Italian

Italian opens access to one of the world's great literary and cultural traditions. From Dante and Petrarch through to the Renaissance, the Risorgimento, and the rich field of contemporary Italian literature, cinema, and art, Italian culture has shaped European and global civilisation in profound ways. As a major European language spoken by more than 60 million people, Italian is also a valuable professional asset in business, diplomacy, fashion, design, food, music, and the arts.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year MA (Hons) programme develops your language and communication skills to a high level of proficiency, with opportunities to engage with specialist topics in Italian literature, culture, history, politics, and film. You will develop your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills systematically throughout the programme, engaging with authentic texts and media from across the Italian literary and cultural tradition. Close textual analysis, critical writing, and engagement with Italian and comparative scholarship are central to the degree.

A year abroad is built into the programme, giving you extended immersion in an Italian-speaking environment that deepens your fluency and cultural understanding. Entry typically requires around 200 UCAS tariff points.

Italian graduates work in translation, interpreting, journalism, publishing, education, the diplomatic service, international business, cultural institutions, and a wide range of professional roles in which advanced Italian and cultural knowledge are valued. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are also transferable across many sectors. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in Italian, comparative literature, European studies, or linguistics.