Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Oral Presentation (in English) 15 Minutes | 20% |
| Semester Assessment | Written Essay 1500 Words | 40% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours Written Examination | 40% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Oral Presentation (in English) 15 Minutes | 20% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Written Essay 1500 Words | 40% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Written Examination | 40% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate good awareness of some of the key issues and events that have shaped Italian culture and society.2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of selected authors’ works.
2. Analyse literary, cultural, historical, political and artistic sources and make appropriate use of secondary material.
3. Identify connections between the cultural, historical and political components of the module.
4. Express key ideas clearly both in writing and speaking through the medium of English and/or Italian.
Brief description
The module introduces students to some of the key issues and events that have shaped Italian culture and society by focusing on the past and present of five of the nation's most important cities: Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, and Naples. It will analyse themes such as the rise to power of Italian cities from the twelfth to the early fifteenth century; the establishment of the court; Humanism and the Renaissance.
Content
The course will consider aspects of the cultural heritage of Italy highlighting the significant contribution of the cities, selected individuals and events to modern society. The case studies are drawn from Italian literature, art and politics and focus on figures who have had a major impact on European culture. Some of the themes discussed will be the cultural context and main themes of Dante's Inferno and Machiavelli's The Prince and their contribution to the cultural heritage of Italy, including these authors' critique of factionalism and regionalism; the basic principles behind Renaissance art 1300 - 1550, its humanist characteristics and the part visual culture played in the creation of regional identity.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | |
| Communication | Students will be expected to engage in class discussions and to communicate their ideas both orally and in written tasks. Various learning activities will help students developing these skills. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students are expected to attend lectures and seminars and to submit work following the deadlines set by the department. Students will be expected to produce work, both written and oral, that is the result of independent and personal reflection on the material covered during lectures/seminars and independent research. |
| Information Technology | Use of Blackboard and other video/audio and web-based material. Students will be encouraged to use PowerPoint or similar software in preparation of poster/presentations. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Development of communication, problem-solving and analytical skills. Development of cultural awareness. |
| Problem solving | Students will be provided with guidance in developing the skills to analyse texts/works, to select primary and secondary texts, and to find adequate forms of presenting their work. |
| Research skills | Students will perform independent research in preparation of their essays and presentations. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will expand their knowledge of Italian language and culture throughout the module and will be expected to demonstrate this knowledge acquisition and application in their assessed work. |
| Team work | Developed through seminar discussions and constructive feedback from peers on presentations. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5