New Majors – Freshmen and Sophomores
- When is the earliest I can declare the major?
Following the completion of one year of Elementary Italian, Italian
Studies 1 and 2, or their equivalent. Note: we encourage
students who have taken Italian 1 and 2 to declare upon completion
of Italian 2.
- When is the latest I should declare the major?
If you are coming to a decision to major in your sophomore year,
you must declare no later than following the completion of Italian
Studies 4. Students must formally declare the major before taking
upper division Italian language courses. Optimally, it’s
best to declare while enrolled in Italian Studies 4. Note:
whenever possible, we encourage students who have taken Italian
1 and 2 to declare upon completion of Italian 2.
- How do I declare the major? Are there any forms or documentation
needed?
1) Learn about the requirements: Familiarize
yourself with the major requirements from our website and/or undergraduate
booklet (available in our main office, 6303 Dwinelle Hall).
2) Ask questions of the staff adviser: if you
have preliminary questions before formally declaring, discuss
these with the Italian Studies Undergraduate Affairs Officer,
Kathi Brosnan, by visiting her office (6233 Dwinelle Hall) or
by email (issaug@uclink.berkeley.edu).
3) See our faculty adviser to declare: Once
you are ready to declare the major, or if you still have some
unsettled issues regarding your academic preparation or future
plans, drop in during the office hours of our Faculty Adviser.
Be sure to bring a BearFacts copy of your transcript with
your name imprinted on it. He/she will go over your transcript,
work up a study list plan, and help you realize your plans to
major, double major, or incorporate study abroad courses from
UC programs in Italy. Your adviser will have the university Declaration
of Major forms in his/her office which you will complete at the
time you declare.
The undergraduate advisor for the current semester (Fall 2004)
is:
Professor Steven Botterill
6315 Dwinelle Hall
- What courses can I apply to the major from one of the UC Study
Abroad programs in Italy?
Up to 12 upper division transferable units can be applied to
the major requirements. Although each university program has different
offerings, most students can plan on coming back with at least
1 advanced Italian language course plus 2 upper division courses
which can apply. However, since there are many contingencies involved
in planning course work abroad and it’s application to our
major requirements (and for those with double majors), students
have a formal consultation with our Faculty Adviser early on to
insure that the courses can be credited towards major requirements.
- I might want to double major. How do I go about preparing
for this possibility?
Planning should take place as early as possible in your freshman
or sophomore year. Keep in mind you will need time to complete
necessary prerequisites for both majors, particularly those courses
which are taught in sequence for example, Italian 1 is the prerequisite
for Italian 2, Italian 2 for Italian 3, etc. With early planning
and consultation with our faculty adviser, students are often
able to combine their interests in two majors, incorporating summer
school courses as necessary, study abroad course work, and determining
courses which may be counted towards upper division requirements
in both departments.
Acquaint yourself with the criteria for double majoring outlined
in your particular college announcement or the L&S
Earning Your Degree handbook. This will answer many of your
questions concerning GPA eligibility, the maximum number of units
one may acquire with two majors, the application or removal of
Advanced Placement units which may leave room for the additional
coursework required to complete a double major, etc.
New Majors - Juniors and Seniors
- I've already declared a major in another department, but now
I want to double-major in Italian studies. What should I do?
You will need to discuss this as soon as possible with the faculty Undergraduate
Adviser and with a College Adviser in the Office of Undergraduate Advising,
113 Campbell Hall (642-1483). Double majors require College approval, and
there is - of course! - a set of forms to be filled out. In particular,
the College will wish to be sure that your proposed double-major plan will
not take you over the maximum allowed number of units for your degree. However,
in most cases obtaining approval is straightforward, and many of our students
have successfully completed a double major that they decided upon relatively
late in their undergraduate career.
- How can I best prepare myself for graduate study in the Humanities and
Social Sciences?
