Study of Italian at Sarah Lawrence College offers the rigors of language study and the joys of immersion in one of the richest cultures of the West. The course of study consists of classroom, conference and conversational components, all enhanced by the flexible academic structure of the College and proximity to New York. In the classroom, students learn Italian grammar, syntax and phonology using sources of everyday communication and literary texts. In conference sessions—especially helpful in customizing study to each student’s level of fluency—students pursue reading and writing related to topics that compel them. And in conversation meetings, students simply talk with native Italians about anything of common interest. Individual conference projects can be as creative and diverse as is appropriate for each student and can include interdisciplinary work in the Italian language. As in other disciplines, the resources of New York City enhance student experience: opera performances at the Met (after preparatory readings from libretti), film series and lectures, museums and internships related to conference work all offer ways to bring Italian to life. And for bringing students to Italy, Sarah Lawrence’s study program in Florence maintains the small scale and individual attention that is the mark of the College, providing an exceptional opportunity to combine a yearlong academic experience with the cultural immersion of a homestay living arrangement.

The Italian Department periodically also offers courses in Literature in Translation as part of the literature curriculum. Among these are Images of Heaven and Hell; The Grand Tour: A Literary Journey to Italy; and The Three Crowns: Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio.