Master's Degree Course in Italian for Teaching to Foreigners (ItaS)

Linguistic and Glottodidactic Area

• develop a specialized mastery of the Italian linguistic system as it relates to phonological, morphological, syntactic, textual, and lexical aspects, as well as the relationships between language and context (situational, social, and cultural)
• know and be able to apply operational principles and models of glottodidactics and educational linguistics, in relation to the various groups of foreign learners to whom the teacher of Italian as a foreign/second language (LS/L2), both within and beyond national borders, must be able to address
• acquire solid theoretical foundations and develop practical-operational skills that allow, also through the use of new technologies, the creation and proposal of educational activities and systematic assessment tasks consistent and congruent with well-defined learning paths and objectives, as indicated and described in the CEFR and other European documents
• acquire the theoretical foundations for the assessment of language competences and the related operational skills in order to develop language tests, demonstrating and ensuring their validity
• be able to reflect on the pragmatic relationships between linguistic expression, intention, and social context, comparatively across different languages and cultures
• be able to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue in multiethnic and multilingual social contexts
• know and be able to illustrate the historical process of formation and development of the Italian language, the factors in linguistic unification, and the relationships between language, dialects, and regional varieties from both a historical and contemporary perspective
• know and be able to illustrate the domains and phases that have characterized the expansion and vitality of Italian abroad as a language of culture and as a vehicular language, as well as the current demand for Italian abroad and the main motivations for learning our language and civilization
• know the sociolinguistic framework of present-day Italy and the languages of new media, also with reference to the development of innovative didactic tools
• develop specific knowledge regarding the languages, socio-cultural realities, and literary civilization of a European country (and/or of the Far East or the Arab world)

Philological-Literary Area

• know authors and works of Italian literature in relation to genres and the historical-cultural context of the various eras, also from a comparative perspective
• know the main critical-interpretative methodologies for texts of the Italian literary tradition
• know the main methods of critical editing of a text, also in relation to the links between philology and linguistic history
• be able to interpret literary texts, placing them in an appropriate critical perspective and applying the main tools of historical, philological, linguistic, rhetorical-stylistic, and hermeneutical analysis, also for devising effective didactic strategies for teaching literature and Italian cultural heritage to foreigners

Historical-Political and Historical-Artistic Area

• know and be able to interpret the historical events that have marked Italy from the 19th to the 21st century, both regarding national events and the country's place in the broader European and international context
• know and be able to illustrate the manifestations and evolutionary processes of Italian civilization, with reference to the history of ideas, cultural traditions, and political ideologies, in their specificity and constant interaction with relevant historical contexts, with particular attention to figures and movements of wider international resonance
• know the main artists and stylistic movements of Italian art, with particular reference to the rich Umbrian artistic heritage, and know how to navigate the comparison between different periods and trends
• be able to outline and encourage a personal approach to Italian musicians of the past, compared with the modern and current trends of the artistic market: economics, business, advertising, and music management

In the Linguistic curriculum, the student will also acquire knowledge of a distant language (Chinese or Arabic or Japanese) and will focus their preparation and the development of practical skills in specific sectors and directions of theoretical and applied linguistics.

In the Cultural-Identity curriculum, the student will deepen their theoretical preparation, increasing operational and research skills in the most significant sectors of our cultural tradition, in relation to the historical factors that hold national identity together and its projection abroad.

In both pathways, a solid glottodidactic and cultural curriculum is enriched by seminars, workshops, and professionalizing activities focused on a specific interest in teaching Italian to foreigners.

Reciprocal crossovers between the two paths are possible thanks to elective courses.

The main objective of the master’s degree program is to train future teachers of Italian as a second language (teaching class A23).

On the other hand, graduates of ItaS can also pursue careers in teaching classes A12 (Literary subjects in upper secondary schools) and A22 (Italian, history, and geography in lower secondary schools).

An in-depth knowledge of Italian civilization also enables graduates to find employment with organizations that promote the Italian language and culture abroad and the enhancement of Italian cultural heritage.

