Besides the major, Dickinson offers a minor in Italian and a recently updated major in Italian studies, which provides students with a strong command of Italian language and culture yet also allows students to take interdisciplinary courses concerning Italy and Italian taught by other departments in English. 

Students who want to study abroad can take advantage of Dickinson programs at the K. Robert Nilsson Center for European Studies and the University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy. Closer to campus, our faculty members—who strive to create an authentic environment—are leaders in their fields, have years of experience and know how to produce authentic results in the classroom through an innovative communicative approach.

The Italian program at Dickinson is one of the most active and vibrant on campus. Often in conjunction with the Italian Club, events—from pasta-making lessons and Italian game sessions to authentic Italian dinners and holiday parties—are organized throughout the year and often attract hordes of students. You can also opt to live in the Romance Language House, where students can interact in Italian and experience authentic Italian culture.

Contact Info

Chair

Nicoletta Marini MaioAssociate Professor of Italian and Film Studies

Department Coordinator

Lisa Orris

Phone

717-245-1819

Fax

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Location

105, Bosler Hall Mailing Address

Department Features



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Study Abroad
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Current Courses

Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs

  • Cato Institute
  • Microsoft Corporation
  • Advisory Board Company
  • National Committee on American Foreign Policy
  • Fulbright Program
  • National Consumer Law Center
  • City Year, Inc.
  • Tufts Universit

Graduate Schools

  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • University of Virginia
  • Middlebury College
  • Temple University Law
  • Brooklyn Law School
  • CUNY New York City College of Technology
  • University of Minnesota
  • Drexel University
  • George Mason University
  • University of Connecticut
  • Harvard University
  • University of Rochester School of Business
  • Boston College
Where Our Students Have Interned
  • Breakthrough Collaborative
  • Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Organization
  • National Museum of American History
  • National Museum of the American Indian
  • National Postal Museum
  • Port Jefferson Historical Society
  • U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center
  • U.S. Army War College - Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute

Student Perspective

"I chose to minor in Italian because I love languages, and I knew that the ability to speak Italian would help me in my musical studies and beyond. I also really like the energy of the Italian department and the support the professors give each of their students. Both the music and Italian departments felt like places where I could grow and learn. So far, I’ve been right!" “With the time, space and resources to conduct long-term research, I had the freedom to be creative about my writing process. I was able to put texts together that have never-been analyzed next to each other, and I experimented with different approaches to my writing process. All of this freedom gave rise to work that I’m still proud of, years later.”

— Abby Duell ’20 (music, Italian minor)


Italian & Italian Studies News

All News Department News
Tasting Italy With Kyle Carter

Tasting Italy With Kyle Carter '99

Kyle Carter ’99 carves a new career path leading small-group tours of Italy that go off the beaten path.

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Alumni Connection Leads Student to Position With Goldman Sachs

Alumni Connection Leads Student to Position With Goldman Sachs

Gavin Wood '21 finds that an internship and fraternity brother alum bridge the gap to a postgraduate opportunity.

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At the Table

At the Table

Mary Ritter '23 shares how her life has changed over the last year as she transitioned from being a high school student to a first-year college student to moving back home to complete the semester.

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Dickinson College Stellfox Award Recipient Roberto Saviano Proves That the Pen Is Mightier Than the Mafia

Dickinson College Stellfox Award Recipient Roberto Saviano Proves That the Pen Is Mightier Than the Mafia

The award-winning Italian writer shares his own dramatic story during the 2020 Stellfox Award residency.

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Dickinson College Professors to Discuss Protests Around the World

Dickinson College Professors to Discuss Protests Around the World

A panel of five Dickinson professors representing a variety of disciplines and national backgrounds will address worldwide environmental activism and protest movements in different countries.

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Acclaimed Italian Writer-Activist Roberto Saviano to Speak at Dickinson College

Acclaimed Italian Writer-Activist Roberto Saviano to Speak at Dickinson College

Dickinson has named Mafia exposé author Roberto Saviano the 2019-20 recipient of The Harold and Ethel L. Stellfox Visiting Scholars and Writers Program Award.

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