IT 140 Italian Language and Culture for Study Abroad

IT 140 is designed for students who have little or no knowledge of Italy’s language and culture. This course is ideal for students who plan to travel to Italy and desire to expand their knowledge of Italy’s language and customs. Students will be introduced to Italian culture, key social issues, pragmatic information, essential vocabulary terms & phrases, pronunciation, and basic grammar. The course will explore themes of cultural intelligence and proper behavior abroad, such as the bella figura. Students will be evaluated through class participation, in-class quizzes and simulated dialogues, assignments and presentations. This course intends to mitigate cultural shock, make students more capable abroad and help Penn State students to become better ambassadors of their university and country. Ultimately, its goal is to send students abroad better prepared to confront challenges, enriching their experience abroad. There are no prerequisites.