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, Giovanni Pozzi and Aldo Menichetti. In Fribourg, these researchers founded a genuine school of analysis of literary texts which, using methods of philological research and formalist and stylistic criticism, has achieved and continues to achieve extremely original results. Within the Faculty of Humanities, the Department of Italian pursues the principles of that school, characterised by consideration of the ties between the theoretical and historical aspects of literary experience.
  The historical dimension, which concerns the eight centuries of Italian literary production, is taught by two professors who, according to the key points of their research and taking into account the most recent orientations of criticism, offer 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 the philology of literary texts and on the history of the language. Students can also deepen their knowledge of modern and contemporary Italian theatre literature from the 16^th century to the present by attending specific courses and seminars under the guidance of one of the Department's teachers.
  The master programme has a dual purpose: it has a specifically literary focus on the one hand, while offering an introduction to the multitude of cultural aspects that constitute «Italian-ness» with an interdisciplinary approach fostering the connections to history, art history, philosophy (especially mediaeval) and musicology.

  Fribourg profile
  The master programme applies the didactic approach characteristic of the Fribourg school. Students are encouraged to develop their ability to work independently and to interact in small groups in research seminars. The primary strength of the programme is its in-depth study of literature, including not only textual research but also the historical dimension of literature (between philology and critical interpretation). Particular emphasis is placed on the texts and themes of mediaeval and Renaissance literature on the one hand, and modern and contemporary fields, especially poetry, on the other.
  The study of various aspects of Italian culture, which are well represented in the range of courses offered by our Faculty, constitute the second key area of the master programme. This programme can be combined with a course in literary didactics if so wished. Complementary modules in linguistics can also be chosen in collaboration with the University of Bern. In the Department, the courses are taught in Italian; outside the Department, the interdisciplinary modules of Italian studies are taught in French or German. However, tests and seminar work may be done in Italian.
  The study programme includes a thesis, under the supervision of one of the three professors or the senior assistant, which examines in greater depth the methods and subjects addressed during the course.

  Learning outcomes and career openings
  The skills acquired at the end of the master programme allow students to conduct personal research, often oriented towards the editing and annotation of ancient and modern texts. To this end, the programme makes a strict connection between literary historiography, critical interpretation and textual philology. The critical skills and advanced analytical tools acquired guarantee the necessary knowledge for the advanced study of all literary production in the Italian language and for reasoned and original commentary. Moreover, the theoretical perspectives examined throughout the master's course enable students to develop their own critical reflection on the approaches to and methods of Italian studies, and thus to position themselves in the contemporary scientific discourse.
  Excellent results in the master's course give students access to doctoral studies. A doctoral school in Italian Studies was set up in 2013 in collaboration with the universities of Geneva and Lausanne.
  The holder of a Master of Arts in Languages and Literature: Italian from the University of Fribourg is qualified to undertake teacher education for baccalaureate schools (DEEM/LDM). Their expertise also qualifies them for posts of responsibility in the world of culture, written journalism, the audio-visual media (radio, TV, Internet), the book industry and publishing sector, archives and libraries, as well as in translation, administration, etc.

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Curriculum

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Alternatives

Minor study programmes to be chosen