nyu italian undergraduate research conference

The Italo-Argentine Community

Panel: Beyond Borders | Q&A: Wed. April 13 @ 6:00 PM

The Italo-Argentine Community : Tracing History Through Newspapers

Sophia moore (romance languages and journalism), abstract and author bio.

Abstract: Italian immigration’s influence on modern Argentine culture is hard to overstate: over 60% of Argentina’s population today has at least one Italian ancestor, with the Italian language being the second most common first language in the country. Italian significantly influenced the Argentine Spanish dialect, especially in the port city of Buenos Aires, providing many slang and loan words and affecting speech patterns and accents. In fact, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica , “Italian influence on Argentine culture became the most important of any immigrant group.”

This essay traces the linguistic, economic, and social history of Italo-Argentine culture beginning with the first wave of immigration in the late 19th century, integration through the two World Wars, finally into the present day. Special focus is placed on Italo-Argentine cultural institutions which have persisted despite recurring anti-immigrant sentiment, including the L’Italiano Italian-language newspaper and Italian Chamber of Commerce in Argentina. A conversation with a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Marcelo Bomrad, was an integral part of this research.

Author Bio: Sophia is a third-year undergraduate student at CAS, studying Romance Languages (Italian and Portuguese) and Journalism. She is also pursuing an accelerated Masters degree at NYU in International Relations and professional coursework in Translation at NYU SPS. Her writing has been published in several commercial and academic publications. She is currently studying abroad at NYU Florence after spending part of her first year there with the Liberal Studies First Year Away program. In New York, she work-studies at the Italian Studies Department, and hopes to one day work for the US Foreign Service.

Iguazu Falls, Misiones, Argentina

Introduction:

How does the language of immigrants maintain itself while facing the pressure of assimilation?

In his statement last summer that “we Argentines came from boats, and they were boats that came from Europe," Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez expressed a popular, albeit erroneous, perspective reflecting the history, culture and ethnic makeup of Argentina as Euro-based. This point of view was roundly criticized as reductive, stereotypical, and ignoring the history, contributions, and suffering of millions of African, Indigenous, and other non-European Argentines.

While agreeing with this denunciation, I recognize the widespread acceptance and celebration of Argentina’s Euro-centric culture. This prompted me to explore the longevity and impact of these European-Argentine communities during a virtual semester abroad at NYU Buenos Aires. This project is excerpted from a longer research essay entitled Newspapers, Immigrants, and Expats: Non-Spanish-Speaking Populations in Argentina , created under the guidance of Professor Jorgelina Loza from June to August 2021.

Argentina is also home to substantial immigration from Asia, especially Korea and Japan, the Levant, and other Mercosur nations. However, due to constraints on time and resources, this project focused on the Euro-Argentine community. I sincerely hope that a future project will be able to encompass more of the broad scope of the entire Argentine experience.

With a specific focus on their non-Spanish-language news publications, this project seeks to examine the status of non-Spanish speaking communities in Argentina and Buenos Aires particularly. What kind of groups make up these communities? Are they inward facing, or integrated with national culture? Are they transient, new arrivals, or have their families lived in Argentina for generations? And, broadly, what is Argentina’s history as relates to a multifaceted, multilingual national culture?

As for methodology, I utilized a literature review process in order to analyze and extrapolate pertinent information from an existing academic body of work concerning European ethnic groups in Argentina and the status of their respective languages. I was able to locate and speak with members of the Anglo-, Irish-, Italo- and German-Argentine communities, all of which have news publications currently produced in their own native languages. Additionally, I facilitated several original interviews with individuals who might be considered experts in the field, including editors of foreign-language publications in Argentina, members of official foreign-heritage associations, and expatriates living in Argentina.

All images used under fair use and courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Euro-Argentines

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica , Argentines are “a people who are almost all of European ancestry.” It was “a great wave of European immigration after the mid-1800s” that “molded the present-day ethnic character of Argentina.” Indigenous and Black Argentines were gradually integrated into the larger white population as substantial amounts of Europeans immigrated into the country.

Britannica reports that “almost half of the European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were Italian, and about one-third were Spanish.” Other important ethnic groups were the British, Russians, Poles, Germans, and French. By the 1910s, about a third of the population was foreign-born, and in large cities the ratio could be closer to two-thirds. According to the 1914 Argentine census, 80% of the population at that time were either immigrants themselves, or the children or grandchildren of immigrants. Between the 1850s and 1950s, over 6.6 million Europeans arrived in Argentina, taking part in one of the largest influxes of immigration in history.

In Buenos Aires, the largest port city and a hub for immigration, “Immigrant Hotels” were built in the early 20th century to accommodate these waves of European migrants, which numbered in the hundreds of thousands per year. The capital was popularly dubbed “the Paris of South America”, and the inhabitants porteños, emphasizing the importance of immigration, principally from Europe, by sea.

In the year 2000, according to Brittanica , over 86% of Argentines were of purely European descent, plus an additional 6.5% mestizo population, meaning a mix of European and Indigenous heritage. Clearly, Spanish conquest and later waves of European immigration left a lasting mark on the ethnography, and therefore culture, language, and traditions, of the Argentine people.

