Fall 2012

FALL QUARTER 2012 COURSES

 

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LOWER DIVISION COURSES
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ITALIAN 1: Elementary Italian (5 Units)

Course Description: This course is an introduction to Italian language. Students attending these courses will learn the language with an emphasis on communicative, interactive classroom activities. Students will come into contact with the language not only through drills and exercise, but also via games, role-playing, and active class participation. The overall goal of these courses is to provide the students with "survival" skills in the target language and, at the same time, acquaint them with Italy and its culture. Also, these courses emphasize listing and speaking, and employ specific proficiency guidelines in determining the students' oral level during their coursework and at the end of the courses. 

The syllabus for Italian 1 comprises the Preliminary Chapter and Chapters 1 through 6 of the textbook, and the related chapters in the Workbook/Lab Manual. In this course you will learn pronunciation, and formal and familiar use of the language in introduction. You will also learn how to ask and answer questions and ask for simple directions. Definite and indefinite articles, nouns and adjectives, plural formation, indicative present of the verbs, numbers, days of the week, months, seasons, how to tell times, weather-related expression, use of the prepositions, and many idiomatic expressions will give you the ability to communicate at the basic level. Short dialogues, daily practice, conversation and use of videos make class attendance indispensable.

Attendance and participation: The study of a foreign language is different from the study of other disciplines and is based on some specific requirements of which the most important is students’ involvement. Students enrolled in Italian 1 need to come to class on a daily basis in order to benefit from the exposure to the language. They also need to come to class prepared, i.e., having done the assigned homework, but especially ready to participate in the daily activities, be they games, role-playing, conversation, drills, etc. For this reason, after three unjustified absences, any further unjustified absence will cause a student’s participation grade to drop, and his/her overall grade will suffer accordingly (see below for grading system and grading scale). Laboratory is required. Instructors will collect the lab work (i.e., Esercizi Orali) as scheduled in the Syllabus. Failure to comply with the lab requirements will result in a failing lab grade.

Course Placement: Students who have successfully completed, with a C- or better, Italian 2 or 3 in the 10th or higher grade in high school may receive unit credit for this course on a P/NP grading basis only. Although a passing grade will be charged to the student's P/NP option, no petition is required. All other students will receive a letter grade unless a P/NP petition is filed. For more information, please contact the instructor or the Italian staff adviser directly.

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 5 hours; Laboratory - 1 hour.

Texts:

• Janice Aski & Diane Musumeci, Avanti: Beginning Italian - 2nd Edition (Textbook)
• Janice Aski, Diane Musumeci, & Carla Wysokinski, Avanti: Beginning Italian - 2nd Edition(Workbook/Laboratory Manual)

 

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ITALIAN 3: Elementary Italian (5 Units)

Course Description: The syllabus for Italian 3 comprises Chapters 13 to 18. More emphasis on moods and tenses of the verb will increase the students' linguistic awareness with contrastive study of past perfect and present perfect, future perfect, and "simple" future. The conditional (present and perfect), the present of the subjunctive, the passive form and the impersonal constructions of the verb, superlative and comparative structures, suffixes in nouns and adjectives, more uses of prepositions with nouns and verbs will complete the basic knowledge of Italian and increase the students' ability in reading, understanding, speaking and writing, short compositions. Daily class attendance is indispensable in this course.

Attendance and participation: The study of a foreign language is different from the study of other disciplines and is based on some specific requirements of which the most important is students' involvement. Students enrolled in Italian 2 need to come to class on a daily basis in order to benefit from the exposure to the language. They also need to come to class prepared, i.e., having done the assigned homework, but especially ready to participate in the daily activities, be they games, role-playing, conversation, drills, etc. For this reason, after three unjustified absences, any further unjustified absence will cause a student's participation grade to drop, and his/her overall grade will suffer accordingly (see below for grading system and grading scale). Laboratory is required. Instructors will collect the lab work (i.e., Esercizi Orali) as scheduled in the Syllabus. Failure to comply with the lab requirements will result in a failing lab grade.

