The goal of Thatcher Italian (Italian 280) is to practice oral communication in Italian at the intermediate and advanced levels of language proficiency in the informal and relaxed environment of the Thatcher House lobby, in a community of fellow students who share your same passion for Italy.
Italian 280 meets once a week for two hours to discuss topics related to Italian history, society, and culture, with a particular emphasis on the major events and cultural trends of contemporary Italy, mostly suggested by student’s interest and curiosity.
In addition, as a group through the semester, we plan activities, practical or academic, that contribute to the purpose of offering a broad and diversified exposure to the Italian language and culture. These may include movie nights, cooking, special conversations with guests visiting from Italy, lectures and other Italy-related events through the Five Colleges and the local community, and more.
There are no exams in this course, but you will be required to attend all events, actively participate in our classroom meetings, and contribute to group projects. This two-credit course can be paired with ITAL H280, for an additional one-credit honors colloquium.
The Thatcher house program is open to Thatcher residents and non-residents and is the perfect opportunity to practice and improve your spoken Italian in a stress-free environment, be part of the UMass Italian community, and explore what the Italian Studies program has to offer to enrich students’ education as global citizens.
Students can register for this course multiple times.