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Continuing Italian for Art History - LAN00102C

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

Learning a language can be a transformative and enriching experience. Both the process and the outcomes are beneficial at various levels, from increased neuroplasticity to improving your overall academic performance, fostering empathy and intercultural awareness, and enhancing your career opportunities. Designed for post-beginner/elementary level students who completed the first level of Italian for Art History or 1-2 years of Italian studies (CEFR A1-A2).

The course has been created in collaboration with the History of Art Department as a Language for Specific Purposes course to enable students to carry out research on the topic of History of Art in Italian, as well as to maximise the benefits of future trips to Italy.

Related modules

Prerequisite modules

  • Italian for Art Historians 1, Italian for Art History: Beginner or Introducing Italian for Art History

  • 1-2 years of Italian studies (CEFR A1-A2)

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

The module aims to enable post beginner/elementary level Italian students to further their language skills competence particularly relevant to History of Art as a discipline.

In the module, students will deepen their knowledge of famous Italian monuments and artworks spanning from Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art up to Modern Art (e.g. Futurismo italiano, Architettura fascista), together with artists’ biographies and art critics’ texts. A component of this module will be spent on developing key translation skills related to History of Art through authentic material. Finally, students will gain familiarity with vocabulary related to current heritage protection laws (such as conservazione, vincolo e tutela dei beni culturali) in Italy and the concept of ‘glorification of art’ such as valorizzazione e glorificazione etc.

This module will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to communicate and interact in Italian over the course of a semester. Alongside the acquisition of specialist language skills from authentic sources used in Art History, this course will focus on developing a communicative competence to A2+ level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in communicative activities and tasks emphasising three modes of communication: 1) reception activities (oral, audio-video, and reading comprehension); 2) production activities (oral and written production); 3) interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).

The medium of instruction is English and Italian.

The module will:

  • Explore the role of art within Italian society throughout history with a particular focus on key periods and their art production, such as Greek and Roman archaeology, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque art, Fascismo and Futurismo etc.

  • Illustrate the concept of heritage protection and related laws e.g. ‘conservazione dei beni culturali’.

  • Enhance employability skills by enabling students to apply for a job (CV writing and interview skills) in a museum, archive or art gallery in Italy as well as giving a guide tour in Italian as a tourist guide.

  • Develop translation skills vital for an art historian when working on original sources and archive material, such as extracts from Vasari and Palladio’s work, contemporary art critics or Touring Club guides.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

Language skills:

  • Understand fully complex and authentic extracts from Italian travel guides or websites and passages related to Italian Art. This may include biographies, descriptions and analyses of works of art, catalogue entries and technical information about the properties of works of art and architectural structures.

  • Understand grammatical structures, especially the verb tenses most commonly found in History of Art-related material.

  • Apply metalinguistic skills such as use of dictionaries and other resources, and translation skills specific to History of Art.

  • Recognise cognates and translate texts written by Italian art critics or art historians.

  • Understand key concepts regarding heritage protection in Italy and related laws e.g. beni culturali, museificazione, valorizzazione, tutela e vincolo.

  • Analyse the link between glorification and mystification of Italian art and artists (e.g Leonardo da Vinci etc) and their impact in the perception of Italian art abroad and within Italy.

  • Develop general communicative skills to make the most of future study trips to Italy:

    • Understand short texts dealing with everyday topics and read short, simple stories involving familiar, concrete situations described in everyday language.

    • Produce simple texts on familiar topics and give their impressions and opinions (e.g. lifestyles and culture, stories), using basic everyday vocabulary and expressions.

    • Give a short presentation and to manage simple, routine exchanges of ideas and information on familiar topics.

    • Recognise basic cultural conventions associated with everyday social exchanges (e.g. different greetings, celebrations, festivals, social/regional traditions, etc) and apply them appropriately.

Employability skills:

  • Social cultural and global awareness

  • Presentation skills

  • Communication

  • Creativity and innovation

Module content

  • 3 one-hour seminars per week

  • Independent study in the form of preparation for class discussion is an essential part of students’ commitment

  • Particular emphasis is given to enable post-beginner/elementary level students to develop and enhance previously acquired specialist language skills particularly relevant to Art History, both on research and employability skills

The History of Art-related topics covered might include:

  • Description of a range of Italian monuments and famous artworks.

  • Biographies of artists, historical figures and art historians

  • Key words related to Italian heritage protection (I beni culturali italiani: conservazione, valorizzazione e fruizione del patrimonio culturale, tutela e vincolo).

  • The concept of ‘glorificazione e mistificazione dell’arte e degli artisti italiani’ (e.g. the case of Leonardo da Vinci and his art).

  • Employability Skills: giving a guided tour for Italian tourists in a museum or art gallery and describing to them artworks.

  • Employability Skills: CV writing and interview skills to apply for a job in an Italian museum, art gallery or archive.

  • Translation skills: art critics, Touring Club Italiano & famous work by Italian Art Historians and architects such as Vasari’s Le Vite and Palladio’s I quattro libri dell'architettura.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40

Module feedback

Formative assessment and feedback

  • Formative tasks done individually or in groups throughout the module.

  • Feedback will include written comments and oral feedback during class discussions.

Summative assessment and feedback

  • Students will be given written feedback and marks for their work within the University mandated schedule.

Indicative reading

In addition to the general language textbook, a bespoke booklet will be provided for the module in relation to the History of Art component.

The module will also include practice at translating passages from

  • Touring club Italiano

  • Codice dei beni culturali e del paesaggio (2004)

  • Vasari, Le Vite

  • Palladio, I quattro libri dell’architettura

  • Angelino & Porreca, Progetto Cultura Italiana: L'Italiano Attraverso la Storia Dell'Arte

  • Porreca, L’italiano per l’arte

  • Fantozzi & Lolli, Beni culturali, ambiente, paesaggio


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.