Italian, BA

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Italy has one of the ten largest economies in the world, and mastering Italian can open up a world of professional and personal opportunities. Italian has more than 67 million native speakers worldwide. Some 120 million people speak Italian as a second language. In addition to serving as the official language of Italy, Italian is common in 29 countries, such as Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, North Africa, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. Learning Italian serves as a gateway to a wide variety of career opportunities, in finance, marketing, journalism, translation, and computer programming. Italy is also a leader in the fields of air and water quality control, transportation technology, food and beverage fields, robotics, interior design and fashion.The courses you take cover both the language and culture of Italy – they are intertwined and competency requires fluency in both. On the very first day of class, students begin speaking Italian and gain valuable communication skills as they progress through the Intermediate and advanced courses. Students may choose from an array of Italian courses on various topics that enable them to understand key turning points in Italian history, society and politics, cultural trends, and movements in the arts and literature. For instance, popular offerings in Italian Food Studies or Multi-Racial Italy Today prepare for careers in health, sustainability, urban agriculture as well as advocating for and implementing strategies for global competence and education. Italian courses contribute to such programs as Global Studies and International Studies.

College of Letters and Science