Italian Studies

Program Overview

The Master of Arts program offers advanced education in all areas of Italian literature and provides training in research techniques.

The Doctor of Philosophy program prepares students for a career in teaching and scholarship. Graduates are expected to have acquired autonomy in conducting research, preparing scholarly publications, teaching undergraduate courses in all areas of Italian studies, and in designing and teaching graduate courses in their fields of specialization. The program is designed to provide a broad knowledge of the discipline, specialized knowledge of a single field, and training in all aspects of scholarly research in the discipline.

Quick Facts

Master of Arts

Program Description

The MA program offers advanced education in Italian literature and provides training in research techniques.

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Italian Studies' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Successful completion of 7.0 undergraduate full-course equivalents (FCEs) in Italian, including the following: 3.0 FCEs in Italian literature (students must have at least 0.5 FCE in each of three out of four different periods: medieval, Renaissance, seventeenth to eighteenth centuries, nineteenth to twenty-first centuries) and an appropriate upper-year 1.0 FCE in language.

• Minimum B+ standing in their University of Toronto 300- and 400-series courses (or in equivalent courses).

• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from instructors most familiar with the applicant's work.

• A personal statement of intent.

• The department will determine whether applicants need to complete prerequisite work in order to qualify for admission. Applicants will be advised accordingly.

Program Requirements

MA Without Thesis

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • ITA1000H Methodologies for the Teaching and Study of Italian (0.5 FCE)

  • 3.5 graduate FCEs including a mandatory extra-departmental course (0.5 FCE) and up to two other extra-departmental courses (1.0 FCE) chosen in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

• A student's program of study must be approved by the department.

MA With Thesis Option

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • ITA1000H Methodologies for the Teaching and Study of Italian (0.5 FCE)

  • 2.5 graduate FCEs including a mandatory extra-departmental course (0.5 FCE) and up to two other extra-departmental courses (1.0 FCE) chosen in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

• MA thesis, subject to approval by the MA thesis supervisor.

• A student's program of study must be approved by the department.

Program Length

3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S);
15 sessions part-time

Time Limit

3 years full-time;
6 years part-time

Doctor of Philosophy

Program Description

The PhD program prepares students for a career in teaching and scholarship. Graduates are expected to have acquired autonomy in conducting research and preparing scholarly publications. They are trained to teach undergraduate courses in all areas of Italian studies and to design and teach graduate courses in their fields of specialization.

The program is designed to provide a broad knowledge of the discipline, specialized knowledge of a single field, and training in all aspects of scholarly research in the discipline.

Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of two routes: (1) following completion of an appropriate MA degree or (2) direct entry after completing a bachelor’s degree.

PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Italian Studies' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Successful completion of the University of Toronto MA or its equivalent with an overall average of at least A– in courses. Please note that an A– average does not guarantee admission to the program.

• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from instructors most familiar with the applicant's work.

• A personal statement of intent.

• A statement of research and proposed plan of study.

• A writing sample.

• A curriculum vitae (CV) in English.

• Notes:

  • Applicants with an Italian laurea magistrale/specialistica may apply for admission to the PhD program.

  • Applicants with a degree equivalent to a PhD (for example, an Italian dottorato di ricerca, a PhD, a diploma di perfezionamento, etc.) cannot be accepted to the PhD program.

Program Requirements

• Coursework. Students normally complete a total of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 3.5 graduate FCEs including a mandatory extra-departmental course (0.5 FCE) and up to two other extra-departmental courses (1.0 FCE) chosen in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

  • ITA1000H Methodologies for the Teaching and Study of Italian (0.5 FCE);

• Language requirements. Students must show evidence of written and oral command of Italian; and, not later than the beginning of Year 3 of PhD registration, must have demonstrated a reading knowledge of Latin and one other language approved by the department.

• Program progress. All students must maintain a minimum A– average in order to remain in the program.

• Upon completion of all course requirements, and not later than Year 2 of the PhD program, students will complete the series of written and oral qualifying examinations.

• Thesis and a Doctoral Final Oral Examination on the thesis. Permission to write the thesis in Italian (subject to final approval by the School of Graduate Studies) may be granted to students who first pass a supervised essay-type English examination to demonstrate proficiency in writing correct and idiomatic English prose.

Program Length

4 years

Time Limit

6 years

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Italian Studies' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Exceptional students may be admitted directly to the PhD program from the BA with a minimum A– average. Such applicants will apply to the MA program, but indicate in a separate letter to the Graduate Coordinator that they wish to be considered for direct admission to the PhD program.

• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from instructors most familiar with the applicant's work.

• A personal statement of intent.

• A statement of research and proposed plan of study.

• A writing sample.

• A curriculum vitae (CV) in English.

• Notes:

  • Applicants with an Italian laurea magistrale/specialistica may apply for admission to the PhD program.

  • Applicants with a degree equivalent to a PhD (for example, an Italian dottorato di ricerca, a PhD, a diploma di perfezionamento, etc.) cannot be accepted to the PhD program.

Program Requirements

• Coursework. Students normally complete a total of 8.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 7.5 graduate FCEs, including a mandatory extra-departmental course (0.5 FCE) and up to two other extra-departmental courses (1.0 FCE) chosen in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

  • ITA1000H Methodologies for the Teaching and Study of Italian (0.5 FCE);

• Language requirements. Students must show evidence of written and oral command of Italian; and, not later than the beginning of Year 3 of PhD registration, must have demonstrated a reading knowledge of Latin and one other language approved by the department.

• Program progress. All students must maintain a minimum A– average in order to remain in the program.

• Upon completion of all course requirements, and not later than Year 2 of the PhD program, students will complete the series of written and oral qualifying examinations.

• Thesis and a Doctoral Final Oral Examination on the thesis. Permission to write the thesis in Italian (subject to final approval by the School of Graduate Studies) may be granted to students who first pass a supervised essay-type English examination to demonstrate proficiency in writing correct and idiomatic English prose.

Program Length

5 years

Time Limit

7 years