Core modules
This course (25% Film Studies) has a strong focus on Italian components covering language culture and literature but it is also intended for those with an interest in film both Hollywood and European and normally includes a component on Italian film
Throughout your degree you will study Italian language at an appropriate level In addition in each you will select culture modules from the range of specialist modules offered in Italian Studies and thematic modules offered across the School In your first and intermediate you will have a core module in Film Studies
In your final you can take one or two optional modules in Film Studies and or other departments within the university In your final you can choose to write a dissertation
You will normally spend your second or third in Italy consolidating and enhancing your learning
Important information
We are planning to make some exciting changes to our Italian with Film Studies (BA) degree for 2024 entry We continually review our curricula to reflect developments in the relevant disciplines to deliver the best educational experience The core and optional modules will undergo approval through the University's rigorous academic processes As modules are approved we will update the course information on this webpage It is therefore very important that you check this webpage for the latest information before you apply and prior to accepting an offer Sign up to receive updates
Year One
Modern Italian Language for Beginners
Would you like the challenge of learning a new language at university? This foundation module for absolute beginners combines the acquisition of core language skills with knowledge of broader aspects of Italian culture equipping you with the tools to engage with a wide range of relevant contemporary topics in Italian Opportunities to practise your Italian vary from role play to quizzes working both individually and in your group Successful completion will mean you are able to hold a conversation in Italian read newspapers and get the gist of TV and radio programmes in Italian
Read more about the Modern Italian Language for Beginners moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
or
Modern Italian Language 1 (Intermediate)
Do you need to consolidate and expand your competence in Italian while enjoying talking about culture and society? If so this is the module for you You’ll be given opportunities to revise fundamental grammar and vocabulary before acquiring more complex grammatical constructions including through translation We will integrate cultural topics with your linguistic studies so you have the chance to explore areas such as tourism the arts the environment and Italian traditions You will have opportunities for individual and group presentations and to engage in activities that integrate the skills of listening reading writing and speaking By the end of your course you’ll be expected to be able to write competently in several registers using appropriate styles and terminology and to converse in Italian to a good standard
Read more about the Modern Italian Language 1 (Intermediate) moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
or
Modern Italian Language 1 (Advanced)
Would you like to use your Italian A level (or equivalent) language skills creatively? This module will develop your linguistic and intercultural competence in Italian by means of advanced activities including creative writing translation debates presentations and drama You will explore linguistic structures using resources in a variety of media and engage with authentic and sophisticated texts to compare cultural systems and express your opinion critically and creatively In translation you will experiment with different genres registers and styles to enhance your cultural appreciation of Italian Finally you will have opportunities to explore cultural subjects and lead group discussions
Read more about the Modern Italian Language 1 (Advanced) moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
Italian cultural modules
The History of Modern Italy
You will chart the course of cultural political and social change in Italy over the past century studying key moments in its history including the rise of fascism World War II the economic boom of the late 1950s and political extremism of the 1970s through to contemporary issues such as immigration and recent economic and political crises You will study these events through the lens of literary and cinematic works and gain an understanding of how they have contributed to the nature and identity of contemporary Italy in order to prepare you for your abroad and further study of Italian culture You will also build your competence in textual analysis independent research and essay-writing
Read more about the The History of Modern Italy moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
or
Introduction to Italian Culture
How should we ‘read’ a literary or visual text? What are the considerations of form audience and context that enable us to make sense of a cultural product? In what ways should a performance be understood differently from something fixed on the page? You will address these questions by considering four representative avenues of expression in Italian culture namely cinema short stories lyric poetry and theatre-writing You will refine your skills of analysis and have the opportunity to sample different periods of Italian culture from the Renaissance through to intellectuals such as Italo Calvino Primo Levi and the poet Giacomo Leopardi representative of the Romantic tradition You will end your course equipped with the appropriate technical vocabulary to discuss different art forms fluently and in an informed manner
Plus one optional module in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures or an approved outside option (30 credits)
Two modules from Film Studies
Film History and Methods
This module will focus on film and history exploring the various ways film texts have been analysed as reflecting social and cultural historical moments filmmaking movements of particular eras and how films have historicised individuals and events There are many ways to ‘do’ film history and this term will not be an exhaustive survey of the history of cinema Instead it will offer some key contexts methodologies and traditions that have formed the wide-ranging study of film and history
Read more about the Film History and Methods moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
and
Film Analysis and Methods
This module is concerned with the close reading and interpretation of film texts through close textual analysis Over the course of the module you will acquire the skills and vocabulary necessary to analyse the ways in which meaning is conveyed through the formal properties of film This module is also concerned with the broader applications of close textual analysis By the end of the module and you should be confident in applying your skills of textual analysis in order to interrogate the political dimension of audio-visual texts
Read more about the Film Analysis and Methods moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Intermediate Year
Modern Italian Language 2
This module will extend and refine your competence in Italian With an emphasis on the key skills of reading listening speaking and writing you will consolidate your proficiency in both new and familiar grammatical and linguistic structures and expand the range and sophistication of your vocabulary and use of register in spoken and written discourse In addition to classroom exercises advanced discursive written work and oral projects you will also be directed to appropriate activities for self-study
Read more about the Modern Italian Language 2 moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
or
Modern Italian Language 3
On this module you will develop your translation writing and oral communication skills to advanced level You will engage in translation as a practical skill working to produce translations of literary journalistic and academic texts with a focus on conveying nuances of meaning and culturally specific terms You will develop greater fluency in different writing styles and genres Oral sessions will increase your familiarity with more sophisticated registers of spoken Italian and raise your awareness of recent developments in Italian society so that you can discuss aspects of contemporary Italy in relation to your personal experiences
Read more about the Modern Italian Language 3 moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
A Film Studies module
Hollywood Cinema History Theory Industry
This core module will build on what students have learned about Hollywood in first modules (such as Film History and Screen Technologies) by expanding their knowledge about Hollywood as an industry its history (depending on when it is taught this may extend from the classical period into the post-classical and contemporary period) and theoretical concepts that engage with Hollywood cinema The module will illustrate important aspects about the Hollywood industrial filmmaking system including style genre and stars By first focusing on Hollywood as an industry examining the practices and cultures of film production the module will then consider its ideological influence by promoting specific American values and traditions through political issues such as race and ethnicity
Read more about the Hollywood Cinema History Theory Industry moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2022 23 of study)
Cultural modules in Italian Studies plus further optional modules from across the School of Modern Languages and Cultures or an approved outside option
Final Year
Modern Italian Language 4
Building on Intermediate language you will deepen your writing speaking and translation skills paying particular attention to register and style and learning some of the underpinning translation theory We approach translation not just as a linguistic exercise but as a practical skill so you will work to produce translations of literary journalistic and academic texts and explore techniques for conveying semantic nuances culturally specific terms and more sophisticated registers of spoken Italian Both the writing and oral components of the course will raise your awareness of recent developments in Italian society and enable you to discuss relevant aspects of contemporary Italy in relation to your personal experience
Read more about the Modern Italian Language 4 moduleLink opens in a new window including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2021 22 of study)
A cultural module in Italian Studies
Optional modules in Film Studies
Further optional modules selected from the variety of thematic modules offered by the School of Modern Languages and Cultures or an approved outside option
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