Program Overview

Program Overview

The Italian Studies program is divided into two main areas: literary studies and language studies. A portion of the courses is conducted in smaller groups, allowing for personalized supervision by the instructors and fostering connections among students. The diversity of the Zurich Italian Studies program is reflected in the broad thematic, methodological, and historical range of its research and teaching.

Program Structure

The program encompasses the study of canonical literary works from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as the exploration of peripheral themes and authors in connection with the research activities of the respective departments. The analysis and research methods range from stylistic criticism to philology, from gender studies to contemporary theories of posthumanism.

Teaching Methods

The teaching formats include lectures, seminars, e-learning, guest lectures, conferences, thematic workshops, tutorials, internships, and more. These formats may feature:

• Multilingual courses, such as the Prolegomena (BA)
• Interactive formats, including interviews with authors or speakers of specific language varieties or dialects
• The creation and management of blogs, for example, for storytelling

International Exchange

Both cultural and international exchange are highly valued and intensively promoted, for instance, through exchange programs between domestic and foreign universities and cultural institutions, international conferences, and guest lectures at the University of Zurich, as well as through continuing education internships (at the master's level).

Unique Opportunities

A unique opportunity offered by the University of Zurich, in cooperation with the University of La Sapienza in Rome, is the International Monomaster "Studi italiani," which includes integrated mobility between the two universities in Switzerland and Italy.