Careers in Italian
It would be hard to exaggerate the importance of Italy in the development of Western civilisation. Italian has been for many centuries the language of culture, and in recent times Italy has become one of the world's leading industrial and economic powers. Because of the many links between Australia and Italy there are numerous opportunities for economic and cultural development between the two countries.
Italian may be taken as part of a major in the Faculty of Arts and can be studied for up to four years (Honours) at the undergraduate level and continued at postgraduate level. The Italian Section offers courses for students who have passed Year 12 VCE Italian, students who have done some Italian previously, and for students who have never studied the language before. In the Faculty of Arts, Italian combines well with subjects such as English, History, Fine Arts, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Classics, Politics and other Romance languages such as French and Spanish.
Italian may be usefully combined with degrees from other faculties: Law, Music, Economics and Commerce, Engineering, Medicine, Education and Science, among others. Undergraduate students from all faculties are able to study Italian concurrently with their degree by enrolling in the Diploma of Modern Languages (Italian).
The Italian Section employs advanced teaching methods and has on its staff experts in language teaching. It also enjoys the services of an Italian government lettrice who plays an important role in the Section's academic program and in the coordination of subjects.
The study of a language and its culture at university is an important factor in the intellectual development of a student. Graduates in Italian are equipped, by virtue of their specialised intellectual and linguistic training, to enter a wide range of professions including the diplomatic service, international bodies and the Public Service. Italian graduates also have the opportunity to enter training courses for interpreters, journalists, librarians, teachers, and so on. There are also employment opportunities in such areas as radio and television, the airline industry, public relations, travel and tourism, and in business. Knowledge of a second language can be advantageous when applying for a variety of positions.
In the state of Victoria, Italian is the most commonly used language after English, and is widely taught in primary and secondary schools as well as in tertiary institutions throughout the state. There will always be a need for teachers of Italian within the education system.
Arts Careers
University of Melbourne Careers