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Italian and Classics (BA) (Full-Time, 2021 Entry)

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UCAS Code
RQ38

Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Duration
4 years full-time, normally including a year abroad

Start Date
27 September 2021

Department of Study
School of Modern Languages and Cultures

Location of Study
University of Warwick


Our Italian and Classics (BA) degree will enable you to focus on both the Classical world and on Italian culture from the medieval period to the present. Italian may be studied ab initio.


Course overview

This course enables students to understand the culture of Italy in the context of its roots in the ancient world. On the Italian side of your degree, modules will cover a broad range of subjects including Italian culture, society, literature, politics, film and history. Italian may be studied from scratch. On the Classics side of the degree, you’ll have a wide choice of modules on Greek and Roman culture, as well as its connections with the civilisations of Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. You will study Latin alongside modern Italian in your first year; you can choose to continue Latin in your intermediate and final years too.


Course structure

This is a joint degree (50% Italian, 50% Classics) equally weighted between both disciplines and studied in both departments. Throughout your degree you will study Italian language at an appropriate level. In addition to Italian language in year 1, you will take an Italian culture module and Latin at the appropriate level. In intermediate and final years at Warwick you can choose from optional modules covering the literature, culture, and history of Greece and Rome to others covering Italy from the late Middle Ages to the present. In your final year, along with other core and optional modules you may choose to research and write a dissertation bridging the two disciplines.

Your year abroad will normally be spent studying at an Italian university alongside Italian students and immersing yourself in Italian culture.


How will I learn?

We employ a variety of teaching approaches. These include lectures and seminars (in which the emphasis is on student participation) and written and spoken language classes.

You will spend the rest of your time studying independently and preparing for classes. You will read and analyse materials set for study, engage with secondary sources, write essays and work on your language skills.


Class sizes

You will usually be in seminars with around 15 other students. Your oral classes will have 8-10 other students in them too.


Contact hours

You will have around 10-12 hours of teaching every week.


How will I be assessed?

We will track your progress through language assignments, essays, presentations, portfolio submissions and examinations (written and oral). You will receive detailed, personalised feedback throughout the course to help you to improve your skills.

The final degree classification is determined by your intermediate- and final-year marks; each of these years contributes 50%.


Your year abroad

We strongly recommend that students take a year abroad, if they are able to. Students may move to a three-year degree if circumstances do not permit them to complete a year abroad. In such cases, there will be further language reinforcement work and students will be encouraged to spend time abroad in other ways, during vacation times.

You will usually spend your year abroad doing one of three things:

  • Working as a language assistant teaching English in a primary or secondary school
  • Studying full-time at a partner university in Italy
  • On a work placement

Most students going to Italy opt for an exchange at a partner university. Some are successful in obtaining a (highly competitive) language assistantship. Most students apply through the British Council's English Language Assistant scheme during the first term of their second year at Warwick.

The year abroad options are flexible so we recommend you check the department's subject pages for more details.

General entry requirements

A level:

  • AAB to include a modern or classical language

IB:

  • 36 to include 5 at Higher Level in a modern or classical language

BTEC:

  • We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside an A level in a modern or classical language

Additional requirements:

You will also need to meet our English Language requirements.


International Students

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

Find out more about international entry requirements.


Contextual data and differential offers

Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in the Realising Opportunities programme, or who meet two of the contextual data criteria. Differential offers will be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer (to a minimum of BBB).


Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP)

All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).

Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP.


Taking a gap year

Applications for deferred entry welcomed.


Interviews

We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.

Year One


Modern Italian Language for Beginners

Would you like the challenge of learning a new language at university? This foundation module for absolute beginners combines the acquisition of core language skills with knowledge of broader aspects of Italian culture, equipping you with the tools to engage with a wide range of relevant, contemporary topics in Italian. Opportunities to practise your Italian vary from role play to quizzes, working both individually and in your group. Successful completion will mean you are able to hold a conversation in Italian, read newspapers and get the gist of TV and radio programmes in Italian.

OR

Modern Italian Language 1 (Intermediate)

Do you need to consolidate and expand your competence in Italian while enjoying talking about culture and society? If so, this is the module for you. You’ll be given opportunities to revise fundamental grammar and vocabulary before acquiring more complex grammatical constructions, including through translation. We will integrate cultural topics with your linguistic studies, so you have the chance to explore areas such as tourism, the arts, the environment and Italian traditions. You will have opportunities for individual and group presentations and to engage in activities that integrate the skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking. By the end of your course, you’ll be expected to be able to write competently in several registers, using appropriate styles and terminology, and to converse in Italian to a good standard.

OR

Modern Italian Language 1 (Advanced)

Would you like to use your Italian A level (or equivalent) language skills creatively? This module will develop your linguistic and intercultural competence in Italian by means of advanced activities, including creative writing, translation, debates, presentations and drama. You will explore linguistic structures using resources in a variety of media and engage with authentic and sophisticated texts to compare cultural systems and express your opinion critically and creatively. In translation, you will experiment with different genres, registers and styles to enhance your cultural appreciation of Italian. Finally, you will have opportunities to explore cultural subjects and lead group discussions.


