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Italian

What will I learn?

After completing some courses in Italian, you will be able to:

  • be able to communicate in spoken Italian at an intermediate level, through developing an intermediate facility at sound discrimination; recognition of grammatical and syntactic patterns; correct pronunciation; a working vocabulary; and correct grammatical forms in natural speech.
  • read Italian at a beginning intermediate level
  • write short themes, letters, descriptions, reports, responses, dialogues, and presentations in intermediate Italian
  • demonstrate a knowledge of Italian culture sufficient for carrying on conversation in a variety of content areas and for using appropriate non-verbal communication in support of such conversation.

What is the occupational outlook?

A background in Italian serves as a basis in a variety of areas. Those who earn a bachelor’s degree in Italian enter the occupational fields of journalism, broadcasting, international business, translation, government service, organizational education, public relations, media studies, music, and teaching. Those who go on to graduate school enhance their opportunities in those occupational areas, while adding opportunities in linguistics, comparative literature, and Italian language instruction.

Jobs in Italian interpretation and translation, in both business and government service, are predicted through 2014 to grow faster than the average for all occupations.1

What are my options?

You can earn credits in Italian at HCC to transfer as humanities electives to a four year school toward an Italian major or minor.

Through successful completion of ITAL 202, you are able to meet the foreign language requirement in a variety of degree programs.

You can take Italian courses at HCC to explore the possibilities of connecting Italian study with another major to enter such career areas as linguistics, comparative literature, music, journalism, international business, government service, translating in the publishing industry or for businesses, or education.

You can take Italian courses simply to develop your ability to speak and read in Italian as cultural and personal enrichment.


  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Interpreters and Translators, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm (visited July 9, 2007)