Despite Spanish’s status as the de facto official language of Argentina, and Spain’s undisputable influence over Argentine culture, other European cultures have certainly taken root and perhaps even surpassed Spain’s influence.

Italo-Argentines

Argentina, as well as other American countries, began to receive a large influx of Italian immigrants in the period between the 1880s and 1920s, amounting to over 2 million individuals within that time period. The majority of those who emigrated to Argentina originally hailed from central and northern Italy, according to “The Integration of Italian Immigrants into the United States and Argentina: A Comparative Analysis”, a 1983 paper by Herbert S. Klein.

According to Klein, “farmers and farm laborers made up … over two-thirds of the Italians arriving in Argentina.” This was consistent with the labor force in their native Italy, where over half of the total adult male workforce labored in the agriculture market. Many were attracted to Argentina by the relative abundance of farmland and opportunities within reach to become self-sustaining farmers. They “were concerned with accumulating savings through the higher wages available in the Americas,” and “assumed that those savings would be invested back in Italy.” However, “in the Argentine situation the relative economic opportunities were such that many immigrants were attracted to invest their savings in the local economy,” staying in Argentina and becoming a part of the permanent national fabric.

Later, Italians went on to “dominate the manufacturing sector” in Argentina, the gateway to future business control and economic power.

Klein suggests that Italians’ shared Latin language and Catholic faith with the existing Spanish Argentine culture allowed them to assimilate easily. “In Argentina, the Italians were among the first massive group of immigrants to arrive and could establish immigrant norms of integration,” Klein wrote. In fact, Italians made up 39% of foreign-born residents and 12% of the entire population in the 1914 Argentine census.

As a result, “rapid integration of the resident Italian population into the national economy” of Argentina soon followed. “Italian-born Argentine residents were well represented in every occupation of the nation and were generally over-represented in the category of land owners,” wrote Klein, even though around half of all Italian immigrants from this period eventually returned to their homeland. By 1914, the Italians had shown “extraordinary success for a people who had only just entered the national economy and were still overwhelmingly of the first generation.”

Italians had shown “extraordinary success for a people who had only just entered the national economy and were still overwhelmingly of the first generation.”

Italo-argentines today.

Italian immigration to all countries dropped off after the first World War and the development of Fascism in Italy, stopping by the start of the Great Depression. After World War II, another 380,000 Italians emigrated to Argentina. In 2011, the National University of La Matanza estimated that up to 30 million Argentines today, or more than 60% of the country’s population, have at least one Italian ancestor. Over 500,000 Italian citizens were living in Argentina in 2004, according to a report by the Catholic Diocese of Turin. According to Brittanica, “The Italian influence on Argentine culture became the most important of any immigrant group, and Italian is still widely spoken in Buenos Aires.”

The Italian language is spoken by more than 1.5 million Argentines, being the second commonest native language. Beyond that, the sheer amount of Italians in Argentina even affected the Spanish dialect of the nation, especially in the area around Buenos Aires, providing many slang and loan words as well as affecting speech patterns and accents.

One publication, L’Italiano , was founded as an Italian-language newspaper, based in Italy but published in Argentina, in 2006. While there were most likely Italian-language periodicals published in Argentina in the past, the author has yet to find a reliable record of these. Additionally, it is unclear whether L’Italiano is still in print, as the official website appears to be defunct and no member of the paper’s staff was available for comment. One interviewee, Marcelo Bomrad of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Argentina, worked at L’Italiano as co-director from 2013 to 2016, but did not have any current information.

What is known for sure is that L’Italiano was created in 2006 by an Italian man, Gian Luigi Ferretti, to not only serve Italians in Argentina but worldwide: it would be “the only newspaper for Italians in the world published in Italy and distributed abroad to address all Italians in the world and not those of certain countries or areas.” Ferretti, the director, hoped for an eventual circulation of 100,000 copies by the second year of operation, and said he would employ “professional journalists and first-rate publicists” and other “important people” with experience in the journalism field.

In 2010, the paper switched gears, becoming fully focused on the Italo-Argentine experience while still being published fully in Italian. In a YouTube video Ferretti explained that the objective of the paper would now be to “ensure that our reality as Argentine Italians is also known in Italy”, and to “bring Italians in Argentina to the Italians in Italy.” Editor-in-chief Stefano Pelaggi explained in the same video that the new iteration of L’Italiano would be entirely focused on Argentine happenings: “We look forward to new news, always from Argentina.”

According to archives of the official website, L’Italiano was/is a daily paper running from Tuesdays through Saturdays in the Buenos Aires metro area, with a reported circulation of 10,000 copies in addition to on-line access.

Finally, the publication also took it upon itself in 2011 to curate a collection of historical and social research about global Italian emigration entitled “Italia nel Mondo.” Ferretti and Pelaggi explained that the project’s purpose would be to “make available to a wide public a series of works to promote the historical understanding of the Italian migratory phenomenon, the perspectives of the organizations that deal with Italians in the world, the possibility of interaction between Italian descendants and institutions that deal with the promotion of Italian culture abroad and the internationalization of markets.”

