French and Italian Program

The professors in the French and Italian Program combine excellence in teaching with active research, allowing students the opportunity to expand their language skills while also deepening their knowledge of the cultures and literatures of the places where these languages are spoken. Program offerings range from elementary and intermediate language courses to advanced courses in culture, literature, and film of all periods. Many students take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad and then return to the program to continue to develop their knowledge and skills.

Courses in French are offered on a broad panorama of topics, including topics such as Québec literature and culture, French literature of the Holocaust, the turn-of-the-century “Belle Epoque,” French and Francophone cinema, medieval literature and culture, and writers of French-speaking Africa and the Caribbean. Vermont’s French-Canadian heritage and proximity to French-speaking Québec give students special opportunities to put learning into practice.

Courses in Italian include topics such as Dante, contemporary Italian food culture, Italian cinema, and the representation of marginal figures in early and contemporary Italy.