Italian

Italian Literature Specialization. For both the capstone plan and thesis plans, 9 courses (36 units) are required, including Italian 205. The other eight courses should be distributed in three main literary periods (with two courses in each period): Middle Ages, Renaissance, modern. If approved by the graduate adviser, two of the 9 courses may be individual research courses (Italian 596) or upper division Italian courses. Related courses in another department, such as Art History 230, may also be approved. To receive credit for such courses, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Italian Cultural Studies Specialization. This specialization offers two separate tracks: (a) medieval and early modern and (b) modern and contemporary. For both the capstone and thesis plans, nine courses (36 units) are required and a minimum of five courses (20 units) must be in the 200 series.

(a) Medieval and early modern:

One course in medieval/early modern Italian history (required)
Two courses in medieval/early modern Italian literature and cultural (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies
One course in medieval/early modern Italian art of architecture and urban design
One course in medieval/early modern Italian musicology
One course in medieval/early modern Italian thought
One course in medieval/early modern Italian political and juridical institutions
One course in the history of the Italian language

Approved courses include: Art History 200, C215A, C215B, 217C, 222A, 230A, M230B, M230C; Architecture and Urban Design 288; History 221A, 221B, 226A, 226B, 229A, 229B; Italian 214A, 214B, 214C, 214D, 214E, 214F, 215A, 215B, 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216E, 217, 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 251, 252, 253A, 253B, 253C, 254, 255A, 255B; Philosophy 206, 207; Political Science 210A, 210B.

(b) Modern and contemporary:

Two courses in modern/contemporary Italian literature and culture (required)
One course in modern/contemporary Italian history (required)
One seminar in the theory and practice of cultural studies (required)
One course in film and media or theater
One course in design and/or architecture and urban design or art history
One course on modern/contemporary Italian thought
One course on political/juridical institutions of modern Italy
One course in geography or economics, anthropology, or folklore

Approved courses include: Anthropology 260, M263P; Art History 200, 230A, M230B, M230C; Urban Planning 245; Economics 181, 241; Film and Television 206A, 218, 219, 270; History M230A, M230B, 231A, 231B, 234A, 234B; Italian 218A through 230B, 256A through 298; Musicology 200A; Philosophy 216, C219, 280; Political Science 231, 246B; Theater 202D, 202E, 202F, 202G.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

The department prefers that students follow the capstone plan, which consists of a minimum five-hour written examination. The examination tests the student's general competency and does not have major and minor fields of emphasis. Following the written examination, students must take an oral examination.

Thesis Plan

Every master's degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research.

This plan may be approved for research-oriented students of exceptional merit. Students who have completed the first year of graduate work with at least a 3.7 grade-point average may be nominated by one of the faculty members of the department for application to the thesis plan. If the nomination is accepted by the faculty, a three-member thesis committee is submitted to the Graduate Division for appointment. At this point the student must have completed Italian 205 and at least two other graduate courses in Italian. On acceptance, the guidance committee helps the student choose courses in preparation for the thesis.

The thesis must be at least 50 pages long and formatted in accord with University regulations. The thesis must be submitted in the sixth quarter of graduate work. After completion of the thesis, students must take an oral examination that tests knowledge in the field of the thesis and general competence in Italian literature.

Time-to-Degree

Normative time to the master's degree is two years, or six academic quarters. Students should plan to complete their 9-course requirement by the end of the fifth quarter of study.

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Advising

Continuing students who proceed toward the Ph.D. degree in Italian following completion of the department's M.A. program are urged to select, within the first quarter and in consultation with the graduate adviser, a faculty member to serve as their adviser who may or may not become the chair of their doctoral guidance committee. New students in the Ph.D. program in Italian are introduced to the faculty in a general meeting and are urged to consult with the departmental graduate adviser regarding their program and selection of a faculty adviser.

Students should select their doctoral committee at least three quarters prior to Part II of the qualifying examinations. The doctoral guidance committee prepares and administers Part II of the written qualifying examination after the 8-course requirement and other preparatory work have been completed, normally within six quarters after completion of Part I.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Two centuries of Italian literature selected from the medieval, Renaissance and baroque, or modern areas comprise the major fields; two other centuries of Italian literature selected from any of these areas comprise the minor fields.

A student may also select a major or minor in a movement, critical problem, or field outside of the department if it meets with the approval of the entire faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

For the doctoral degree, reading knowledge of two foreign languages is required. The choice of languages must be approved by the graduate adviser. Students may demonstrate reading knowledge through departmental examination or successful completion of course work through at least level 3. A foreign language used to satisfy the requirement for the M.A. degree in Italian may be applied toward partial fulfillment of this requirement. The language requirement must be satisfied before taking Part II of the qualifying examinations.

Course Requirements

In addition to those required for the master's degree, at least 8 other courses, of which no more than two 596 courses may apply, are required. Students also must take such courses as their guidance committee may prescribe for the qualifying examinations (such as Italian 596 or 597). All courses in the 200 series may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program who have not previously taken Italian 205 or the equivalent are required to take it as soon as possible. For a course to be deemed equivalent to Italian 205, students submit a detailed letter of petition addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies and the faculty. To count two relevant courses taught in other departments at UCLA toward the 8 courses required for the Ph.D. in Italian, students must petition the faculty in advance through a letter addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree in Italian serves as Part I of the written qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree. The department also requires both written and oral qualifying examinations (Part II), which must be taken during the same academic year, although not necessarily during the same quarter. Normally taken no later than six quarters after completion of the M.A. degree, the written examination consists of two parts: a six-hour examination in the student's major field and a five-hour examination in the minor field. All students, including those with an M.A. degree in Italian with a specialization in Italian literature from UCLA, should expect to take Part II of the examinations at the end of the sixth quarter in residence. No sooner than two weeks after completion of the second part of the written examination, and after having written a detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. dissertation to follow, students take a two-hour University Oral Qualifying Examination on the major, the minor, and the prospectus. In case of failure, the student may be reexamined on unanimous approval of the guidance committee, after at least one academic quarter of additional residence.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

It is recommended that completion of all course work, examinations, and the dissertation for the Ph.D. degree should occur no later than six years from beginning of graduate status.

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Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A recommendation for termination is made by the departmental faculty.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University's accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.