Clearly, from these examples alone it is obvious that the presence of an Italian-language newspaper in Argentina facilitates the continuation of not only spoken and written Italian, but also an appreciation of Italian culture and values, as well as exploration into the Italian diasporic community of the area. This is not to say that these activities and interests would not have occurred without L’Italiano , but rather to emphasize the point that a vibrant, involved local news publication can have a profound effect on a community’s sense of culture and belonging.

On the whole, Argentina has succeeded in developing a multiethnic, multicultural “melting pot” society. One aspect not mentioned in the above sections was the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment in the early 20th century from established Argentine intellectuals, who blamed recent immigrants for Argentina’s economic woes. This faction called for the “return to the values of the Argentine gaucho or cowboy,” according to “Making Sense of Modernity: Changing Attitudes toward the Immigrant and the Gaucho in Turn-Of-The-Century Argentina” by Jeane Delaney.

A rise in anti-modern, xenophobic, nationalistic sentiment rose in Argentina, brought to life by dual sterotypes of “the immigrant as the despoiler of Argentina and the gaucho as the embodiment of traditional values,.” Anti-immigrant sympathizers did not only fear class conflict and economic displacement by immigrants, but also a changing moral and cultural landscape in Argentina.

Proponents of anti-immigrant sentiment sought to push the blame for Argentina’s problems to marginalized members of society — immigrants — “fail[ing] to distinguish between the problems created by massive immigration and those generated by … modernization.” These antimodernists aligned themselves with what they determined to be traditional Argentine values, “promoting themselves as the defenders of the true Argentina.” However, as can be seen through this research, that version of Argentine history is, to use Delaney’s words, “more artificial than authentic.”

Conclusions

The true Argentina is a mix of cultures and languages overlapping, some shrinking and growing with time, yet their mark never fading completely from view.

Various European ethnic group-based communities in Argentina are alive and well in the 21st century despite a trend toward assimilation with broader Spanish-language Argentine culture. The persistence of language-based organizations and news publications have contributed to a certain permanence of non-Spanish ethnic groups in Argentina. Newspapers especially have anchored communities over the course of decades, even centuries.

For the most part, the ethnic communities in Argentina studied here are made up of third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation immigrants, with some members whose heritages stretch back further and some recent immigrants and expatriates. These groups, while mostly remaining bilingual, have integrated into Argentine society and with one another through intermarriage. Italians have even permanently affected the base fabric of Argentine culture!

Both sheer numbers of immigrants speaking in their native tongues and the forces of pride, utility and ease of using a communal language were key factors in retention of non-Spanish languages in Argentina. Further, due to resources within communities, including acquired wealth and a larger share of the Argentine population, non-Spanish languages and cultures amassed influence and control over commerce and other sectors of Argentine society. International relationships helped cement this intra-dependency: for example, foreign investment in Argentine infrastructure and reciprocal trade agreements resulting in prosperity for both parties. The utility and benefits of knowledge of world languages in order to facilitate business and other relationships encouraged even those Argentines without non-Spanish heritage to partake. Other unifying factors, such as religion, also influenced outside cultures’ integration in Argentine society.

This project is an excerpt of a larger research essay entitled Newspapers, Immigrants, and Expats: Non-Spanish-Speaking Populations in Argentina , published in December 2021 in Esferas, the Academic Journal of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at NYU, Issue 12: Migración y Asilo . Click the link to see the entire issue!

Esferas Issue 12: Migración y Asilo

Interview with Marcelo Bomrad

The following is adapted from a July 2021 interview with Marcelo Bomrad, of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Argentina.

Related to the Italian community here, I'm a member of the executive committee of the Italian-Argentine Chamber of Commerce, the first Italian chamber of commerce outside Italy. It was founded in 1884. I am also part of the board of a soccer club called Sportivo Italiano, one of the three clubs that are related to our community.

I'm a representative of the largest Italian political party in Argentina, Salvini Premier. It is a main political party in Italy and Europe; in the elections in 2019, it was the most voted party in Europe. In Argentina, there are 1 million Italians—Buenos Aires is larger than Florence! Then, I also have my business. I got my MBA at Harvard Business School, and have a small pharma company focused on medicines for rare diseases.

I was born here in Argentina. I am 4th generation Italian, like basically 90% of the Italian community. My grandparents they arrived at the Buenos Aires port, after that moved to the plains. They were Piedmontese farmers, they were used that lifestyle. The influence of people like them is the biggest you can imagine here. Argentina was a booming country when my grandparents came, other destination countries were the United States, Canada, and others. In terms of these, Argentina is the only country with more than 50% population with Italian origin. If you see the Argentine celebrities—the Pope, Messi, former president Mauricio Macri, former vice president Gabriela Michetti—they are Italian descendants.

Regarding the Italian language: neither of grandparents spoke Italian as they came before unification. They spoke Piedmontese, which is closer to French. Another side of my family was from Lombardy with another dialect, and some Venetian. Many people from southern Italy had their own dialect, from Naples and Calabria. Even in Italy post-reunification, speakers of different dialects could not understand one another. There's no similarity.

