Module manager: Dr Gigliola Sulis
Email: G.Sulis@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is approved as a discovery module
By attending this module, students will enter a journey of discovery of Italian culture and society from the Middle Ages to the contemporary multicultural present day. They will learn to analyse masterpieces of Italian art and literature, as well as popular works. Thanks to a selective overview of key moments and texts, this module will give students a broad understanding of the nation’s socio-historical and cultural dynamics, on the basis of which they will be able to build their independent studies in future years.
This module aims to:
- Introduce students to key approaches, themes and developments in Italian Studies
- Develop students’ awareness of Italian history, culture and society throughout the centuries (from the Middle Ages to our times, but with a focus on key periods)
- Present students with different objects of analysis and their respective methodologies (e.g. literature, arts, cinema, language, history);
- Encourage students to engage actively with scholarship in the field of Italian Studies and to develop an understanding of the key principles of academic research
- Develop students’ ability to create an argument and to present it professionally in oral and written form.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Knowledge of key developments in Italian history, culture and society from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.
2. Understanding of key approaches, concepts and themes in Italian Studies.
3. In-depth knowledge of a number of Italian cultural texts.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Communicate effectively through clearly written solutions
5. Identify, analyse and evaluate arguments in scholarly sources and develop their own position in response.
6. Contextualize extracts of texts (film, literature, and media) and provide an in-depth analysis of both the content and the expressive form.
7. Analyse diverse forms of discourse and make connections across different perspectives in order to explore ideas and identify problems.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will receive verbal formative feedback on their ideas in fortnightly seminars. They will receive written feedback on both assessments. Before each assignment there will be a dedicated session in which students will discuss with peers and tutors the specific task and their work in progress. Individual feedback on essay/commentary plans and practical support in developing ideas will be available from tutors.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1500 words | 50 |
| Assignment | Commentary: 1500 words | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 9/26/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team