Italian Studies

Inherently interdisciplinary, Italian studies touches everything from the classics to modern day. You’ll engage with Italian language and culture through the study of visual and graphic art, architecture and design, economics, geography, history, politics, and thought. With its proximity to Asia and North Africa, Italy is an excellent position from which to observe and understand the geopolitical, cultural, social, and financial dynamics that connect Europe to the world.

Our faculty’s expertise covers all of the major areas of Italian culture, from language acquisition to cultural studies, from the Middle Ages to the present. Our courses introduce students to topics that are engaging and intellectually stimulating, that expand their cultural perspectives, and that sharpen their thinking skills. Students are also encouraged to spend time abroad through one of several programs in Siena or Forlì, or in postgraduate teaching positions in Milan.

A degree in Italian studies can lead the way to a variety of careers in art and architecture, museums, publishing, or tourism. At the graduate level, UMass Amherst’s Italian studies program prepares exceptional secondary school teachers.