Italian Language and Linguistics

Undergraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

The course aims to promote a deeper understanding of Italian linguistics and linguistic variation in Italy.

The course includes the study of central grammatical problems and introduces problems related to the interface between standard Italian and linguistic variations.

Theoretical and methodological aspects of descriptive linguistics are included in the reading material on which this course is based.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the student will

  • be familiar with the standard Italian language system
  • have acquired knowledge of the theoretical and methodological foundations for descriptive linguistics
  • have acquired knowledge of central problems in Italian linguistic variation

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to

  • use the relevant concepts in independent analyses of written and oral Italian
  • discuss research questions from the syllabus in writing and orally
  • communicate disciplinary knowledge in written and oral Italian

General competence

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to

  • plan and conduct tasks that span a set period of time
  • communicate key subject matters in writing and orally
  • work independently with a research problem that requires theoretical insight
  • communicate in Italian at a relatively high level of proficiency

ECTS Credits

15

Level of Study

Bachelor

Semester of Instruction

Spring

Place of Instruction

Bergen
Required Previous Knowledge
None, but the instruction language is Italian
Recommended Previous Knowledge
100-level in Italian, or equivalent
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Due to course overlap, the course credits for ITAL203 are reduced by 10 ECTS if the course is combined with ITAL201.
Access to the Course
The course is open to all students admitted to the University of Bergen.
Teaching and learning methods
The course usually comprises a two-hour seminar per week (two class hours) over a period of ten weeks.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

The students must present a topic related to the course material in a 15-minute oral presentation. The assessment for the presentation is pass/fail.

An approved compulsory assignment is valid for the course semester and the following semester.

Forms of Assessment
Written school exam (4 hours), written in Italian.
Grading Scale
The grading scale is A-F, where F is a fail.
Assessment Semester
Spring. Students with valid approvals on their mandatory assignments may also be assessed early in the fall semester.
Reading List

Information about the selection of literature can be found in the online reading list.

The reading list will be ready within 1 June for the fall semester, and 1 December for the spring semester.

Course Evaluation
Evaluation of the course is carried out in accordance with the University of Bergen quality assurance system.
Examination Support Material
Studetns can bring their own Italian Dictionary (Italian-Italian).
Programme Committee
The program committee is responsible for the academic content and structure of the study program, and for the quality of all the subjects therein.
Course Coordinator
The Program Board for Italian
Course Administrator
The Department of Foreign Languages at the Faculty of Humanities has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study program.