The Department of French and Italian (FIT) offers undergraduate students exceptional opportunities to study and experience some of the rich literature and culture of the French and Italian-speaking worlds. Our 16 regular faculty, half of whom are native speakers of French or Italian, include scholars of international distinction in all the subjects taught, from medieval literature to contemporary film. In addition, distinguished visiting faculty frequently supplement the department's diverse offerings.
We offer instruction in both languages at the 100 and 200 levels in our Language Programs, and exciting, interdisciplinary courses in French and Italian languages, literature, and cultures at all levels. We pride ourselves on providing a supportive environment for our certificate students and concentrators, who benefit from a high level of personal attention with accessible advisors. Our concentration has customized plans of study and a wealth of resources and research support.
Our primary goal is to ensure that our students do not only achieve linguistic proficiency in the foreign language, but also gain a critical perspective of the language and cultures of the French and or/Italian-speaking world from within their own cultural framework. Students encounter a wide range of authentic material, including readings, videos, films, French and Italian television, news, and web-based activities. There are opportunities for them to be exposed to many areas to which French and Italian culture have greatly contributed, such as the visual arts and cinema, music, popular culture, sociology, political science or gastronomy. By these means, students develop their ability to create and interpret meaning across a wide variety of texts and cultural productions and discover connections to them. All class work is conducted in the target language, with a strong emphasis on communicative activities and discussions, along with a solid program of linguistic training.