Prerequisite: Italian 2 or Consent of Instructor.

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 5 hours; Laboratory - 1 hour.

Texts:

• Janice Aski & Diane Musumeci, Avanti: Beginning Italian (Textbook)
• Janice Aski, Diane Musumeci, & Carla Wysokinski, Avanti: Beginning Italian (Workbook/Laboratory Manual)

 

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ITALIAN 4: Intermediate Italian (4 Units)

Course Description: This is the first course of 2nd year Italian. Student will review grammar and syntax through written exercises and short prose works. This course is intended to develop the linguistic foundations of students who have completed the first-year language classes. 

Prerequisite: course 3 or Consent of Instructor. 

Format: Lecture/Discussion - 3 hours; Term Paper.

Texts:

• Francesca Italiano and Irene Marchegiani, Crescendo! (Textbook)
• Francesca Italiano and Irene Marchegiani, Crescendo! (Workbook, Lab Manual)

 

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UPPER DIVISION COURSES
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ITALIAN 108: Contemporary Issues in Italian Culture and Society (4 Units)
Prof. Antonella Bassi, aabassi@ucdavis.edu

(TR 9:00-10:20, 207 Olson) CRN 28436

Course Description: Italian 108 is a course designed to acquaint students with Italian society and culture, both past and present, with an emphasis on contemporary issues. Italian 108S intends to challenge stereotypes, foster cultural understanding, and strengthen the students' ability to analyze, criticize, and discuss (both orally and in writing) specific cultural topics. The course will encourage a comparative methodological perspective that at all times reflects the larger Italian social context, while contrasting Italian cultural issues with comparable issues in the USA and elsewhere. This course will also offer the students several modes of participation (cooperative, collaborative, and individual). 

While the core topics of ITA 108 will be addressed and discussed in class, peripheral topics will be assigned as extra readings, special projects, or personal research (e.g., a topic that relates specifically to a particular student's academic background).

The core topics of ITA 108 are: Myths and realities of imagined Italies (The geographies of Italy); Italian identities (political, religious, ethnic, social, gender identities); Immigration and race relations; The media and the images of Italy; Politics and parties, government and the people; Popular culture: Style, fashion, music, sports, food.

In order to maximize the course's benefits, it is imperative that students come to class prepared, and participate in class discussion. Failure to do so will negatively affect the course grade.

Prerequisite: NONE (The course will be taught in English).

GE Credits (Old): ArtHum, Div, and Wrt.
GE Credits (New): ArtHum or SocSci, Oral Skills, Visual Literacy, World Cultures, and Wrt.

Texts:

• Beverly Allen and Mary Russo (eds.), Revisioning Italy: National Identity and Global Culture (Univ. of Minnesota Press, 1997)
• David Forgacs and Robert Lumley (eds.), Italian Cultural Studies: An Introduction (Oxford, 1996)
• Beppe Severgnini, La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind (Broadway Books, 2006)
• Antonella Bassi, Culture and Society in Italy: A Student Companion for Italian Culture Courses (Available on SmartSite)
• RECOMMENDED: Harry Hearder, Italy: A Short History, 2nd Edition (Cambridge, 2001)

 

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ITALIAN 115A: Studies in the Cinquecento (4 Units)
Prof. Juliana Schiesari, jkschiesari@ucdavis.edu

(TR 10:30-11:50, 244 Olson) CRN 43343

Course Description: Analysis of key texts from the high moment of the Italian Renaissance. The political and aesthetic legacy of humanism will be foregrounded in relation to authors such as Ficino, Ariosto, Machiavelli, Aretino, Castiglione, and Tasso.

Prerequisite: Italian 9 or Consent of Instructor.

GE Credits (Old): ArtHum
GE Credits (New): ArtsHum, World Cultures, and Wrt.

Texts:

• (TBA)