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College of Arts and Sciences

French and Italian Studies

C254 Padelford Hall
206-616-3486
Website
Faculty Website
frenital@uw.edu

We strive to prepare our students to become leaders in an increasingly diverse society by providing them with French and Italian cultural literacy in dialogue with global contexts, and professionally relevant linguistic, research, interpretive, and expressive skills and tools. Students learn to understand their multilingual, multicultural world in historical perspective, to convincingly convey this understanding to others in both English and one or both of our target languages, and to articulate and implement the career transferability of their skills. The study of French and Italian language and culture is more important than ever in our increasingly interconnected world. France and Italy are core members of the European Union and important players in the global economy and their cultures are among the world's richest and most influential. French and Italian are among the five most popular languages studied at American universities, ranking second and fifth respectively.

 Undergraduate Programs


French and Italian Studies

C252 Padelford Hall
206-616-5366
frenital@uw.edu

 Program of Study: Major: French


Program Overview

French Studies allows you to develop advanced French language skills and cultural fluency. French is a key language of government and non-governmental organizations, business, and the arts and an official language of countries in Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia. You will refine your skills in French while pursuing topics ranging from the development of the French language to contemporary debates on immigration. As you engage with cultural forms (art, literature, cinema, environment, sport) through a variety of lenses (language, gender, race, religion), you will develop robust analytical and rhetorical skills to accompany advanced proficiency in the language.

This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in French
Recommended Preparation

Suggested First- and Second-Year College Courses: Transfer students should take as many lower-division French language courses as possible before transferring to the UW.

Admission Requirements

Students in good academic standing may declare this major at any time.

 Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in French


Credential Overview

French Studies allows you to develop advanced French language skills and cultural fluency. French is a key language of government and non-governmental organizations, business, and the arts and an official language of countries in Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia. You will refine your skills in French while pursuing topics ranging from the literature of the European Middle Ages to contemporary popular culture. As you engage with cultural forms (art, literature, cinema, environment, sport) through a variety of lenses (language, gender, race, religion), you will develop robust analytical and rhetorical skills.

Completion Requirements

50 credits

  1. Core: FRENCH 301, FRENCH 302, FRENCH 303; one course at the FRENCH 370-level (20 credits)
  2. Advanced: 10 credits at the 400-level. Transfer credits at the 400-level accepted only by petition.
  3. Electives: 20 credits above FRENCH 203 from an approved list. See adviser for approved list
  4. Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for courses applied to the major
  5. Maximum 15 credits of approved study-abroad coursework may be petitioned to apply to the major

 Program of Study: Major: Italian


Program Overview

Italian Studies allows you to develop advanced Italian language skills and cultural fluency. Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, remains central in the realms of art, design, food, and manufacturing. In the major, you will refine your skills in Italian while pursuing topics ranging from Dante to contemporary popular culture. As you engage with cultural forms (art, literature, cinema, language and identity, fashion, immigration, religion), you will develop robust analytical, rhetorical, and methodological skills.

This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Italian
Recommended Preparation

Suggested First- and Second-Year College Courses: Community college students should take as many lower-division language courses as possible before transferring to the UW.

Admission Requirements

Students in good academic standing may declare this major at any time.

 Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Italian


Credential Overview

Italian Studies allows you to develop advanced Italian language skills and cultural fluency. Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, remains central in the realms of art, design, food, and manufacturing. In the major, you will refine your skills in Italian while pursuing topics ranging from Dante to contemporary popular culture. As you engage with cultural forms (art, literature, cinema, language and identity, fashion, immigration, religion), you will develop robust analytical, rhetorical, and methodological skills.

Completion Requirements

55 credits

  1. Core: 30 credits from ITAL 203, ITAL 301, ITAL 302, ITAL 304, and two courses at the ITAL 350-level
  2. Electives: 25 credits above ITAL 203 from an approved list of electives. See adviser for approved list.
    1. Must include 5 credits at the ITAL 400-level. Transfer credits at the 400 level accepted only by petition
  3. Minimum 15 credits in courses taught in Italian
  4. Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for courses applied to the major
  5. Maximum 15 credits of approved study-abroad coursework may be petitioned to apply to the major

 Program of Study: Minor: French


Program Overview

The French minor provides students with the language skills and cultural knowledge that serve as the basis for further study and foster more meaningful experiences abroad. Language courses develop skills in oral and written expression while introducing cultural knowledge. Core courses that pursue topics ranging from the development of the French language to contemporary debates on immigration deepen cultural knowledge and refine language skills.

This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Minor in French

 Minor in French


Completion Requirements

30 credits

  1. FRENCH 203, FRENCH 301, FRENCH 302, FRENCH 303 (20 credits)
  2. One course at the FRENCH 370 level or FRENCH 320 (5 credits)
  3. Electives: Refer to department website for approved list of elective courses (5 credits)
  4. Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for courses applied to the minor
  5. Maximum 10 credits of approved study-abroad coursework may be petitioned to apply to the minor

 Program of Study: Minor: Italian Language and Culture


Program Overview

The minor in Italian language and culture provides students with the language skills and basic cultural knowledge that serve as the basis for further study and foster more meaningful experiences abroad. Language courses develop skills in oral and written expression while introducing cultural knowledge. Core courses that pursue topics ranging from Dante to contemporary popular culture deepen cultural knowledge and refine language skills.

