The Graduate Program in Italian offers graduate courses in all periods of Italian literature and culture from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the present. The program supports an interdisciplinary, intercultural, and transnational approach to Italian Studies encompassing the Italian Diaspora to the Americas, Mediterranean Studies, Ethnic and Gender Studies, and Film and Media Studies. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the activities of the Emiliana Pasca Noether Chair for Modern Italian History and in interdisciplinary programs such as Medieval Studies, Women Studies, and the program in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies.

An M.A. in Italian is the normal prerequisite. Ph.D. students whose special area is the Middle Ages or the Renaissance are required to demonstrate reading competence in Latin and in one modern language. Admission is competitive, and qualifying graduate students are financially supported by teaching or research assistantships.

Master of Arts in Italian Literature

Applicants are normally expected to have a B.A. degree or its equivalent in Italian. Students with insufficient undergraduate preparation may be accepted provisionally and required to make up deficiencies before being admitted to regular graduate status. A minimum of 24 credit hours is required. Foreign students who hold a laurea in Italian literature are usually required to earn a minimum of 12 credit hours. Applicants whose laurea is in fields other than Italian literature (e.g., Foreign languages, History, or Philosophy) may be required to earn additional credits, but usually no more than 24, upon recommendation of the candidate’s advisory committee. Degree candidates must pass a comprehensive written/oral exam in Italian literature. With the approval of the student’s advisory committee, a thesis may be written in lieu of the comprehensive examination.

Masters’ Program in Italian History and Culture

Unlike conventional Italian M.A. programs, The University of Connecticut Masters’ Program in Italian History and Culture offers the possibility for study within an interdisciplinary framework. A concentration within the International Studies Program, the MPIHC includes three levels of participation: 1) a pre-doctoral track, including a Master’s thesis; 2) a “terminal” Master’s sequence; and 3) enrollment in particular classes on a “pay-per-course” basis. While the three tracks have distinct rationales, students may switch from one track to another, provided that they obtain prior written approval from the MPIHC faculty and pay any requisite university fees to account for the change in status. Ordinarily, 15 credits of course work are required. They are composed of a set of core courses and a number of electives. Track I requires completion within two years of five courses, to be drawn from at least three departments. Candidates are required to write a Master’s Thesis, to be supervised by two faculty members from different departments. Students in Track II (“terminal Master”) must complete a total of eight courses for at least three departments, obtaining the degree within two years of enrollment. Track II does not require the critical theory colloquium and a Master’s Thesis.

Doctor of Philosophy

An M.A. in Italian is the normal prerequisite. In addition to the requirements for the M.A., Doctoral candidates must demonstrate competence in reading two modern languages (other than English and the student’s native language), while students whose special area is the Middle Ages or the Renaissance are required to demonstrate reading competence in Latin and in one modern language. Doctoral candidates must also earn a minimum of 24 credits beyond the M.A., pass a written/oral comprehensive exam, and write a dissertation under the supervision of an advisory committee composed of at least three faculty members.