The Italian program offers the master of arts and PhD degrees. In most academic years, a wide array of courses and seminars is offered each semester to provide an even distribution across various literary periods. Courses typically meet two or three times a week and are broad in focus, generally exploring well-defined periods or genres. Seminars are held once a week for two hours and take up narrower topics in greater depth. Typical course offerings over a two- to three-year period cover all centuries of Italian literature and a wide variety of topics, including Italian culture, cinema, civilization, and linguistics. Strong emphasis is placed on the practice of the language; Italian is the usual language of instruction in graduate courses and seminars.
Graduate students gain a solid foundation not only in scholarship and criticism, but also in teaching. All admitted students receive guarantees of support. The standard offer to an incoming teaching assistant provides a guarantee of four or five years of support, depending on whether the student has already done graduate work elsewhere.
The department offers regular workshops designed to give students an overview of the job market and how to best prepare for it, making its placement record outstanding. As one of the largest Italian programs in North America, the department offers an unparalleled opportunity to study Italian literature, linguistics, and culture.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 20 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Note that if you have received only a bachelor's degree and intend to go on to our PhD program after completing your MA, please apply directly to the PhD program.
Applicants must submit all application materials by the fall application deadline.
Graduate School Application
Refer to the following links:
- Consult the Graduate School website for complete information about graduate education opportunities at UW–Madison. This site is especially helpful in understanding admissions requirements and developing a timeline for application.
Materials
Upload the following to the online application:
- Three letters of recommendation. Recommenders should be in faculty or permanent academic staff positions. Since the Graduate School will contact your recommenders directly via e-mail once you have completed your online application, you should be sure to contact each recommender at least a month prior to when the letter of recommendation is needed to let them know that they will be contacted directly by the Graduate School. If your referees are unable to upload your letter of recommendation to the online application, the letters should be sent to the Graduate Coordinator (email listed in contact information box).
- Statement of purpose, preferably written in English
- CV
- Unofficial transcripts
- Submit the online Graduate School application for admission and pay the application fee.
- GRE (not required) institution code 1846 for UW–Madison
- International degree-seeking applicants will need to provide English proficiency. See the Graduate School requirements for specific information.
Supplemental Materials
- TA/Fellowship Application: To be considered for teaching assistantship or fellowship support, you must submit to the department a document listing all relevant experience since you began studying Italian. There is no specific application form—it is a document, much like a CV, that you put together yourself. Include travel, study, or residence abroad. For teaching experience, be specific about subject, level, actual classroom hours/week, and age of students. Also indicate undergraduate and graduate honors, and how you would support yourself if UW was not able to offer support.
- Writing sample (essay or paper in Italian—usually between 7 and 12 pages in length)
Questions
Contact graduate coordinator (email listed in contact information box).
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
The Department of French & Italian is committed to providing full funding to all graduate students. Students who accept our offer of admission therefore receive fellowships or assistantships that cover tuition and provide eligibility to enroll in excellent comprehensive health insurance and other benefits. Funding is guaranteed for a minimum of 5 years of study for students entering with a BA, and a minimum of 4 years for those entering with an MA. Moreover, it has been our departmental practice to continue to offer funding beyond guarantee as possible for students in good academic standing.
Teaching assistantships, the most common form of support in our department, offer the pedagogical experience and training necessary to be competitive on the academic job market. The teaching assignment is usually one course per semester, but double sections (two sections of the same course) can also be requested for an increased stipend, when available. While the guarantee of support means students in good standing will receive funding, the exact assignments are based on need, merit, and experience. Generally, a graduate student will, over the course of study, hold a variety of positions from Italian 101-204, which are available every semester. Students may also have the opportunity to teach more advanced courses, such as ITALIAN 312 and ITALIAN 322, and LITTRANS 360 depending on departmental need. For more information about our teaching assistantships, please visit our website.
