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Italian Studies: UCL-Venice Double Degree BA

2021 entry | 2020 entry

The unique UCL-Venice Double Degree in Italian Studies integrates two different learning experiences, teaching methods, and modes of assessment, spanning two different countries and cultures. This challenging programme, taught between London and Venice, represents a new model for the teaching of language and literature in higher education. As the first two years of this programme are taught in Italy, prior knowledge of Italian is essential.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key Information

Programme starts

September 2020
UCAS code
R301
Duration
Full-time: 4 years
Application deadline
15 January 2020
Location
Ca' Foscari, University of Venice, Italy for years 1 and 2; London (Bloomsbury) for years 3 and 4

Entry requirements

A Levels

Grades
AAB
Subjects
Italian required.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6, plus Mathematics at grade C or 5. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs

Contextual offer

Grades
BBB (more about contextual offers)
Subjects
Italian required.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6, plus Mathematics at grade C or 5. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs

IB Diploma

Points
36
Subjects
A score of 17 points in three higher level subjects including Italian, with no score lower than 5.

Contextual offer

Points
32 (more about contextual offers)
Subjects
A score of 15 points in three higher level subjects including Italian, with no score lower than 5.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Pass in Access to HE Diploma, with a minimum of 18 credits awarded with Distinction in the Level 3 units, the remainder of the Level 3 units awarded with Merit. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated.

D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, including Italian.

A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher), including Italian at Advanced Higher

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAB, to include A level Italian.

International applications

In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency. Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

The English language level for this programme is: Advanced

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Degree benefits

  • You will gain an enhanced linguistic competence and the ability to mediate between different cultural contexts. These are qualities that are sought after by global employers. 

  • Venice, one of the most important cities of the medieval world, offers unparalleled cultural experiences in the form of history, art, architecture, and literature. 

  • Exceptional resources for Italian studies are available in the UCL Library, including five special collections on Italian studies. UCL also hosts a substantial video library of Italian films. The Warburg Institute Library is within short walking distance of the Italian department.

  • The department regularly welcomes distinguished visitors, including academics, critics, and writers. These visitors conduct seminars and workshops and otherwise contribute to the academic environment. You will be able to make the most of a partnership with FilmItalia.

Degree structure

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

During the first two years enrolled at Ca' Foscari, you will take compulsory modules in Italian literature, linguistics and history. You will also be able to choose from a range of optional modules, allowing you to develop areas of personal interest. The majority of teaching will be in Italian.

In your first two years you will be a fully enrolled University of Venice student. 

During the last two years at UCL, you will have the opportunity to consolidate your learning by choosing from a vast range of modules available from the Italian Department and SELCS. These modules may focus on literature, history, linguistics and film. 

Your final dissertation will be supervised by both UCL and Ca' Foscari. You will have the benefit of resources available to students at both universities. 

You will be fully supported and supervised during your studies in Venice and London by a Director of Studies and through a tutor system. This structure is there to help you choose a coherent curriculum and enable you to get the most out of both locations.

Covid-19 study abroad updates
For this academic year, if you were due to study abroad, you should have been contacted by your department with more information. Further guidance can be found on FAQs for 20/21 Study Abroad students about coronavirus (COVID-19).    If you are planning to study abroad in 2021/22, UCL and your department will be in contact with you at the start of the upcoming academic year with information on the application process.      If you plan to study abroad in future years, UCL and your department will provide relevant information and guidance nearer to the time.   

Modules

An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.

Core or compulsory module(s)

  • Letteratura italiana
  • Istituzioni di filologia
  • Linguistica italiana I
  • Storia della lingua italiana

Optional modules

You will choose one History module, subject to availability, from:

  • Storia Romana
  • Storia Contemporanea
  • Storia Greca
  • Storia Mediovale
  • Storia Moderna

and two Performing Arts modules, subject to availability, from:

  • Critica musicale
  • Fondamenti di storia della fotografia
  • Storia del cinema europeo
  • Storia del teatro e dello spettacolo

Core or compulsory module(s)

  • Critica e Teoria Letteraria
  • Letteratura Italiana Contemporanea
  • Italiano professionale
  • Analisi del film e del linguaggio audiovisivo
  • Co-tutoring of the final project

Optional modules

You will choose two Italian Literature modules, subject to availaibility from:

  • Letteratura italiana 1 (Mediavale)
  • Letteratura italiana 2 (Umanistica)
  • Letteratura italiana 3 (Rinascimentale e Barocca)
  • Letteratura italiana 4 (Illuministica e Romantica)

and one Latin or Classical Culture subject from: 

  • Lingua e letteratura latina
  • Introduzione alla cultura classica

Core or compulsory module(s)

You will take a linguistics module offered by UCL, and either English Academic Writing and Translation Skills or Second-Year Italian Language.

