MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS

Arts Undergraduate Handbook 1996

Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

Caution Copyright © Monash University 1996
ISBN 1320-6222

Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996

Italian

The Italian course is designed to enable students to develop competence in the Italian language and an interest in specific areas of study in Italian literature, linguistics, civilisation and history. The study and practice of language is pursued at all levels of the course. As Italian is the most widely spoken language after English in Australia, some attention will be paid to the Italian language in the Australian community.

Objectives

General

The definition of the teaching and learning objectives of the Italian section recognises:

+ the plurality of these objectives, given varying student profiles (the section provides for students with different learning backgrounds, ranging from those with no previous experience of the language to those with secondary schooling supplemented by study in Italy. The section thus offers two first-year entry levels - beginners and post-VCE. A flexible streaming pattern allows for placement of students at a higher level where necessary; remedial programs are offered where appropriate);

+ varying course configurations (the section offers first-year sequences, minor and major sequences, and honours).

Objectives vary according to the duration of study in the discipline, but any course (eg beginner or first-year only) is both discrete, with its own set of objectives, and a component of a longer course (ie a minor, major, honours) with correspondingly more extensive objectives. None of the section's discrete offerings (with the exception of the first-year, first-semester subjects) has as their only justification their belonging to a longer course. For example, the justification of a first-year subject, and therefore its teaching and learning objectives, is not solely defined in terms of access to and preparation for later-year study. This has important implications for language teaching methodology and the definition and coordination of the units of increasing complexity offered by the section.

Language acquisition

In general, language teaching objectives include:

+ acquisition of communicative competence necessary to interact in most social contexts and, at more advanced levels, interact in more formal and professional contexts;

+ acquisition of the metalanguage/metadiscourse required for an understanding of the sentence structure, intonation patterns and discourse patterns of Italian (this will promote autonomous language-learning and research skills);

+ acquisition, at more advanced levels, of skills necessary to translate and interpret from English to Italian and from Italian to English.

Graduating students are expected to be able to speak Italian with sufficient accuracy to participate effectively in most conversations on practical, social and abstract topics. They should be able to interact in standard Italian, be aware of social and cultural differences, and follow the essentials of more complex extended spoken and written discourse. In their own writing, students should be able to express themselves effectively in essays and research papers in the areas of interest to them.

Cultural competence

Integral to language acquisition is the acquisition of `cultural competence'. In consonance with these aims students are offered the opportunity to develop an informed understanding of Italian culture and society. Aspects of society and culture are introduced in a variety of modes, including literary, cinematographic, sociolinguistic, historical and journalistic, and ranging from high art to popular culture. Students are also offered the opportunity to develop the ability to recognise the specificity of Italian cultural constructs, especially in contrast with Australian constructs of Italian. At a minimal level, students should be able to analyse basic processes through which a variety of Italian texts produce meaning; at a more advanced level, students should develop an understanding of the theoretical concepts applicable and gain the critical reflection skills necessary to apply them and to form independent opinions.

Courses

Italian is offered either as a major or as a minor sequence, with beginners and post-VCE streams.

Beginners stream

Introductory Italian is a beginners course designed for students with little or no knowledge of the language.

Minor sequence

A minor sequence normally comprises ITA1010, ITA1020, ITA2070 and ITA2080.

Major sequence

A major sequence normally comprises ITA1010, ITA1020, ITA2070, ITA2080, ITA3090, ITA3100 and sixteen further points from third-year subjects chosen in consultation with the coordinator.

Beginners who contemplate an honours program in Italian are strongly advised to take extra points in the discipline at second and/or third-year levels.

Post-VCE stream

ITA1070 (Italian IA) is for students with a pass in VCE Italian or with equivalent knowledge.

Minor sequence

A minor sequence normally comprises ITA1070, ITA1080, ITA2090, ITA2100 and eight further points chosen from second-year subjects in Italian.

Major sequence

A major sequence consists of fifty-two points. The sequence normally comprises the language core subjects ITA1070, ITA1080, ITA2090, ITA2100, ITA3130, ITA3140 and twenty-four further points chosen from second and third-year subjects.

Sequence variations

In certain cases, students with a higher linguistic competence may, with departmental and faculty approval, substitute for ITA1010 or ITA1070 a first-year, first-semester subject in European studies, French or Spanish. Native speakers of Italian may be permitted to work at a higher linguistic level or take additional points in lieu of a language core subject.

Honours in Italian

Coordinator: R Lampugnani

Students are admitted to honours at fourth-year level if they have achieved credit level grades, or better, in subjects taken at second and third-year levels, of which sixteen points must be at third-year level. Honours in Italian will be available within the honours program offered by the Department of Romance Languages. Students may choose an appropriate level of specialisation in Italian from a range of subjects that may vary from year to year. Combined honours may be taken in Italian and another discipline provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both departments/centres. All intending honours students are advised to take more than the minimum number of subjects required for admission to the honours program. Students who wish to apply for mid-year entry should consult the head of the department.

Students are encouraged to choose additional subjects which relate their studies in Italian to the wider context of European culture and society. EUR3520/4520 (Reading the past: European cinema, history, and national identity) is recommended to students wishing to take an additional subject at third or fourth year.

Graduate studies

Graduates who have completed a BA honours degree in Italian at a level satisfactory to the faculty may apply for permission to undertake a Master of Arts degree by major thesis or by coursework and thesis. For postgraduate courses offered by the department, please refer to the Arts graduate handbook for 1996.

First-year level

+ ITA1010 Introductory Italian IA

+ ITA1020 Introductory Italian IB

+ ITA1070 Italian IA

+ ITA1080 Italian IB

Second-year level

+ ITA2070 Italian studies IIA

+ ITA2080 Italian studies IIB

+ ITA2090 Italian IIA

+ ITA2100 Italian IIB

+ ITA2190 Individual option

+ ITA2230 Italian language and society

+ ITA2250 Modern Italian literature and society I

+ ITA2270 Modern Italian literature and society II

+ ITA2550 Second language acquisition and attrition

Third-year level

+ ITA3090 Italian studies IIIA

+ ITA3100 Italian studies IIIB

+ ITA3130 Italian IIIA

+ ITA3140 Italian IIIB

+ ITA3150 Individual option

+ ITA3230 Italian language and society

+ ITA3260 The language of the Italian mass media

+ ITA3330 Modern Italian literature and society III

+ ITA3350 Modern Italian literature and society IV

+ ITA3450 The Italian experience in Australia: perspectives on contemporary society

+ ITA3470 Dante

+ ITA3550 Second language acquisition and attrition

+ ITA3990 Language study abroad program

Fourth-year level

Students may choose an appropriate level of specialisation in Italian from a range of subjects that may vary from year to year. The honours program will normally consist of either (i) ITA4420 (Honours dissertation), sixteen points; (ii) ITA4990 (Language study abroad program), sixteen points; and (iii) two eight-point subjects (which may include ITA4400 (Italian IV), or (I) ITA4420 (Honours dissertation), sixteen points; (ii) ITA4400 (Italian IV), sixteen points; and (iii) two eight-point subjects.

+ ITA4260 The language of the Italian mass media

+ ITA4340 Modern Italian literature and society III

+ ITA4360 Modern Italian literature and society IV

+ ITA4400 Italian IV

+ ITA4420 Honours dissertation

+ ITA4440 Special reading course

+ ITA4460 The Italian experience in Australia

+ ITA4480 Dante

+ ITA4990 Language study abroad program

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