Romance Languages: Italian Studies

The Graduate Program in Italian Studies in the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Pennsylvania offers students a range of curricular options that provide a broad academic base in Italian literature, intellectual history, film, cultural studies, and critical theory, as well as the most current pedagogical theory and practice. Students are encouraged to shape a curriculum that will prepare them in a primary period of interest as well as a secondary focal area. Students may complement their studies with up to four courses outside the Italian Studies section--for example, in another Romance language, Comparative Literature, English, and History. Certificate programs in the areas of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, Global Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Cinema Studies and Urban Studies, for example, are also available. Interdisciplinary study is encouraged through participation in the wide range of seminars, lectures, and colloquia sponsored by the various Graduate Groups and affiliated research institutes and centers at Penn, including the Center for Italian Studies, and at the many cultural institutions in the Philadelphia area.

Great resources are available to the graduate students in Italian, including the world-renowned Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. The Program in Italian Studies collaborates actively with the Kislak Center to provide students with hands on experience with rare material in conjunction with classes, talks, conferences, and book exhibits. Additionally, individual dissertation research abroad is encouraged and summer research funding is available competitively through the Salvatori Fund or other sources.

Offline Recommendation

Penn strongly prefers that recommenders submit letters of recommendation online through the admissions system. If, however, your recommender is unable to submit an online recommendation, please follow these instructions:

1) Select the “Recommendation Form PDF Download” and download the form.
2) Complete the first section. Be sure to include the address of the appropriate admissions office — refer to the "Contact Graduate Admissions" list below. 
3) Print out the form and provide it to your recommender.

Please note:

• If you are applying to a program in Nursing, print out and provide your recommender with these special instructions for completing your letter of recommendation.
• If you are applying to a program in the School of Social Policy & Practice, print out and provide your recommender with these special instructions for completing your letter of recommendation.

4) Your recommender should send the form directly to the admissions office you designate, along with the letter of recommendation.