Italian Language and Culture

Learning Italian will give you access to one of the richest European cultural traditions, spanning the renaissance to the present day. Italy holds 60% of the World Art Heritage, is the country of innovative technological and fashion design and architecture, and is home to Dante, Michelangelo, Artemisia Gentileschi, Calvino, Eco, Verdi, Fellini, Wertmuller and Rita Levi-Montalcini.

Italian is one of the official languages of the European Union, and is spoken by one of the largest ethnic communities in Australia.

Italian is relevant to students across a range of disciplines, in particular to those with an interest in international law, trade, commerce, migrant studies, sociology, art history, literature or music.

In your Italian studies, you will learn to communicate in a variety of contexts in Italian, and read and write a range of tests in Italian. At the same time, you will examine cultural, social and historical aspects of Italy.

You are encouraged to complete part of your studies at a partner university in Italy, and you may be eligible for an Ethel Tory Scholarship which you can use to help you study and travel overseas while you are a student at ANU.

Career options

The study of Italian complements studies in international relations, international business, sociology, political science, history, development studies, anthropology, contemporary Europe, music, literature and art.

Graduates in Italian go on to fulfilling careers in a wide range of employment areas in Australia and overseas, including education, business, public relations, opera, music, art (including museum curatorship), journalism, diplomacy, international relations and international aid.

Read Corinne's account of how studying Italian as part of her ANU program has proven essential in her profession.