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Continuing Studies
Your lifelong learning community

Italian for Reading and Translation

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Upcoming dates (3)

Register Now
For registration assistance: 608-262-2451

Schedule

Jan. 15–April 30
All participants must be registered by Jan. 22 at 11:59 p.m. CT

Register through: January 22, 2025

All times shown in central time.

Fee

$475; Graduate students $375

Instructor

Lisa Ferrazzano

Cancellation Policy

  • Cancel before the course opens: and receive a full refund minus a $25 administrative fee.
  • Cancel up to 4 business days after the course opens, and receive an 80% refund minus a $25 administrative fee. No refunds after 4 business days.

Summary

Gain the basic skills you need to read and translate Italian texts to English. Learn fundamental Italian grammar and vocabulary while translating texts from disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. This course is excellent preparation for an Italian graduate-level reading knowledge exam.

When you have completed this course, you will have a solid foundation in the Italian language. Digital textbook included.

While no prior knowledge of the language is required, familiarity with common grammar terminology in English is highly recommended. Basic to high-intermediate Italian speakers can use the course to review essential grammar, build vocabulary and increase accuracy in translation. The higher level of Italian you have, the more you will gain from this course.

This course is open to all. You do not have to be a UW–Madison student to register. The graduate student fee is applicable to graduate students from any institution.

Note: You will not be able to view the course on your Canvas Dashboard or access the materials until the course start date.

Overview

Course overview

This course will give you systematic approaches to analyzing Italian text and the tools with which you can expand your understanding. Using texts from various disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, you learn the fundamentals of Italian grammar and how to use a dictionary and how to decipher the meaning of a text. You will learn how knowing certain grammar points, knowing how sentence structures work and knowing essential vocabulary words will give you the keys to understanding Italian.

Using our Open Educational Resource (OER), Italian for Reading Knowledge, the course will introduce scholars with no background in Italian to important grammatical concepts, reading strategies and vocabulary for scholarly reading. There are no synchronous class sessions and you will work through the weekly material at your own pace.

With the aim of preserving the essence and integrity of the original text, you will become proficient at understanding, critically analyzing and accurately translating from Italian to English.

No prior knowledge of Italian is required.

Course objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Read and understand, with the help of a dictionary, scholarly texts pertinent to their field of research.
  • Identify fundamental Italian grammatical structures and syntax.
  • Recognize essential Italian vocabulary words.
  • Have increased confidence in translation abilities.

Required reading

Is this course right for you?

If you answer "yes" to the following questions, you are a good candidate for our online course:

  • I am a skilled reader who is at ease with written instructions and lessons.
  • I am a self-directed learner, with the initiative to visit a course site regularly.
  • I am comfortable participating in a course in writing.
  • I can continue learning independently while waiting for feedback on assignments.
  • I am organized and able to meet deadlines.
  • I enjoy working on a computer.
  • I have 5 to 12 hours weekly that I can devote to this online course.

If these statements do not accurately describe you, please consider taking an in-person class.

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Earn Continuing Education Hours

By participating in this class you will earn:

Instructional Hours 30
University of Wisconsin Continuing Education Units 3

Explanation of Continuing Education Hours

Upcoming dates (3)

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Program Questions?

Contact Chris Moore at christopher.moore@wisc.edu or 608-262-7389

Registration Questions?

Email registrations@pyle.wisc.edu or call 608-262-2451.

Continuing Studies FAQs

Meet your instructor

Lisa Ferrazzano

(MA, Middlebury College; PhD, City Univ. of New York Graduate Center) has instructed Italian language and literature in a variety of settings over the past 25 years. Her background in linguistics gives her a unique perspective on the Italian language and a passion for working with adults learning a second, third or fourth language.

What Attendees Are Saying

I found the instructor to be very responsive, caring, and professional in this online Italian Reading & Translation course. She answered the questions I had, so that I had the understanding for me to continue and to find success in the course.
Ms. J. Ingrid Lesley, Librarian
The instructor was very friendly and positive when providing feedback.
Mark, student
This course fit very comfortably into my schedule. I always had ample time to submit the assignments. I have learned a lot and gained more confidence thanks to the instructor's feedback and I think with a little more practice I should be ready to begin my career in Italian translation.
Kelly Francis, Translator/Educator
The instructor was fabulous. She returned graded work promptly, was always encouraging us to reach out, and really provided great clarity when I asked specific questions. Grazie mille!
Hayley Barnett, Grad Student