Italy kept the language of those who spoke Florentine Italian. Then you had plenty of schools here trying to keep the culture the language, not because you spoke it at home, but because you like your roots. Some people have ancestors from Tuscany. In general, out of the Italian population here only a small percentage speak Italian.

Language here is such different Spanish from Spain and Mexico. We use a lot of Italian words, and even dialect Italian words. The way we pronounce the "ll", we say a "sh" sound!

It's such a big community. Buenos Aires is one of the largest Italian cities, even though it's in Argentina—kind of counterintuitive. It's like the other Italy. Italian culture influenced us so much because we are more than 50% of the population. The Chamber of Commerce sponsors Italian cultural events. For example, the Ferrero company is a member of the chamber. We do an Italian week with local restaurants.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Italian Studies (PhD)

Program description.

The Department of Italian Studies at New York University is recognized as one of the finest Italian programs in the country. It offers programs leading to the Master of Arts degree in Italian Studies and the PhD degree in Italian. Courses are taught by an outstanding faculty with specialization in key areas of Italian literature and cultural history. Specific strengths of the faculty lie in the fields of medieval and Renaissance studies, 20th-century literature, film, and culture; postmodern Italy; the application of new technologies to the humanities; and cultural theory. In addition to courses taught by faculty members, the program offers courses taught by eminent visiting professors from Italy and the United States. The Tiro a Segno fellowship in Italian-American culture allows the department to appoint prominent visiting professors to teach courses concerning the experience and contribution of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans to American culture and society.

The Italian program attracts full-time graduate students of superior quality from all parts of the world. In addition to training capable and creative scholars, one of the program's objectives is to promote the effective teaching of Italian at all levels. To this end, students teach several Italian language and literature courses, normally during the second and third years. The Italian program also welcomes qualified part-time students who wish to obtain a master’s degree. An interdisciplinary approach is recommended: students are encouraged to enroll in additional courses outside of the department, e.g., courses in history, cinema, comparative literature, and the fine arts.

NYU offers graduate students in Italian a number of unique resources. At this time, PhD students may pursue dissertation research and do independent work at magnificent Villa La Pietra, NYU’s center for study abroad in Florence, and at the Università di Firenze. Graduate students may also take advantage of the resources of Casa Italiana, one of the most active Italian cultural centers in New York. Casa Italiana hosts colloquia, lectures, film series, concerts, and art exhibits throughout the year. In addition, two conference series are now hosted by the Department: an annual graduate spring conference and a biennial joint conference organized by the Department in conjunction with the Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane (SUM), intended to bring together Italian and US scholars within the disciplines of history and literature.

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the  general application requirements , which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores  (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation , and
• A non-refundable  application fee .

See Italian Studies for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Medieval and renaissance studies concentration, foreign language requirement, qualifying portfolio, qualifying essay, doctoral examination, prospectus defense, dissertation, departmental approval.

The program requires the completion of 72 credits (at least 32 credits in residence at New York University). It is recommended that every student plan to spend at least one semester in Italy for research and/or course work. The program offers an optional concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (see below for concentration requirements).

The concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies is interdisciplinary in nature and creates a framework and community for diverse approaches to the study of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It complements doctoral students’ work in their home departments with interdisciplinary study of the broad range of culture in the medieval and early modern periods, as well as of the theories and methods that attend them. The concentration is designed to train specialists who are firmly based in a traditional discipline but who can work across disciplinary boundaries, making use of varied theoretical approaches and methodological practices. 

Or other approved course.

2 points per semester taken twice in an academic year.

At least one course, not counting either the Proseminar or Workshop, must be taken outside a student’s home department. In addition, students pursuing the concentration will present a paper at least once either in the Workshop or in a conference offered by the Medieval and Renaissance Center.

Additional Program Requirements

Students are required to demonstrate proficiency sufficient for research purposes in a language other than English or Italian. The choice of language is subject to approval by the student’s academic adviser or the director of graduate studies and depends on the student’s interests and area of specialization. Students specializing in the medieval and Renaissance periods are usually advised to demonstrate proficiency in Latin. Students specializing in the modern period are usually advised to choose from among French, German, or Spanish. Other languages must be approved by a departmental committee. Proficiency in Latin may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

• passing a regularly scheduled test prepared by the Department of Classics at the level of intermediate Latin or
• showing an official college transcript with at least one course in Latin literature with texts read in Latin.

Proficiency in French, German, or Spanish may be demonstrated by any of the methods described in the Degree Requirements section of this bulletin or by passing with a grade of B or better a graduate course taught in that language.

To complete the course distribution requirement, students will submit all eight seminar papers written for the eight courses in the four required chronological periods, including instructors’ comments, as a dossier to be reviewed by faculty at the time of the formation of the Committee for the Doctoral Examination.

After completion of the Distribution Requirement, students will enroll in a one-semester course supervised by two faculty members, during which students will write a 25-page Qualifying Essay based on a trans-chronological theme grounded in knowledge of the whole historical range of Italian Studies and connected with the student’s intended dissertation research.