Professional profiles:

• teacher of Italian as a non-native language in state schools in Italy and abroad (teaching class A23, "Italian language for foreign (alloglott) learners")
• teacher of Italian, history, and geography in lower secondary schools
• teacher of literary subjects in upper secondary schools
• teacher of Italian as a non-native language in private schools and organizations, territorial centers (CPIA), and other cultural or humanitarian institutions in Italy and abroad, also with organizational and managerial responsibilities for language and culture courses
• expert linguistic collaborator in Italian language and culture courses, at university language centers, and in centers for the assessment and evaluation of language skills
• Italian language lecturer at universities and schools abroad
• cultural officer at Italian representative offices abroad, including Italian Cultural Institutes, and at organizations and foundations involved in promoting the Italian language and culture abroad
• editor and journalist in the field of traditional or multimedia publishing, specializing in Italian language education or culture
• consultant and collaborator in public and private schools for the integration and linguistic support of foreign students
• linguistic and cultural mediator and facilitator
• researcher or field worker in research projects related to various areas of Italian studies and theoretical and applied linguistics

Based on the agreement signed with the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula (Croatia), a double degree program has also been established, which allows students to obtain both the ItAS master's degree, awarded by the University for Foreigners of Perugia, and the master's degree in Italian Language and Literature (LILE) at the Faculty of Interdisciplinary, Italian, and Cultural Studies of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula (Croatia).

According to the agreement with the University of Lorraine (France), a double diploma program has also been established, enabling the awarding of both the ItaS master's degree, issued by the University for Foreigners of Perugia, and the Master MEEF - Métiers de l’enseignement, de l’education et de la formation, mention 2nd degree, Italian Path, awarded by the University of Lorraine (Nancy campus).

* The ECTS credits assigned to foreign language courses include 3 ECTS carried out by the native speaker instructor/lecturer.

** The elective training activities are independently chosen by the student from among bachelor’s degrees of the same level activated by the University.
Furthermore, the Degree Course recommends the indicated choices as they are considered coherent with the content and educational objectives of the degree program.

Students can check in their study plans which courses are compulsory, optional, or elective.

To access the master’s degree course in Italian for Teaching to Foreigners, you must have either a bachelor’s degree, a three-year university diploma, or another academic qualification obtained abroad that is deemed suitable.

To enroll in the above-mentioned course, the student must also:

• meet the required curricular prerequisites
• undergo a non-selective interview to verify their personal preparation. The candidate may take this exam only if they meet the curricular prerequisites. There is also a non-selective practical test aimed at assessing computer skills

Curricular prerequisites

In order to enroll in the master’s degree course in Italian for Teaching to Foreigners, the student must have prior curricular knowledge totaling 54 CFU (university credits) in the following SSDs (Scientific-Disciplinary Sectors):

A tolerance of up to 10% (equal to 6 CFU) of the required university credits is allowed. Any language and/or IT certifications and/or internship experiences deemed relevant to the indicated fields and sectors may be included in the count. Any necessary integrations in terms of CFU, required to meet the curricular prerequisites, must be acquired before enrolling in the master’s program and before the individual preparation assessment, at any university, in the form of “single courses” within first-level study programs.

For instructions on how to enroll in “single courses” at this University, please refer to the study manifesto.

The possession of the curricular prerequisites will be verified by the Degree and Teaching Secretariat of the University, to whom students may send their documentation by email to segreteria.laurea@unistrapg.it or deliver it directly to the Secretariat (Palazzina Orvieto, Viale C. Manuali, 9 - 06123 Perugia).

To verify the curricular prerequisites, students must present:

• a copy of the degree certificate (for graduates) including the exams taken, with an indication of the credits obtained and the relevant scientific-disciplinary sectors
• a copy of the list of exams taken and to be taken (for those graduating), indicating the credits already obtained and to be obtained and the relevant scientific-disciplinary sectors.