A helpful tool that will show you how to shape your undergraduate education
with graduate school as your goal can be found in Step
by step: A Guide to Getting Ready for Graduate School.
Majors – Junior Transfers
- I'm a junior transfer student. Will I have needed to complete
a semester of Advanced Italian (equivalent of Italian 4) at
my community college in order to qualify for entrance to the
major or admission to the University?
No. Most students from community colleges haven’t acquired
more than 1 year of elementary Italian plus a half-year of intermediate
Italian before transferring. Students may begin with Italian 4
their first semester of study at Berkeley.
Little known factoid: take prerequisite courses before
transferring! Most community colleges have a cross-registration
(sometimes referred to also as a concurrent enrollment) program
which allows their students to take one or two courses needed
for fulfillment of prerequisites for transfer to a four-year college
or university. Consult with your community college counselor for
details. If you live within the vicinity of a California State
college or University of California campus you can, with permission
of your counselor, take prerequisite courses while attending
community college. This may be particularly helpful to
you if you wish to complete Italian 3 or 4 before gaining admission
to UC Berkeley.
- I've taken Italian at a community college. How will I know
which language level I am ready for my first semester at Berkeley?
Once you’re admitted to UC Berkeley, Italian language screening
and placement testing (as needed) is available through Dr. Armando
Di Carlo, Director of the Italian Language Program in our department.
You may contact him in advance of your first semester at Berkeley
to receive placement information. To start, contact Dr.
Di Carlo. Include the name of the college you’re attending,
the course number of the highest course level in Italian taken,
and the name of the textbook(s) used in that course. This will
help him more easily assess your placement, and in many cases,
without requiring a formal test.
- When should I declare the major after I’m admitted?
See our faculty adviser during his/her drop-in office hours during
the first 5 weeks of your second semester at Berkeley. Note:
if you’ve completed the equivalent of Italian 4 at a community
college (or have taken the course through cross-registration),
and have transferred in with at least 60 units, you may declare
the major during the first 5 weeks of your first semester at Berkeley.
- Will I be able to study abroad in Italy on the UC Education
Abroad Program?
With early planning and consultation with our faculty adviser,
transfer students are often able to incorporate at least a semester
of study abroad in Italy, sometimes a full academic year. Factors
such as the total transferable units credited can determine whether
a student has enough time over 5 semesters to acquire all the
course work needed to fulfill major as well as college and university
credits and still study abroad.
We advise students to simultaneously consult with both your college
advising office by appointment, and with Scott
McElhinney, the campus Education Abroad adviser for programs
in Italy, to determine your eligibility to study abroad. Our three
offices work together to assist students who wish to extend their
study in this program.
Minors
- I'm potentially interested in the minor in Italian Studies.
What's my first step?
Review the requirements for the minor
from our website and/or our undergraduate program booklet. The
undergraduate booklet is available in the department office, room
6303 Dwinelle Hall. Look at your overall required courses for
your major, college breadth requirements, university requirements,
and elective course totals to assess whether you might have enough
unit flexibility to incorporate minor course work. Note: even
if you’re not entirely sure a minor will work for you, do
not hesitate to see a faculty adviser to see if there is a way
to incorporate a minor in your four-year plan.
- I’ve reviewed the requirements and I want to minor.
What do I do next?
See the faculty adviser during drop-in advising hours. Bring
your BearFacts transcript with your name imprinted on it for this
consultation. The faculty adviser will review your transcript
and discuss ways to incorporate courses needed for the minor into
your overall study list plan.
- Would I be able to study abroad in Italy as an Italian Studies
minor?
With early advance planning with our faculty adviser, students
who are pursuing a major in another department and pursuing a
minor in Italian Studies may also be able to study abroad in Italy.
Be sure to both consult our faculty adviser and the adviser in
your major department even if you are simply in the exploration
stage of pursuit of a minor and/or study abroad.
Do you still have questions? Please contact our Staff Adviser,
Kathi Brosnan.