A Committee of at least three faculty members will review the Qualifying Essay, the Qualifying Portfolio and a sample teaching syllabus prepared by the student. The Examination will be an oral discussion with the Committee engaging the student’s chronological depth of knowledge of the field, based on the Essay, Portfolio, and Sample Syllabus. All candidates for the doctorate are expected to demonstrate sufficient comprehensive knowledge of Italian culture and history as well as good familiarity with an array of methodological, critical, and theoretical approaches. This examination may be repeated once after a period of no less than three months.

Following successful completion of the Doctoral Examination, students will submit a one-page dissertation proposal to their chosen PhD advisor. Over the course of the subsequent semester or summer they will produce a 10-15-page dissertation Prospectus, including bibliography, outlining the principal hypotheses and arguments of the thesis, its theoretical basis, the methodologies and sources to be utilized, and how it will be structured. This prospectus must be defended orally before a Committee of three faculty members no later than the second week of the term following the summer or term devoted to the preparation of the Prospectus. The Prospectus will be submitted to the Committee two weeks before the scheduled Defense. After the successful completion of the Prospectus Defense, the student will be admitted to candidacy and begin dissertation research and writing. It is advisable that a draft of the first chapter of the dissertation will be submitted to the Ph.D. advisor by the end of the term following the one devoted to the preparation of the Prospectus.

When the dissertation is completed and approved by the adviser and at least two readers, an oral examination is scheduled at which the candidate presents and defends research results to a faculty committee of five.

All Graduate School of Arts & Science doctoral candidates must be approved for graduation by their department for the degree to be awarded.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GA 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have:

• A broad acquaintance with and understanding of medieval, early modern, and modern Italian literature, culture, and society ensured by the program distribution requirements that cover the following time periods: 1200-1400, 1400-1600, 1600-1900, and 1900-present.
• Specialist knowledge at an advanced level of one or more fields of research and advanced competence in research methodologies appropriate to postgraduate work.
• High proficiency in oral and written communication.
• The ability to work independently to a high level and to manage their work schedule efficiently.
• The ability to produce works that are of sufficient quality for publication and conference acceptance.

NYU Policies

Graduate school of arts and science policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

• Skip to Main
• Program of Study
• Course Offerings

Program of Study (CAS Bulletin)

Italian (2022 - 2024), major in italian.

The major consists of 36 points as follows:

• Advanced Review of Modern Italian (ITAL-UA 30)
• One conversation course: Conversations in Italian (ITAL-UA 101); Italian through Cinema (ITAL-UA 107); or Italian through Opera (ITAL-UA 108)
• One composition course: Creative Writing in Italian (ITAL-UA 103); Translingual Writing in Italian (ITAL-UA 104); Advanced Composition (ITAL-UA 105); or Translation (ITAL-UA 110)
• At least one literature survey course: either Readings in Medieval and Renaissance Literature (ITAL-UA 115) or Readings in Modern Italian Literature (ITAL-UA 116). Note: majors are advised to take both.
• Twenty points (in any approved combination of 2- and 4-point courses) drawn from advanced literature and/or culture and society offerings in the department. At least four of these points must focus on the medieval/early modern period and four on the modern/contemporary period.

Major in Italian and Linguistics

This joint major requires a total of 36 points completed with a grade of C or better. The Italian portion of this major is satisfied by taking 16 points as follows:

• One advanced Italian language course (ITAL-UA 101, ITAL-UA 103, ITAL-UA 104, ITAL-UA 105, ITAL-UA 107, ITAL-UA 108, or ITAL-UA 110)
• Eight points (in any approved combination of 2- and 4-point courses) in advanced Italian literature and/or Italian culture and society, to be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.

The linguistics portion of this major is satisfied by taking the following five courses (20 points):

• Either Language (LING-UA 1) or Language and Mind (LING-UA 3)
• Sound and Language (LING-UA 11)
• Grammatical Analysis (LING-UA 13)
• Historical linguistics (LING-UA 14)
• Sociolinguistics (LING-UA 15, LING-UA 18, LING-UA 30, LING-UA 38, LING-UA 57)
• Phonology (LING-UA 12)
• Semantics (LING-UA 4)
• Computational linguistics (LING-UA 6, LING-UA 7)
• Psycholinguistics (LING-UA 5, LING-UA 43, LING-UA 54, LING-UA 59)
• Structure of a modern language (LING-UA 10, LING-UA 42, LING-UA 44, LING-UA 9032)

Major in Romance Languages

See the Romance languages section of this Bulletin for details and requirements.

Policies Applying to the Major

• All courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C or better and cannot be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.
• No more than two courses from CORE-UA and/or FYSEM-UA can count toward the major in Italian. They must be taught by Italian studies faculty members.
• Internships do not count toward the Italian major.
• Transfer students must complete at least five courses (20 points) of the nine courses (36 points) required for the Italian major while in residence at New York University.