Optional modules

You will choose modules in Italian Literature, History, Sociology, and Culture from a selection that may include:

  • Dante, Purgatorio
  • Renaissance Authors
  • Italian Literature 1860-1925
  • The Italian Novel

(*at least two Italian Literature modules must be taken over Year 3 and Final Year)

  • Fascist anti-Semitism and the Race Laws of 1938
  • Docudrama in Contemporary Italian Cinema
  • Futurism in Italy

(*at least three Cultural/History/Sociology modules must be taken over Year 3 and Final Year)

Please note that these will be subject to availability.

Core or compulsory module(s)

You will take a Final Year linguistics module offered by UCL and Final Year Italian Language. You will also complete a Final Year dissertation.

Optional modules

You will choose modules in Italian Literature, History, Sociology, and Culture from a selection that may include:

  • Dante: Divina Commedia
  • Dante and Petrarch
  • Italian Poetry in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century
  • The Italian Novel
  • Michelangelo: Painter, Sculptor and Poet

(*at least two Italian Literature modules must be taken over Year 3 and Final Year)

  • Marriage and Divorce Italian Style (1861-1975)
  • Nation, Culture and Society
  • Cultures of Tradition and Modernity

(*at least three History/Sociology modules must be taken over Year 3 and Final Year)

Please note these are subject to availability


Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available

Your learning

The first two years are studied at Ca' Foscari and follow their degree structure. This will consist of 70% compulsory modules and 30% selected optional modules. Teaching is conducted via classroom teaching and in workshops — there is also the opportunity for internships.

The final two years are taught at UCL and will include language and cultural modules.Teaching is delivered in lecture and seminars.

Final dissertations are overseen by both UCL and Venice.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Communicating further COVID-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Assessment

You will be examined through continuous assessment, take-home essays, presentations and oral and unseen examinations. For some modules, you may choose between an extended essay and a formal examination. The final dissertation is optional; and if selected, it is written in English.

Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    

Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Italian Studies: UCL-Venice Double Degree BA.

Careers

By the final year, we aim to equip you with spoken and written language skills similar to those of an educated Italian. The language and transferable skills developed throughout the degree can be applied in a wide variety of professions both in the UK and abroad.

Our graduates find employment in numerous areas, including teaching, media, journalism and other arts-related fields as well as in the commercial and industrial sectors. Some students may continue studying Italian at graduate level by way of taught MA programmes and research leading to an MPhil and PhD.

UCL is commited to helping you get the best start after graduation. Read more about how UCL Careers and UCL Innovation and Enterprise can help you find employment or learn about entrepreneurship.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2020/21 academic year. The UK/EU fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2020/21 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

UK/EU students
£9,250 (2020/21 at UCL) 1st and 2nd year students pay fees directly to Ca’Foscari Venice; for 2020 entry are still to be confirmed (details: http://unive.it/); 3rd and 4th year fees are paid to UCL.
Overseas students
£21,260 (2020/21 at UCL) 1st and 2nd year students pay fees directly to Ca’Foscari Venice; for 2020 entry are still to be confirmed (details: http://unive.it/); 3rd and 4th year fees are paid to UCL.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc. on this programme, please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

Modern European Languages Scholarship

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships/undergraduate/MELS

Departmental scholarships

Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme.

Modern European Languages Scholarship

Value
£2,500 per year
Eligibility
UK, EU
Criteria
Based on academic merit

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Application and next steps

Your application

In your application, you should demonstrate an interest in developing an international understanding of literature, culture and history. A reasonably mature approach to studies, the capability to face the challenges of living abroad, and an interest in Italian are all of paramount importance. Involvement in cultural activities in the language (i.e. reading newspapers and magazines, watching television and films or engaging with relevant communities) is regarded favourably, as is travel to the country in question.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Application deadline: 15 January 2020



Selection

If your application demonstrates that your academic ability and motivation make you well suited to our degree and you receive an offer, then we will invite you to a Post Offer Open Day where you can experience the sort of teaching we offer as well as life in SELCS.

There is the possibility of interviews for students who know Italian but have no formal qualifications in order to verify that their competences are sufficient to enrol on this degree.

Our admissions process aims to assess your linguistic abilities and attainments as well as cultural awareness and intellectual potential. There may be an interview as part of the selection process. We may also interview candidates by telephone in order to establish a level of language ability.

For further information on UCL's selection process see: Selection of students.


Page last modified on 24 February 2020


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