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BA ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS RL32
Full Time: 4 Years
The joint study of Italian and international relations provides you with a high-level expertise in the Italian language and enables you to add your voice to the stimulating discussion that surrounds some of the contemporary world's most pressing issues.
Join our friendly and dynamic Department of Modern Languages and European Studies, which offers the opportunity to study in a lively, multilingual community with staff and students from all over the world. We offer a flexible and supportive approach to learning which allows you to tailor your degree to your interests, including the opportunity to learn other languages.
Through this course you will become confident and highly skilled in written and spoken Italian. You will master the fundamental elements of the language, to the point where you will graduate with a near-native command of it. We’re proud of our small language classes, led by native speakers. Direct access to expert staff for help and feedback ensures you develop your language skills to the best of your ability.
Optional modules in Italian politics, culture, history, literature and cinema enhance your learning, and provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the country. You will gain a broad understanding of the most important features of the culture and history of Italy, from the Middle Ages to today. You will have the opportunity to study with leading academics on topics including Dante, Machiavelli, Michelangelo, fascism, the history of the language, the resistance, Fellini and contemporary culture.
In international relations, you will acquire a strong grounding in the fundamental elements of the subject such as political ideas and international relations theory. You will have the opportunity to study various areas of the subject through a wide range of specialist core and optional modules which cover topical issues such as European political integration, international terrorism and the Middle East crisis. The course also delivers innovative modules in which you can take part in United Nations and Middle East simulations and get a direct insight into the political process. Most of your contact time will be spent in small teaching groups, allowing you to interact directly with staff and add your own voice to the discussion.
An integral part of the course is the opportunity for you to spend up to a year in Italy, studying at a partner institution through the Erasmus+ programme, undertaking a work placement or working as a British Council language teaching assistant. It allows you to directly embed yourself in the culture and considerably develop your knowledge of Italian at the same time. The core language module in your second year will prepare you for your time abroad, equipping you with the skills and knowledge required to work and live in a different culture.
We provide accelerated learning in Italian, meaning that you can start from beginner's level if you have not studied the language before, or at intermediate level if you have only learnt it up to GCSE or AS level. Regardless of which level you join the course at, all students reach the same standard of written and spoken Italian by your final year. Please check the entry requirements for more details on entry points.
Quick look entry requirements A Level BBB/ABC | IB 30-32 pts overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9250* per year
New international students: £16070 per year
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
Information on this page is based on 2018/19 figures and is likely to change slightly for 2019/20 entry. We will publish up-to-date information about 2019/20 entry as soon as it becomes available.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
What are the fees for a placement year?
For Home/EU and International students entering in 2017/18, your placement year will be in 2019/20 and your fees will be 15% of full fee (subject to changes in the University’s Fees Policy).
If your study abroad is covered by the Erasmus scheme, please contact the Erasmus/Study Abroad team by emailing studyabroad@reading.ac.uk or this link.
Additional Costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
What career can you have?
By the time you graduate, you will be able to write and speak fluently in Italian – a big advantage given the current shortage of well-qualified linguists in the UK. The experience of studying or working abroad also distinguishes you from non-language graduates, providing evidence of self-reliance, adaptability and enterprise. The course also provides you with numerous transferable skills in research, analysis, presenting and group working, which will prove useful in a wide range of careers.
Our graduates have an excellent record of gaining employment or progressing to further study. They find careers in many different sectors, including education, publishing, translation, EU institutions, finance, fashion, entertainment, the film business and tourism, both in the UK and abroad. They have found employment with companies and organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, Energis Communication, BNP Paribas, the Taylorian Institution Library and Riso Scotti SRL, Christie’s, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, PGL Travel Ltd. 22% of our 2012 graduates opted to continue their studies at postgraduate level and have in recent years included PhDs at Siena, Oxford and Cambridge.