Lucky you! As an Italian major or minor, it goes without saying that you should spend some time in Italy. Whether you choose to experience the snow-capped peaks of Torino, the artistic splendor of Florence, the ancient pulse of Rome ("The Eternal City”), or the slower paced and less touristy charms of towns like Perugia or Viterbo, you are sure to return with a deepened understanding and appreciation of the Italian language and culture. Whether you go for a summer, a semester, or a year, you won’t want to come back!
When you choose to study abroad is really up to you: there are plenty of study abroad programs that do not require Italian fluency. That said, you will benefit more from your time in Italy—and have more fun—if you have a solid grasp on the language before you go, and some of the programs that we recommend most highly do have language prerequisites.
You can find all of the information you need about the academic requirements for the Italian Major or Minor on UI's Italian major website.
Since the majority of study abroad programs are not designed for Italian majors, most study abroad courses in Italy focus on culture—rather than language—and are taught in English. Therefore, in order to complete the Italian major at Iowa, most Italian language courses must be completed here. You might be surprised to find higher level Italian courses here than in Italy! Some study abroad programs, however, offer students the opportunity to live with an Italian host family, which can be a wonderful way to increase your fluency in Italian.
Keep in mind that since the Italian department at Iowa is quite small, some courses here are only offered every other year. You will want to make sure that going abroad does not mean missing certain courses that you want or need to take at Iowa for your major or minor. General education requirements, on the other hand, will be easily fulfilled abroad.
You can start your search with the recommended programs below, but feel free to browse our program database or contact Study Abroad (study-abroad@uiowa.edu) for other possibilities. The specific programs recommended below may change, so check with your major advisor and Study Abroad for the latest updates.
All students who study abroad must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Each program listed has coursework taught in English unless otherwise stated. In addition, each program has specific eligibility requirements that may include GPA, prerequisites, and/or class standing. Please see the specific program page on the Study Abroad website at international.uiowa.edu/study-abroad/programs.
Europe
Italy
Courses include Art, Art History, Business, Communications, Culture Studies, Film Studies, History, International Business, Italian, Literature, Music, Photography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.