This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Minor in Italian Language and Culture

 Minor in Italian Language and Culture


Credential Overview

The Italian minor provides students with the language skills and basic cultural knowledge that serve as the basis for further study and foster more meaningful experiences abroad. Language courses develop your skills in oral and written expression while introducing cultural knowledge. Core courses that pursue topics ranging from Dante to contemporary popular culture deepen your cultural knowledge and refine your language skills.

Completion Requirements

25 credits

  1. ITAL 201, ITAL 202, ITAL 203; or ITAL 234 (15 credits)
  2. One of ITAL 351, ITAL 352, ITAL 353, ITAL 354, ITAL 355, ITAL 356, ITAL 357 (5 credits)
  3. Electives (see website or adviser for approved list of courses) (5 credits)
  4. Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for courses applied to the minor
  5. Maximum 10 credits of approved study-abroad coursework may be petitioned to apply to the minor.

 Program of Study: Minor: Textual Studies and Digital Humanities


Program Overview

Study of textual forms from scrolls, manuscripts and printed books to digital texts and textual data, highlighting factors that have shaped their creation, editing, publication, and reception, historically and globally. Courses offer opportunities to work with primary sources and archival materials and to learn techniques for digitizing, editing and curating these materials as well as for analyzing digitized text as data. May be of interest to undergraduates interested in careers in editing and publishing, libraries, archives, cultural institutions, and working with cultural and literary texts in digital environments.

This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Minor in Textual Studies and Digital Humanities

 Minor in Textual Studies and Digital Humanities


Completion Requirements

25 credits

  1. Core Courses (10 credits): two courses from TXTDS 401, TXTDS 402, TXTDS 403, TXTDS 404, TXTDS 413, TXTDS 414
  2. Electives (10 credits): refer to program website for list of approved courses
  3. Capstone (5 credits): TXTDS 405
  4. Minimum 15 credits taken from outside student's major requirements.
Additional Information

Formerly the Department of French and Italian Studies offered two minor credentials: (1) Minor in French Language, Sociolinguistics, and Translation; and (2) Minor in French Language, Literature, and Culture. As of winter quarter 2023, however, these two minor credentials have been replaced by a single minor. Please refer to the UW Seattle General Catalog Archive for information about the minor credentials.

Student Outcomes and Opportunities

  • Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: Students achieve levels of linguistic and cultural competency that allow them to pursue professional opportunities in a wide variety of internationally oriented fields and to be effective citizens in a rapidly changing world.

    Students with substantial foreign language fluency who combine language skills with a solid foundation in liberal education and adequate job preparation and internships find fulfilling occupations. . The combination of studies in foreign languages and international affairs is ideal for students seeking job opportunities in government (foreign service and diplomatic fields, intelligence agencies, immigration and customs, Department of Labor, law enforcement, armed forces, legal agencies, public aid, social and community work, and international agencies, such as the United Nations and UNICEF), business (airlines, marketing, banking/finance, multi-national corporations, shipping industry, travel and hotel industries, import/export firms, publishing houses, and consulting), and communication fields (journalism, radio and television, fashion enterprises, teaching/counseling, translation, bilingual office work, library/museum work, nursing, phone companies, art and cultural affairs, and film and theatrical industries).

    Beyond the practical, the department's commitment is to impart to our students the skills and the genuine desire to learn throughout their lives, fostering the type of cultural and intellectual flexibility that lends itself to the multiple work and personal changes that most will face over the course of their lives.

  • Instructional and Research Facilities: UW Rome Center in Rome, Italy.
  • Honors Options Available: With College Honors (Completion of Honors Core Curriculum and Departmental Honors); With Honors (Completion of Departmental Honors requirements in the major). See adviser for requirements.
  • Research, Internships, and Service Learning: The Rome Center offers one intern position per year, providing room and board and a modest stipend. Interns work in the administrative Rome/UW office and are required to follow an independent course of language and literature study or other proposed course of study.
  • Department Scholarships: Scholarships for departmental study abroad programs are available. Program applicants are notified of opportunities by their program director.
  • Student Organizations/Associations: French Club, Italian Club.

Of Special Note: The department sponsors study-abroad programs in France, Italy, and Martinique. See adviser for details.

 Graduate Programs


French and Italian Studies


 Program of Study: Doctor Of Philosophy (French Studies)


This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Doctor Of Philosophy (French Studies)
Admission Requirements

Contact department for requirements.

 Doctor Of Philosophy (French Studies)


Completion Requirements

Contact department for requirements.

 Program of Study: Master Of Arts (French Studies)


This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Master Of Arts (French Studies)
Admission Requirements

Contact department for requirements.

 Master Of Arts (French Studies)


Completion Requirements

Contact department for requirements.

 Program of Study: Master Of Arts (Italian Studies)


This program of study leads to the following credential:
  • Master Of Arts (Italian Studies)
Admission Requirements

Contact department for requirements.

 Master Of Arts (Italian Studies)


Completion Requirements

Contact department for requirements.