Italian is a vibrant area of study at the University of Western Ontario. In addition to offering language instruction at all levels, the Italian Studies program is committed to introduce students to the richness of Italian culture and the multifaceted reality of contemporary Italy. The program’s offerings include a wide array of language, literature, and culture courses, both in Italian and in English, all designed to cover a variety of topics. These courses are the component parts of the Minor in Italian Studies. Students also have the opportunity to opt for the module leading to the Certificate of Practical Italian. 

The Italian faculty’s teaching philosophy reflects the diverse backgrounds and specializations of its members. It can be described as a combination of rigorous grammar training and wide-ranging culture instruction for language courses, and disciplinary and cross-disciplinary education in the case of literature and film courses.

Students who wish to spend a term or an entire year in Italy have the opportunity to study at the University of Siena, in one of the medieval urban jewels that survive in Europe. In this way they can come in direct contact with the culture of Italy, while refining and polishing their language skills. Every year students can also participate in a number of extracurricular events and initiatives aimed at complementing and expanding what they have learned in class. One of these initiatives is our film series Cineclub italiano. A window on one of the most influential and diverse cinematographic traditions, Cineclub italianoexposes students to the classics of Italian cinema from the past and the present.