Minor in Italian

The minor in Italian consists of 16 points above Intermediate Italian II (ITAL-UA 12) or Intensive Intermediate (ITAL-UA 20), as follows:

• One advanced language course (ITAL-UA 101, ITAL-UA 103, ITAL-UA 104; ITAL-UA 105, ITAL-UA 107, ITAL-UA 108, or ITAL-UA 110)
• Eight points (in any approved combination of 2- and 4-point courses) in advanced Italian literature and/or Italian culture and society, to be determined in consultation with a departmental adviser.

Policies Applying to the Minor

• All courses must be completed with a C or better and may not be taken Pass/Fail.
• Transfer students must complete at least two of the four courses at NYU. Internships do not count toward the minor.
• No more than one course from CORE-UA or FYSEM-UA can count toward the minor in Italian. This course must be taught by an Italian Studies faculty member.

Honors Program in Italian

To qualify for honors in the Italian major, a student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.65 and a major GPA of 3.65 or higher. Students who wish to pursue honors should contact the director of undergraduate studies for an application during the junior year. The director of undergraduate studies may, by petition to the director of college honors, consider strong candidates who do not meet the GPA threshold of 3.65.

Honors majors complete an 8-point sequence consisting of the Senior Honors Seminar (ITAL-UA 999), taken in the fall of senior year, and the Honors Independent Study (ITAL-UA 990), taken in the spring of senior year. Both count as advanced courses for the major. Students work closely with a departmental faculty member who becomes the honors thesis adviser (chosen in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies). The thesis should be a work of scholarship and/or criticism from 40 to 60 pages in length. In consultation with a second faculty reader, the student’s thesis adviser determines whether or not to recommend him or her for honors in Italian. A grade of at least A- is required for the award of honors. Students receiving a lower grade will simply be awarded 8 credits toward the major.

Capstone Project Option for Non-Honors Majors

Majors in the department who do not choose or qualify to write a senior honors thesis may pursue the capstone project option, which is not a requirement for the major. Developed in conjunction with a faculty member in the junior or senior year, the capstone consists of a research paper or research project, as well as a final oral defense/discussion of the project in Italian. The capstone does not require a separate course or independent study, but rather is developed within a class in which the student is already enrolled. The project is completed in addition to the existing course requirements (whether a final paper written in the Italian language, extra pages added to a research paper, a creative project such as a film or film script, etc.). The department’s spring undergraduate conference offers an ideal venue for the presentation of outstanding capstone projects.

Accelerated B.A/M.A. Program in Italian Studies

Undergraduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible for the five-year program in Italian Studies. For full-time students in CAS, tuition for the fifth year is offered at a 50 percent discount, and the application fee and GRE exam are waived. Majors in Italian may apply to the program once they have completed between 48 and 96 credits toward the B.A. Students in the program must satisfy all of the requirements of both the B.A. and M.A.; there is no double-counting of courses. To complete the program in five years, students must finish at least a fourth of the master’s requirements (two graduate courses) before the beginning of the fifth year. For further information about the B.A./M.A., contact the department’s director of graduate studies.

Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at New York University

The Department of Italian Studies shares the space at 24 West 12th Street with Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò. The Casa was founded in 1990 by Baroness Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò with the goal of promoting Italian culture by offering a program of free events, open to everyone, on all topics related to Italian studies, including language, literature, cinema, music, theater, and visual art, as well as politics, economics, and lifestyle. The Casa’s mission is to create a physical and virtual space for dialogue between Italy and the United States on all of these themes. Students are encouraged to participate in the many lectures, conferences, concerts, and film series that Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo and the Department of Italian Studies offer.

NYU Florence

Students are able to study at NYU Florence in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. While most courses are taught in English, NYU Florence also offers an Italian immersion program for Italian majors and minors, as well as for those whose language abilities are sufficiently advanced. Advanced students are also eligible to take courses at the Università di Firenze. Students can study abroad in the summer through the 6-week program Summer in Florence , which offers courses in Italian language as well as literature, cinema, opera, and art history. Visit the department’s website for more study away information.

Thursday, August 3: The NYU Events Calendar is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance. Please check back later today if events are not appearing.

Majors and Programs

With more than 270 areas of study, your fellow NYU community members are bound to be teaching, researching, or debating a topic that interests you. Follow your curiosity as you discover new ideas and build practical skills.

Academic Subject Areas

Arts & media, humanities and social sciences, education & health-related fields, science, technology, engineering & math, need more information.

Whether you're sure of your academic plans or still deciding, we encourage you to join our mailing list for more information about the admissions process, financial aid, and your academic area of interest.

Request more information

Undergraduate research.

Think research is just for grad students? Not at NYU. At the annual Undergraduate Research Conference, students presented more than 200 subjects ranging from glucose regulation in diabetes to dispersal patterns of spider monkeys in Belize to questions of free will in The Iliad.

As an undergraduate, you’ll have opportunities to work with professors on groundbreaking research . You can also conduct your own inquires with the guidance of a faculty mentor. NYU even publishes student findings in an annual research journal.