There are also fellowships available from several sources on campus each year, including the Chancellor’s fellowship, which starts at around $11,000 per semester. Advanced Opportunity Fellowships are also available to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of the graduate student population, as well as support economically disadvantaged and first generation college students. The department also offers a number of monetary awards every year, for academic performance and for teaching.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 18 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.25 GPA required. |
| Other Grade Requirements | No other grade requirements. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Formal examination required. No thesis requirement. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Methods | ||
| The following course is required: | ||
| ITALIAN/FRENCH 821 | Issues in Methods of Teaching French and Italian | 1 |
| Italian | ||
| Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits in Italian (ITALIAN) courses. Of these 24 credits, 12 must be in courses numbered above 500, and 6 must be seminar work. | 24 | |
| Medieval: Duecento and Trecento | ||
| Poverty, Ecology and the Arts: St. Francis of Assisi | ||
| Dante's Divina Commedia | ||
| The 13th Century | ||
| Mid Modern: Settecento to Ottocento | ||
| The 18th Century | ||
| The 18th Century | ||
| The 17th Century and Arcadia | ||
| Additional Breadth Areas | ||
| Three additional breadth areas are Renaissance: Quattrocento and Cinquecento, Early Modern: Seicento, and Modern: Novecento to the Present. Topics courses listed under the Flexible/Open-Area courses can fulfill these breadth areas. | ||
| Flexible/Open-Area Courses | ||
| The following topics courses may satisfy any of the 5 areas of breadth. Instructors will determine the area of breadth. | ||
| Special Topics in Italian Literature | ||
| Special Topics in Italian Studies: Culture, Film, Language | ||
| Italian Film | ||
| Italian Theatre | ||
| Features in Italian Literature | ||
| Features in Italian Literature | ||
| The Italian Novel | ||
| Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | ||
| Features in Italian Literature | ||
| Features in Italian Literature | ||
| Seminar-Studies in Italian Literature | ||
| Seminar-Studies in Italian Literature | ||
| Electives | ||
| Students take additional credits to reach the 30-credit minimum in consultation with their graduate advisor. | 5 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 6 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from an undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the program's graduate degree requirements.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 6 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
All students are required to conduct a yearly progress report meeting with their advisor.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
L&S Policy for Graduate Student Academic Appeals
Graduate students have the right to appeal an academic decision related to an L&S graduate program if the student believes that the decision is inconsistent with published policy.
Academic decisions that may be appealed include:
- Dismissal from the graduate program
- Failure to pass a qualifying or preliminary examination
- Failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress
- Academic disciplinary action related to failure to meet professional conduct standards
Issues such as the following cannot be appealed using this process:
- A faculty member declining to serve as a graduate student’s advisor.
- Decisions regarding the student’s disciplinary knowledge, evaluation of the quality of work, or similar judgements. These are the domain of the department faculty.
- Course grades. These can be appealed instead using the L&S Policy for Grade Appeal.
- Incidents of bias or hate, hostile and intimidating behavior, or discrimination (Title IX, Office of Compliance). Direct these to the linked campus offices appropriate for the incident(s).
Appeal Process for Graduate Students
A graduate student wishing to appeal an academic decision must follow the process in the order listed below. Note time limits within each step.
- The student should first seek informal resolution, if possible, by discussing the concern with their academic advisor, the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, and/or the department chair.
- If the program has an appeal policy listed in their graduate program handbook, the student should follow the policy as written, including adhering to any indicated deadlines. In the absence of a specific departmental process, the chair or designee will be the reviewer and decision maker, and the student should submit a written appeal to the chair within 15 business days of the academic decision. The chair or designee will notify the student in writing of their decision.
- If the departmental process upholds the original decision, the graduate student may next initiate an appeal to L&S. To do so, the student must submit a written appeal to the L&S Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs within 15 business days of notification of the department’s decision.
- To the fullest extent possible, the written appeal should include, in a single document: a clear and concise statement of the academic decision being appealed, any relevant background on what led to the decision, the specific policies involved, the relief sought, any relevant documentation related to the departmental appeal, and the names and titles of any individuals contributing to or involved in the decision.
- The Assistant Dean will work with the Academic Associate Dean of the appropriate division to consider the appeal. They may seek additional information and/or meetings related to the case.
- The Assistant Dean and Academic Associate Dean will provide a written decision within 20 business days.
- If L&S upholds the original decision, the graduate student may appeal to the Graduate School. More information can be found on their website: Grievances and Appeals (see: Graduate School Appeal Process).
Other
In most cases, the department offers five-year guarantees of support (for students with no prior graduate work) and four-year guarantees of support (for students with prior graduate work) to incoming students. During this period of guaranteed support, students usually hold a fellowship or teaching assistantship. Decisions on support are made in February and offers are usually sent out in early March.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Program Resources
The Department of French and Italian hosts several professional development workshops for our students each semester. Workshops focus on academic and non-academic professional development. Previous workshop materials are available to all students in the department.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate critical understanding of the major works of Italian literature and culture from the Middle Ages up to the present.
- Lead a well-informed discussion of literature and culture utilizing an adequate proficiency of Italian.
- Master methods of literary and cultural analysis in their specific areas of interest.
- Examine literary texts of various genres and write competent critical and analytical essays
- Lead a well-informed discussion of literature and culture utilizing an adequate proficiency of Italian.
- Identify, select, and retrieve primary and secondary sources pertaining to questions in Italian literature and culture.
- Recognizes and applies principles of ethical and professional conduct.
- Create level- and course-appropriate instructional objectives, activities, and assessments for teaching language, literature, and culture.
- Use instructional technologies appropriately to enhance the teaching of language, literature, and culture.
- Incorporate insights from second language acquisition theory and current best practices in foreign language teaching into instruction.