ITAL 110 (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), and an expanded cultural component, the course includes selected readings from Italian authors (B1.1 level of CEFR). Prerequisite: ITAL 110 (or ITAL 101) or equivalent.
ITAL 210
-
Intermediate Italian II
(3)
Follows ITAL 200. The oral and written competences learned in ITAL 200 are expanded through grammar review, oral practice, cultural studies, and selected readings from Italian authors and multimedia activities. (B1 level of CEFR completed). Prerequisite: ITAL 200 or equivalent. Students with credit for ITAL 201 may not take this course for further credit.
ITAL 300
-
Advanced Italian: Language and Culture
(3)
Will continue the work of the 200-level courses with emphasis on the cultural aspects of Italian life. How does one live in Italy today? What are the cultural differences between the various regions? Fluency in language use, both oral and written, will be enhanced. Prerequisite: ITAL 201 or permission of Instructor.
ITAL 360
-
Italian Literature as World Literature
(4)
Maps out Italian literature’s contributions to world cultural heritage, in the form of one of the nation’s great authorial voices, a particular period or movement, or a defining theme. Aims to tease out the ways in which these contributions are inscribed in a dynamic global matrix wherein cultures are negotiated and transformed through on-going dialogue and exchange. This course may be repeated once for credit when different topics are offered. Prerequisite: 45 units or permission of the department.
and a minimum of two courses from
CA 316
-
Intermediate Selected Topics in Cinema Studies
(4)
*
An intermediate course in critical studies in cinema addressing a variety of topics. This course can be repeated once for credit if the topic is different. Students with credit for CA (or FPA) 337 may take this course for further credit if the topic is different. Prerequisite: Nine units in CA (or FPA) courses including CA (or FPA) 136 or 137.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
D100
|
Joseph Clark
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
GOLDCORP
|
CA 416
-
Advanced Seminar in Cinema Studies
(4)
*
Features intensive study and analysis of selected topics in film theory, history, criticism and aesthetics. Examples include: work of specific directors or periods; theories of narrativity; particular aspects of national cinemas, etc. This course can be repeated once for credit if the topic is different. Students with credit for CA (or FPA) 436 may take this course for further credit if the topic is different. Prerequisite: CA (or FPA) 316 (or 337) or CA (or FPA) 318 (or 335).
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
D100
|
Joseph Clark
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
GOLDCORP
|
HIST 402
-
Renaissance Italy
(4)
An exploration of the history and historiography of the Renaissance Italy. Emphasis will be given to politics, religion, culture and the economy, and to a balanced study of the Italian peninsula, including Florence, Venice, Rome, Naples, the countryside and smaller urban centres. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history and one of HIST 220, 223, HUM 219, 305, 311, 312W or permission of the department.
HUM 211
-
Art and Literature of the Italian Renaissance
(3)
Interdisciplinary introduction to the art and literature of the Italian Renaissance (c. 1300-c. 1500). Studies literary texts and the major developments in Renaissance Italian painting, sculpture and architecture alongside some of the most influential texts of the period. Breadth-Humanities.
HUM 305
-
Medieval Studies
(4)
Detailed interdisciplinary analysis of a selected topic, issue, or figure in the Middle Ages. May be repeated for credit when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.
HUM 312W
-
Renaissance Studies
(4)
Detailed interdisciplinary analysis of a selected topic, issue, or figure from the Italian and/or Northern Renaissance. Prerequisite: 45 units. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
HUM 320
-
Cross-Cultural Philosophy in the Humanities
(4)
Exploration of the characteristic ways in which humanities, with their emphasis on textuality and the history of ideas, presents important philosophical concepts and intellectual problems. Based upon an interdisciplinary selection of texts drawn from history, philosophy, literature and the arts. May be repeated for credit when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
D100
|
Alessandra Capperdoni
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–4:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
ITAL 300
-
Advanced Italian: Language and Culture
(3)
Will continue the work of the 200-level courses with emphasis on the cultural aspects of Italian life. How does one live in Italy today? What are the cultural differences between the various regions? Fluency in language use, both oral and written, will be enhanced. Prerequisite: ITAL 201 or permission of Instructor.
ITAL 360
-
Italian Literature as World Literature
(4)
Maps out Italian literature’s contributions to world cultural heritage, in the form of one of the nation’s great authorial voices, a particular period or movement, or a defining theme. Aims to tease out the ways in which these contributions are inscribed in a dynamic global matrix wherein cultures are negotiated and transformed through on-going dialogue and exchange. This course may be repeated once for credit when different topics are offered. Prerequisite: 45 units or permission of the department.
LING 100
-
Communication and Language
(3)
Explores the foundations of human language from a variety of perspectives. Young children acquire language effortlessly. How is this possible, and why is it so much more challenging to learn a new language later in life? How does the human brain use complex grammatical systems to communicate? Students will learn new ways to think critically about language and communication. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
B100
|
Margaret Grant
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby
|
B101
|
Margaret Grant
|
|
TBD
|
Show lab/tutorial sections
LING 160
-
Language, Culture and Society
(3)
Examines the relationship between language use and social structure. Considers how social factors such as gender, class, age, and ethnicity may be reflected in language use, as well as "big picture" topics that include multilingualism, dialect variation, language policy and linguistic stereotypes. Encourages students to think critically about the social dimensions of language. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
A320
|
|
|
TBD
|
A970
|
|
|
TBD
|
D900
|
Ivelina Koleva Tchizmarova
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Surrey
|
WL 100
-
What is World Literature?
(3)
Explores how texts travel beyond their cultures of origin, influence other cultural contexts and ideas, and become works of world literature. Introduces the concepts of cross-cultural literary criticism and translation. Breadth-Humanities.
Section |
Instructor |
Day/Time |
Location |
D100
|
Joel Akinwumi
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
D101
|
Joel Akinwumi
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
D102
|
Joel Akinwumi
|
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby
|
Show lab/tutorial sections
With prior permission from the departmental advisor (wlladv@sfu.ca), students may count other Italian-related courses which do not appear on this list. Some of the above courses have specific prerequisites and it is the student's responsibility to ensure that all prerequisites are met in such cases.
Transfer, Exchange, and Challenge Units
A maximum of six units of 100 division language courses from either transfer, exchange or course challenges may be used toward this certificate. In lieu of the transferred credits, students will be required to complete coursework of an equivalent number of units as assessed by the departmental advisor.