The School of Modern Languages aims to develop and educate its students to become ‘global citizens’. From Roman times the Italian contribution to world culture has been enormous as it is obvious to anyone who steps foot in the country, however briefly. But Italy is not just a country of singular cultural importance. It is a major political partner in the European Union, and it is a leading force in fields such as engineering and architecture. It is the home of the design and fashion industries.A degree in Italian enables students to access, analyse and evaluate current developments in Italian society as well as the cultures and values of the past. Having studied Italian, you will gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge beneficial to the world of employment, making you competitive and attractive in an increasingly global workforce and opening the doors to a variety of career paths. We offer Italian for both advanced students and beginners. In terms of language acquisition, this course will enable you to develop your writing, oral and aural skills through a range of learning activities and audio-visual materials. In your first year, in addition to your language tuition, an Introduction to Italian history and culture module seeks to provide a solid foundation for more specialised studies as you progress through your course. Your understanding of the language will be further developed and refined during your year abroad, when you will experience life in an Italian-speaking country at first hand. In the final year, you have the opportunity to write a dissertation, which stimulates initiative and can serve as a useful preparation for postgraduate study.It is important to remember that studying languages is not just about the language itself. It involves exploring many aspects of a country, and at Cardiff we aspire to offer a genuinely broad course that offers challenging and stimulating modules. On completion of this four-year programme, you will have a high level of proficiency in the language, as well as a critical understanding of key aspects of Italian history, culture, literature, politics and contemporary society. Distinctive features•the option to begin your study at either beginner or advanced level (meaning an A-level in your chosen language may not be required) •optional modules in film, literature, history of art, politics and history•emphasis on strengthening reading, writing, oral and aural skills through regular classwork exercises, written work, use of video and audio material, and interaction with native speakers (including Erasmus students hosted by the department) •core language modules delivered by native speakers•the chance to spend your third year either studying or working in a country that predominantly operates in your chosen language of study