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Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies MA

London, Bloomsbury

Deepen your knowledge about Italian culture and language through this degree that will enhance your employability prospects in professional or academic fields. The Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies MA offers a diversity of optional modules ranging from Italian literature to language classes. Taught at UCL – the original home of Italian Studies in Britain – this is a unique opportunity for learning at a renowned institution.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£15,100
£7,550
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£31,100
£15,550
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A knowledge of Italian at least equivalent to CEFRL C1 (Advanced) is required. Applications from students who do not have formal qualifications in Italian but who are competent in the language, will be considered.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


The MA Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies programme introduces students to texts from a variety of periods in Italian history and places them within a historical and philosophical framework. Students develop subject-specific, professional skills necessary for the pursuit of their chosen options, including sourcing material, fieldwork techniques, bibliographic skills and linguistic skills.

Who this course is for

The programme is designed for students wishing to further their interest in Italian literature, language and history, and for those intending to proceed to doctoral research. It can also enable students with first degrees in other disciplines to move on to a research degree in this field.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Italian has been studied and taught at UCL since 1828, 33 years before Italy became a unified country. That means that our department has a longer history than any other UK Italian department, and longer than most departments in Italy itself. UCL Italian Studies is thus the original home of Italian studies in Britain, and has a distinguished record in the field of graduate studies and research.

Students benefit from UCL's excellent Italian resources, including the Rotton and Ogden collections, and the Castiglione and Dante collections. This programme is housed within the UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society (SELCS), with 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021.

UCL's central location enables easy access to London's exceptional resources including the specialist collections of Italian material in the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. The British Film Institute Library holds major Italian film periodicals and numerous books on Italian cinema, and the nearby British Library houses the largest collection of early printed books in the world.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

With their specialist knowledge and language skills, Italian Studies Master's graduates can be found in the fields of business, finance, the media, international agencies, translation, heritage and academia.

SELCS graduates go on to work in varied roles across the public, private and charitable sectors, as well as working as language consultants and teachers.

Employability

Modern Languages graduates are highly valued by employers for their linguistic and cultural knowledge, and for their set of transferable skills. These include the ability to speak, understand and write in a foreign language, intercultural understanding, translation and communication skills, and analytical rigour.

The programme will be of interest both to those who wish to enhance their knowledge of Italian culture for professional purposes - in education, media, commerce and tourism, for example - as well as to students wishing to pursue their studies at doctoral level.

Networking

Our location offers students access to special collections in modern languages and culture at UCL and other world-class libraries nearby such as Senate House and the British Library. 

These resources, besides their collections of books, articles, videos, sound recordings and non-public online resources, offer a wide range of seminars, lecture series and other opportunities to exchange ideas. Other libraries and research centres within walking distance of campus include the British Museum, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies and The Institute of Historical Research.

UCL Careers also offers a range of services, providing access to skills development, recruitment and networking events.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and private study. The third term is devoted to revision sessions and the dissertation project. 

A 15-credit module is equivalent to 150 hours of study and a 30-credit module is equivalent to 300 hours. This includes contact time, private study and the undertaking of coursework assignments.

Students are assessed by a variety of methods, which may include coursework, presentations, written essays, unseen examinations and the research dissertation. Teaching sessions are interactive, with a limited amount of lecturer presentation and an emphasis on student participation and critical discussion.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week.

Those undertaking language modules may have additional contact hours. There is minimal teaching during Term 3, as students focus on the dissertation and assessments.

A Postgraduate Diploma, one core module (30 credits), three optional modules (90 credits) full-time nine months or part-time two years, is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate, one core module (30 credits), one optional module (30 credits) full-time three months, part-time six months, is offered.

Modules

The MA Language, Culture and History can be studied full-time for one year and students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

There are seven language routes on the MA programme:

  • Dutch Studies pathway
  • French and Francophone Studies pathway
  • German Studies pathway
  • German History pathway
  • Italian Studies pathway
  • Scandinavian Studies pathway
  • Hispanic Studies pathway

In Terms 1 and 2, you will take compulsory modules, which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation and to provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays and for the dissertation. You will then choose two modules from your language specific pathway and one optional or elective module.

These modules set the foundation of the whole MA, preparing you for further learning and for your dissertation. During Term 2, you will start formulating your dissertation proposal. In Term 3, you will be developing your dissertation outline and structure, with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation proposal to help cement your argument and subject area to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer researching and writing your dissertation on a topic of your choice.

The MA Language, Culture and History can be taken part-time, across two years. Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

In Year 1, you will take compulsory modules, which are designed to work as a postgraduate-level foundation and to provide you with the specific skills to research and write essays and for the dissertation. You will also choose modules from your language specific pathway.

In Year 2, you will take optional modules to develop your broader understanding and develop key concepts learnt in Year 1. You will also continue to formulate and develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will give a presentation to your peers and tutors on your dissertation proposal to help cement your argument and subject areas to cover. This is a non-assessed compulsory element of your MA. You will then spend the summer of Year 2 researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation on a topic to be determined in discussion with your supervisor.

Compulsory modules



Optional modules


Cinema and Literature from War to Reconstruction

Introduction to Renaissance Italy



Italian Literature 1860-1925

Docudrama in Contemporary Italian Cinema


Nation, Culture and Society in Italy, 1860-1914.





"Cavalieri" in Italian Cultural History, from the Unification to Berlusconi




Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Language, Culture and History: Italian Studies.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £15,100 £7,550
Tuition fees (2024/25) £31,100 £15,550

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

All full time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £1,000 for this programme. All part-time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £500.

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, or conference registration fees and associated travel costs.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Applicants to this programme are automatically considered for the Jean Orr Scholarship.

For details of this scholarship, please refer to our MA Scholarships webpage.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Italian Studies at graduate level
  • why you want to study Italian Studies at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

School of European Languages, Culture and Society
School of European Languages, Culture and Society

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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