Italian (minor only) | Manhattan College

Why Choose Italian?

Although Italian is the official language in only five countries, it has a broad cultural reach throughout the world. From Renaissance art to classical music and opera, an understanding of Italian will broaden your horizons, especially in the liberal arts.

The Classroom Experience

In addition to courses focusing on grammar, composition and conversation, Italian classes examine topics including:

Italian through film
Aspects of Italian culture
Italian civilization: Medieval, Renaissance and Contemporary
Masterpieces of Italian literature

And our small class sizes allow you to develop language competency as well as establish a close relationship with your professor.

Little Italy in Our Backyard

New York City has a deep Italian culture that manifests in many ways throughout the region. As an Italian minor at Manhattan College, you’ll have a variety of opportunities that take you out of the classroom and into the world including:

Proximity to Italian enclaves such as Arthur Avenue and Little Italy
Trips to museums and restaurants in New York City
Plays, concerts and lectures, both on campus and throughout New York City
International study abroad programs
Language conversation tables

Meet an Italian Minor: Rachelle Nuzzaro

"I have always been surrounded by the Italian language and culture within my family and in middle school, I began studying Italian. I became so interested in the language, that I started asking my grandmother to help me with translations and I ended up accumulating my own mini Italian/English dictionary! This is when I knew that all aspects of Italianità would follow me throughout my life. I further expanded my knowledge of the language and culture in high school where I was a part of the Italian Club and Italian Honor Society. In my freshman year at Manhattan College, I chose to have an Italian minor and I have taken seven Italian courses here! Professor Sardu has assisted me in tapping into my heritage by offering classes based on Italian history, culture, art, and film, as well as a course geared toward Italian immigration and what it means to be an Italian-American. One of the most influential Italian courses I have taken here is Sociology of Diasporic Arts in which we have class excursions to museums around NYC to learn about Italian art and its influence on society. This particular class gave me an opportunity to combine my Digital Media Art major and my Italian minor in an immersive way.

Being a student of Italian, a part of the Italian Club, and a member of the Italian Honor Society at Manhattan College has been crucial to my understanding of the language and culture; this program has provided me with a way to speak with and relate to my family, a connection I never would have had if I stopped my journey of learning Italian after high school. After graduating, I plan on using the knowledge I have gained to continue embracing my heritage and studying more Italian art!"
Meet an Italian Minor: Cal Lepkowski

"I studied Italian throughout both middle and high school. Thus, when I arrived at Manhattan for my freshman year, I thought "why not continue with it?" For one, it would look great on my resume; and two, it would allow me to discover more of my cultural and familial roots. Personally, that is what stood out to me about the Italian program the most - the opportunity to further delve into the history of my family. Choosing the Italian Minor was also a good choice to pair with my major in Communication.

One of the most important things that I learned while taking the Italian courses at Manhattan College was how we are a quick subway ride away from the cultural capital of the world. The cultural excursions and class trips we went on granted us the privilege to discover various aspects of Italian culture - art, music, food, you name it. Dr. Sardu is a fantastic professor and I will be forever grateful for her help in discovering my passion for Italy and its lifestyles."

What Will You Learn?

The Italian minor combines practical language skills with cultural studies. As an Italian minor, you will:

Become proficient in speaking Italian
Understand how this language works in comparison to English
Gain a critical understanding of and appreciation for the culture of the people who speak the language

See minor requirements

What Will You Do?

There is a high demand for employees who speak in more than one language. Regardless of your intended career path, multilingual proficiency makes you a stronger job candidate. A Italian minor is an excellent complement to just about any career whether in the liberal arts and sciences or in business, engineering, education or the health professions.

See the Spanish major or French major page for further information about careers specific to modern languages.