Italian

Abstract

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  Profile of the study programme

  Italian literary and philological studies at the University of Fribourg have a long tradition, marked notably by the work of eminent scholars, such as Gianfranco Contini, Giuseppe Billanovich and Giovanni Pozzi. In Fribourg, these eminent researchers founded a genuine school of analysis of literary texts. Using methods of philological research and formalist and stylistic criticism, combined with the historical dimension of literary discourse, this approach has achieved and continues to achieve extremely original results. Within the Faculty of Humanities, the Department of Italian follows the principles of this school, characterised by attention to ties between the theoretical and historical aspects of literary experience.
  The historical dimension, which covers eight centuries of Italian literary production, is taught by two professors. Based on key points of their research and taking into account the latest critical orientations, they provide a systematic framework for study of the Italian literary tradition along with an in-depth examination of the period from the Middle Ages through to the Renaissance, and of the modern and contemporary periods from the 16^th to the 21^st centuries. A third professor focuses on philology of literary texts and on the history of the language.
  Theoretical perspectives aim to approach the different literary genres, both in poetry and prose. Rigorous learning of metrics, rhetoric, stylistics, narratology and history of language make up the bases for all literary approaches and research.
  In both teaching and research, members of staff are attentive to the constitutive role that the Italian language and culture play in Switzerland and to the literary and intellectual heritage they possess.

  Fribourg profile
  The bachelor study programme offers teaching in literature and philology characterised by its attention to the specific methods of analysing poetry and prose. An introduction to Italian philology and to the history of the language provides the necessary knowledge with which to handle all literary texts. Lectures on the history of literature provide the essential references to Italian tradition; in addition, specific lessons offer an approach to all of the key moments in this history, involving a critical comparison of the masterpieces in Italian, from Dante and Petrarca, to Leopardi and Montale. In addition, several courses and seminars explore the multiple facets of contemporary language and literature, as well as the Italian theatre tradition of the modern and contemporary periods, from the 16^th century to the present.
  From the first semester, teaching is mainly in the form of seminars, which encourages active participation and learning on the part of students and stimulates them to develop their potential through individual work or work in small groups.
  Throughout the three-year bachelor's course, students will have the possibility of choosing from several lectures and seminars each semester within the same module. Lectures and seminars are in Italian. Students must also write their work and take their exams in Italian.

  Learning outcomes and career openings
  The bachelor's course is organised into basic modules (lectures and seminars to analyse poetry and prose) and orientation modules (philology and history of the language, theatre literature, literary history, etc.). With the skills acquired at the end of the bachelor's course, students will be able to work independently on ancient and contemporary literary works and have a critical approach to Italian literature. Mastery of several analytical instruments is essential for understanding the structures and functions of the language and texts.

  This study programme opens up possibilities in a number of professions, in addition to teaching, for example written journalism, audio-visual media (radio, TV, Internet), the book and publishing sectors, archives and libraries, translation, administration, organisation of cultural events, etc.

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