BA History and Italian

UCAS code: RV11
Length: 3 years

Summary of course aims

This course aims to develop students' intellectual potential, enabling them to progress to a wide range of careers or to postgraduate study, while also promoting a lifelong love of learning. Its multi-disciplinary approach aims to produce graduates who are competent communicators in spoken and written Italian, have a sound knowledge of a range of aspects of Italian culture, history and society, and are able to place Italy in the context of broader global and European patterns of historical development. No prior knowledge of Italian language is needed. Through the History element, students will engage with a broad chronological range but, also, are able to specialise in particular periods and topics of British, European and American history which provide both points of comparison and contrast with their studies of Italian history and culture.

Course content

The course is divided into 3 Parts (years). You must take 120 credits in each Part.

Part 1 introduces the disciplines. The History modules focus on historical causation and contextualisation and the use of sources in the discipline. The Italian modules explore Italian history and culture and develop students' language skills according to their level of ability on entry.

Part 2 students focus upon periodisation and the development of their disciplinary skills, while in Italian, students' language abilities are developed and they explore thematic aspects of Italian history and culture. In addition in Part 2, 5 are taken up by Career Management Skills.

Part 3 is normally spent partly in an Italian university, where students will experience Italian culture at first hand. During this period they will prepare for their dissertations in Part 3. Students pursue specifically defined modules in depth in historical studies, translation, and Italian culture. At this stage, they expected to work more independently and the dissertation involves a substantial research effort.

Please note that you are advised to check that this course is running for the next academic year.

Career prospects

Graduates in History and Italian are trained in clear thinking, language skills, diligence, independence, adaptability and the ability to understand people and situations in the world at large. As such they are eagerly sought after by employers.In addition they are given specific vocational training and orientation through a second year Career Management Scheme in conjunction with the Careers Advisory Service.Past graduates have used their degree as a springboard for various areas of employment both in Britain and abroad. Jobs have included accountancy, banking and commerce, law, publishing, museum work, teaching and social work. Many also enter the business world through management training schemes operated by national companies in retailing, marketing, sales, computing while others go into the civil service and local government. Some use their specialist linguistic skills to teach English as a Foreign Language abroad, work as translators, or in the travel industry. Several graduates also go on to postgraduate study in either History or Italian, both at MA and PhD level, at Reading and elsewhere.

Opportunities for study abroad

Italian Studies participates in SOCRATES exchanges with the Universities of Padova, Roma III, Firenze, Siena, Pisa, Pavia, Genova, Trieste, Napoli (Federico II), Bologna, Bergamo, Salerno and Venezia. Students spend the whole of the third year studying at one of these Universities.