Areas of Study Available to NYU Students

$2.7 Million

Awarded to Over 3,000 Student Projects in Research Scholarships

NYU Sends More Students Abroad Than Any Other American University

Rank in High School Graduating Class of Most Admitted First-Year Students

More Facts and Figures

From choosing courses to preparing for interviews, NYU’s support services will help you succeed. As you earn your degree and prepare for employment or graduate school, you can rely on:

• An  academic adviser  who will guide and help you achieve your educational and career goals.
• Choosing a course of study and deciding on future career goals are two of the most important decisions that students make during their undergraduate years. The Wasserman Center for Career Development  partners​ with students on their career development journey through engagement with career coaches, employers, peers, and staff throughout your time at NYU and beyond.
• The College of Arts and Science's  Preprofessional Advising Center . If you are considering law, medical, or dental school (or other professional training), advisers can help you apply for advanced degree programs.
• Professional clubs and associations . Develop leadership skills and contacts in groups for everything from healthcare to law to entrepreneurship.

• Masters Degrees
• Bachelors Degrees
• Associate Degrees
• Career Pathways Bridge Program
• Online Degree Programs: Bachelor’s, Master’s & Associate’s
• Global Offerings
• Faculty Spotlight
• Faculty Directory
• Open Faculty Positions
• Policies and Documents
• Professional Studies
• Continuing Education
• Executive Education for Industry Leaders
• High School Academy
• Areas of study
• Divisions & Departments
• Professional Pathways
• Degree Directory
• Graduate Admissions Criteria
• Graduate Application Requirements and Deadlines
• Graduate Financial Aid
• Summer Publishing Institute
• Undergraduate
• Undergraduate Admissions Criteria
• Undergraduate Application Requirements and Deadlines
• Undergraduate Financial Aid
• Transfer Students
• Adult Learning
• Your Community
• New Students
• DAUS: Military Veterans
• Global Perspective
• Graduate Events
• Undergraduate Events
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Student Success
• Academic Advising
• Student Life
• Resources and Services
• University Life
• Arts, Culture, and Entertainment
• Health and Wellness
• Studying in New York City
• Travel and Transportation
• Policies and Procedures
• NYU SPS Wasserman Center
• Career Success
• Industry Engagement
• Hire NYU Talent
• Faculty Engagement
• STUDENTS & ALUMNI: GET STARTED
• Events Central
• Office of Events
• Meet the Team
• SPS Conference Room and Event Spaces
• Event Request Form
• Event Guidelines
• Conferences
• Hospitality Conference
• Capital Markets in Real Estate
• Women in Real Estate
• REIT Symposium
• NYU Coaching and Technology Summit
• Future Workforce Global Summit
• NYU SPS Events
• Undergraduate Convocation
• Graduate Convocation
• Student Events
• Capstone Fair
• Alumni Advantage
• Alumni Stories
• Current Alumni
• Give to NYU SPS
• Parents Council
• SPS Reunion
• Communications
• Press Releases

Hospitality Leaders from Marriott, Hilton, Accor, Hyatt, IHG, Among Others, to Converge at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, June 2-4, in NYC

April 22, 2024

Event Brings Hospitality Investors Together with Hotel Companies, Financiers, Advisors, Asset Managers and Operators To Share Industry Insights and Exchange Ideas

NEW YORK, April 22, 2024 – The 46th annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference (NYU IHIIC), operated by Questex, a leading information services and event company, in partnership with the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) and its Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality , will deliver unparalleled thought leadership through keynotes, general sessions, workshops and networking events. Top industry executives from CEOs of hotel brands to various investment and real estate executives will discuss the latest trends, economic influences, and projections. The NYU IHIIC will be held on June 2-4, 2024 at the Marriott Marquis in New York.

NYU IHIIC brings active U.S. and global investors from private equity to institutional capital and family office together with CEOs from major hotel companies, leading financiers, advisors, asset managers and operators representing more than $57 billion in assets under management. The event theme "Driving Alpha" will celebrate strategies and case studies that have resulted in outperformance, and provide attendees with the insights, intelligence and inspiration to enhance market share and drive beyond market growth and returns.

“The U.S. market is favored as the strongest for economic growth in the world, despite challenging market conditions. We are already seeing an increase in deals taking place and this will feed stronger deal flow. This comes after a long period of limited deals, so the timing of our event presents the perfect opportunity for key players to drive increased activity and growth in the market,” said Alexi Khajavi, Group President Hospitality, Wellness and Travel, Questex . “We're proud to present an exceptional program of global CEOs from the most successful hotel brands across the world. These thought leaders bring a wealth of experience, offering diverse perspectives that promise to broaden attendees’ views of the industry and ignite fresh ideas.”

“For decades, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference has been the go-to event for industry business leaders, influencers, and professionals from around the globe, as well as our students who will be the next generation of industry innovators and leaders,” said Nicolas Graf, Jonathan M. Tisch Chaired Professor and Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality . “We are looking forward to this year’s event to gain valuable insights and perspectives on where our industry is headed and its evolution as a global economic driver.”

Program Highlights Highlights of the NYU IHIIC program include two sessions hosted by Sara Eisen, Anchor, Closing Bell,  CNBC .