Latin at an appropriate level

An Italian cultural module
The History of Modern Italy

You will chart the course of cultural, political and social change in Italy over the past century, studying key moments in its history, including the rise of fascism, World War II, the economic boom of the late 1950s, and political extremism of the 1970s, through to contemporary issues such as immigration and recent economic and political crises. You will study these events through the lens of literary and cinematic works and gain an understanding of how they have contributed to the nature and identity of contemporary Italy, in order to prepare you for your year abroad and further study of Italian culture. You will also build your competence in textual analysis, independent research and essay-writing.

OR

Introduction to Italian Culture

How should we ‘read’ a literary or visual text? What are the considerations of form, audience and context that help us make sense of a cultural product? In what ways should a performance be understood differently from something fixed on the page? You will address these questions by considering various forms of expression in Italian culture – these may include film and visual culture, short stories, poetry, theatre-writing, and political essay writing. You will refine your skills of analysis and be able to sample different periods of Italian culture, from the Renaissance to the present. You will end your course with a sound understanding of different periods of Italian culture, equipped with the appropriate skills and vocabulary to discuss a range of art forms in an informed manner.


One option in Classics:
Roman Culture and Society

This module explores what was distinctively ‘Roman’ about Roman culture and society, both in Rome itself and throughout its empire, from Britain to Bulgaria, and from the Nile to the Euphrates. The module introduces students of all backgrounds to topics from the late first century BC to the early third century AD, investigating the impact on Roman society of the emergence of sole rulers and dynastic powers, and the gradual opening up of society to provincials. It considers a range of evidence, from poetry to graffiti, monuments to religious artefacts, and is designed to provide a framework within which you can develop your own individual interests in the second and third years.

Greek Culture and Society

This module introduces students of all backgrounds to the vast panorama of Greek culture, from Homeric times to the coming of Rome. It explores some of the most distinctive features of Greek culture and its social institutions, from the polis, festivals and religion, to mythology, sport and the performance of poetry, while encouraging students to consider the degrees of continuity and difference between ancient Greek culture and their own beliefs and practices. The module is designed to provide a framework within which you can develop your own individual interests in the second and third years.

Introduction to Greek and Roman History

You will be introduced to the central themes of Greek and Roman history, from the Greek Archaic Period to the beginning of the Roman Empire. You will gain a broad chronological understanding of the ancient world, and good knowledge of the range of evidence and methodologies used to analyse its historical events and cultural practices. You will also develop advanced skills in analysing evidence, crafting an argument and presenting your ideas coherently and fluently.


Intermediate Year^


Modern Italian Language 2

This module will extend and refine your competence in Italian. With an emphasis on the key skills of reading, listening, speaking and writing, you will consolidate your proficiency in both new and familiar grammatical and linguistic structures, and expand the range and sophistication of your vocabulary and use of register in spoken and written discourse. In addition to classroom exercises, advanced discursive written work and oral projects, you will also be directed to appropriate activities for self-study.

OR

Modern Italian Language 3

On this module, you will develop your translation, writing and oral communication skills to advanced level. You will engage in translation as a practical skill, working to produce translations of literary, journalistic and academic texts with a focus on conveying nuances of meaning and culturally specific terms. You will develop greater fluency in different writing styles and genres. Oral sessions will increase your familiarity with more sophisticated registers of spoken Italian and raise your awareness of recent developments in Italian society so that you can discuss aspects of contemporary Italy in relation to your personal experiences.


Final Year

Modern Italian Language 4

Building on Intermediate year language, you will deepen your writing, speaking and translation skills, paying particular attention to register and style and learning some of the underpinning translation theory. We approach translation not just as a linguistic exercise but as a practical skill, so you will work to produce translations of literary, journalistic and academic texts, and explore techniques for conveying semantic nuances, culturally specific terms and more sophisticated registers of spoken Italian. Both the writing and oral components of the course will raise your awareness of recent developments in Italian society and enable you to discuss relevant aspects of contemporary Italy in relation to your personal experience.


Examples of optional modules/options for current students:

^Year Two or Three depending on when the year abroad is taken

Tuition fees

Find out more about fees and funding.


Additional course costs

There may be costs associated with other items or services such as academic texts, course notes, and trips associated with your course. Students who choose to complete a work placement or study abroad will pay reduced tuition fees for their third year.


Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

Your career

Graduates from Classics courses have gone on to work for employers including:

  • Acturis
  • Cancer Research UK
  • Comic Relief
  • English Heritage
  • EY
  • John Lewis and Partners
  • KPMG
  • Teach First
  • The British Museum
  • Waitrose and Partners

They have pursued roles such as:

  • Business and related associate professionals
  • Conference and exhibition managers and organisers
  • Finance and investment analysts and advisors
  • Legal associate professionals
  • Management consultants and business analysts
  • Marketing associate professionals
  • Teaching and other educational professionals

Helping you find the right career

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant. They offer impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • What can you do with a Classics and Ancient History degree?
  • Careers in the Creative Industries
  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • Next steps after your classics degree ... hear from alumni
  • Networking for Classics students

Discover more about careers support at Warwick.

Isabella, current student

"Friendly and easy to talk to"

"The department is incredible, they’re always on hand to help me whether it was with my year abroad queries or just general language-related issues. The best thing about them is that they’re really friendly and easy to talk to."

Isabella

BA Modern Languages

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2021 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.