ITAL 301U: Advanced-Intermediate Italian I

Introduction
This is one of the four courses which are part of the Full-Immersion Italian Semester Program at the Universita’ per Stranieri di Perugia. The program consists of four month-long courses, such as this one, each awarding 4 credits for a total of 16 semester credits.

The program is designed for students who want to focus exclusively on Italian language and culture through full-time study at the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, for a semester or more. Participants are immersed in an international environment with university students from all over the world whose primary goal is to become fluent in Italian. This program is intensive and widely recognized as one of the best ways to become fluent in Italian and to fully appreciate everyday life in Italy. Coursework is supplemented by a wide variety of extra- and co-curricular activities offered both by Umbra and the Università per Stranieri.

Students are required to follow classes at the Università per Stranieri and the mandatory weekly recitation sessions at the Umbra Institute. Additionally, students will have the option to attend weekly tutoring sessions as needed. 

Structure
At the end of each one-month course, students are assessed and take an examination to advance to the next course in the progression.  Example: Students that begin at level B1.1 (ITAL 301) will, at the end of one month, advance to level B1.2 (ITAL 302). In some cases, a student may be required to continue at the same level if they have not achieved sufficient proficiency to pass to the next level.

Course Description
This is a 4-week-long intensive advanced intermediate Italian course offered by the Umbra Institute in cooperation with the Università per Stranieri di Perugia (UniStraPG). Students with three to four semesters of college level Italian language instruction as well as some heritage speakers might test into the first module of the B1 advanced intermediate level (based on the Common European Framework for Languages – CEFR). Weekly recitation sessions and tutorial hours (upon request) at Umbra supplement traditional in-class language instruction conducted at the Università per Stranieri and assure students are prepared for Italian-style university examinations.

The program teaches Italian through student life experiences in Italy and around the world: free time, personal tastes and interests, hobbies, daily life, social life, relationships, shopping habits, eating preferences, describing oneself and others, talking about one’s past, talking about current events. This course places a special focus on teaching the basics about Italy (its culture, its cities, and its territory), as well as Italian traditions and habits. Vocabulary will focus on social situations likely to be encountered, work and professional environments, habits, and social and moral norms.  

Course Objectives
By the end of the B1 level, students will be able to take part in a casual conversation for a reasonable period of time. They will understand texts that express a range of personal opinions and write short, professional, and personal emails as well as texts stating facts and events. During the B1.1 level, students will improve fluency, intonation, and pronunciation, and use more complex tenses and modes to talk about the past. They will notice that they understand the target language faster and catch and retain the main points of clear standard speech encountered in work and leisure.

Course Materials
Course textbooks and readings for all levels are determined by UniStraPG Instructors. Local bookshops stock the standard textbooks prescribed for the courses.

Prerequisites
Three semesters of college level Italian or Placement test.