Earn your BA in Italian

The Bachelor of Arts in Italian requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 32-33 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS CoreFurthering Language Incentive Program (FLIP) credit may not be counted toward the major.

Students may count a maximum of 9 semester hours (three courses) of approved upper-level transfer or study abroad credit toward the major in Italian, but they must take either ITAL:3305 - Advanced Italian or ITAL:3306 - Advanced Italian II at the University of Iowa. The Italian Language and Culture Advanced Placement (AP) exam with a score of 4 or higher is considered to be the equivalent to ITAL:2203 - Intermediate Italian I and ITAL:2204 - Intermediate Italian II. Students with previous knowledge of Italian language, should take the World Languages Placement Test (WLPT) to determine the best level for your first enrollment in a language course.

Students pursue Italian studies for cultural reasons, for travel and study plans in Italy, and because it enhances their competitiveness in today’s marketplace. A major in Italian opens doors to careers in a variety of fields. The Bachelor of Arts in Italian teaches students about the language, literature and culture of Italy, preparing students to thrive in today’s global community, as well as providing a critical appreciation of the historical and contemporary importance of Italy. Italian courses enhance speaking, reading, and writing skills and provide a broad background in the literature and culture of Italy.

Coursework Requirements
Course typeHours
Foundation courses29
Additional course in Italian3-4
Total hours32-33

Teacher licensure

Students interested in teaching in elementary and/or secondary schools should seek admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) in the College of Education.

To qualify for licensure in secondary teaching, students in the TEP complete a degree in education as well as a related College of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree. See Teacher Education Program Application and Admission on the College of Education website for details on requirements and deadlines for applying to the College of Education and about TEP choices of majors leading to licensure.

Majors who want to earn teacher licensure should include an additional 2 semester hours in their work for the major. They should consult the director of undergraduate studies.

Advanced Placement Credit Policy

Iowa offers credit for more than 30 Advanced Placement (AP) Program exams. You can earn 3 to 8 semester hours of credit per test, depending on the subject and your score. For additional information, please visit the University of Iowa's Advanced Placement Program.

Italian Language and Culture exam

  • Students achieving a test score of 4 or 5 are given 3 semester hours and credit for ITAL:2203 - Intermediate Italian I and ITAL:2204 - Intermediate Italian II.
  • May be used to complete the General Education Program: World Languages requirement and applied to requirements for the Italian major or minor; or used as elective hours.
  • NOTE: Students who earn credit for this exam are not eligible for Furthering Language Incentive Program (FLIP) credit for Italian.
Advanced Placement French and Italian Credit
 ScoreCreditITALIAN courses
AP Italian Language and Culture4-53 semester hours
  • ITAL:2203
  • ITAL:2204

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