• “ The CEOs Check In: Industry Titans on Driving the Hospitality Market ” session brings together the leaders of the world's major hospitality companies to share their insights on the shifts in the hospitality, travel, and real estate markets. Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International; Christopher J. Nassetta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton; Sébastien M. Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Accor; Mark S. Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer; Hyatt Hotels Corporation; and Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, will share the macro-trends that will have the most significant impact on the market, the events that will reshape the industry, and the strategies for surpassing goals.
• The “ Leader of Finance Interview: Insights on Changing Markets ​” session explores the determining considerations that guide leadership, performance, and adaptability in uncertain times at a leading financial institution. David Solomon​, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.​ shares insights on thriving in ever-changing markets, and discovering cross-sector lessons for success.​

In addition, other prominent leaders presenting at NYU IHIIC include:

• Craig S. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Aimbridge Hospitality
• Larry Cuculic, President and CEO, Best Western Hotels and Resorts
• Chad Sorensen, ISHC, CEO, CHM Warnick
• Kendra Plummer, CEO, Elise Capital
• Greg Juceam, President and Chief Executive Officer, Extended Stay America
• Tyler Morse, Chairman and CEO, MCR Hotels
• Mit Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Noble Investment Group
• John Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sonesta International Hotels
• Edward Pitonyak, CEO, Vici Properties

A share of proceeds from the event will help fund student scholarships at the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and further support the program’s mission of educating and preparing future leaders and innovators for careers in global hospitality management, travel, and tourism.

To register to attend the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, click here .

For media registration, contact Meryl Franzman at [email protected] .

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Andrew Walmsley [email protected] .

Stay connected with the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference on LinkedIn and X .

About the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality The NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, now celebrating nearly 30 years of academic excellence, is a leading center for the study of hospitality, travel, and tourism. Founded in 1995, the Tisch Center was established in response to the growing need for hospitality and tourism undergraduate and graduate education. Its cutting-edge curricula attract bright, motivated students who seek to become leaders in their fields The Tisch Center recently launched the Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub), which will foster entrepreneurship and creative solutions for the industries it serves. For more information, visit  sps.nyu.edu/tisch .

About Questex Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.

PR OFFICE CONTACTS

Michael DeMeo NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality [email protected]

Kate Spellman Questex [email protected]

• iSchool Connect

Undergraduate Research Symposium features iSchool researchers

Several iSchool undergraduate students will participate in the  17th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium . During the event, visitors will learn about undergraduate research projects through oral and poster presentations, creative performances, and art exhibits. All are welcome to attend the symposium, which will be held on April 25 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Illini Rooms and South Lounge of the Illini Union. 

iSchool students and mentors include: 

• Chloe Lee , BSIS sophomore, will present the poster, “Parental Depressive Symptoms: Associations with Child Negative and Positive Emotionality, from 9:00-10:15 a.m. in the South Lounge. 
• BSIS +DS juniors Ashley Kim and  Gwendolyn Slaughter and BSIS+DS sophomores  Krishna Damania and  Smiriti Smiriti will present “Master Dancer: Creating an Interactive Historical AI Avatar,” from 10:45-12:00 p.m. in Illini Room B.
• BSIS seniors Ziwei Wang and  Stefan Chu will present the poster, “Perceptions of Counterfactual-Driven Learning Recommendations,” from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Illini Room C. Mentors: PhD student  Haejin Lee and Assistant Professor  Nigel Bosch
• Zhiheng Ye (Statistics) will present the poster, “Replicating a Citation Context Analysis Study Using Natural Language Processing Methods,” from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Illini Room C. Mentors: Associate Professor  Jodi Schneider and PhD student  Janina Sarol
• Dan Chen (Mathematics+CS) will present the poster, “Privacy Risks in Mobile Health Apps: A Comprehensive Investigation,” from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Illini Room C. Mentor: PhD student  Muhammad Hassan
• Yichen Liu (Mathematics+CS) will present the poster, “The Use of Large Language Models for Assessing Citation Accuracy in Biomedical Publications,” from 12:15-1:30 p.m. in Illini Room C. Mentors: Associate Professor  Halil Kilicoglu and PhD student  Janina Sarol
• Sophie Chiewtrakoon , BSIS sophomore, will present the poster, “Investigating College Readiness among First Generation College Students,” from 2:00-3:15 p.m. in Illini Room A. 
• Steven Wu , BSIS+DS freshman, will present the poster, “Controversies in Sustainable Development,” from 2:00-3:15 p.m. in the South Lounge. Mentors: PhD student Hannah Smith and Associate Professor  Jodi Schneider
• Otniel Fernandez , BSIS senior, will present the poster, “Exploring Case-Based Learning and Leadership Learning Outcome in UIUC Bioengineering Master’s Program,” from 3:45-5:00 p.m. in Illini Room A. 
• Samuele Longo (Philosophy) will present the poster, “Peer Review of a Peer Review Training Resource: A Case Study with Undergraduate Students,” from 3:45-5:00 p.m. in Illini Room A. Mentor: Postdoctoral Research Associate  Janaynne Carvalho do Amaral
• student news
• undergraduate