In the Department of French and Italian, we explore the rich oral, written, and visual cultures of France, Italy, and the Francophone world. The study of these romance languages and the cultures they inhabit is an intellectual adventure that leads to the core of Western civilization. In the arts, media, political theory, philosophy, and religious thought, both France and Italy have played central roles in shaping the modern world.

Undergraduates may pursue Francophone language and literature -- from medieval fiction, poetry, and drama to contemporary literature, literary theory, and intellectual history. Or they may opt for French language and linguistics -- including language pedagogy and second-language acquisition. Parallel to this is Italian language, literature and culture -- from Dante to contemporary media.

We actively pursue interdisciplinary scholarship and maintain close affiliations with Comparative Literature, Film Studies, Theater and Dance, Medieval Studies, Renaissance Studies, Religious Studies, Sociology, Global Studies, and Feminist Studies.  We also strongly encourage students to study abroad in Italy or in a French-speaking country.

French and Italian News & Features

Featured
A Modern Take on Medieval French Farce
A Modern Take on Medieval French Farce

Jody Enders, medievalist and UCSB Distinguished Professor in the department of French and Italian Studies, recently translated two books of French farce. Enders spoke at a recent IHC Humanities Decanted event with Leo Cabrantes-Grant, a professor of Spanish and Portuguese. They discussed contemporary themes in medieval farces that resonate with a 21st-century audiences and how Enders approaches translating.

On Gender Neutrality in the French Language
On Gender Neutrality in the French Language

Developing gender-neutral vocabulary in French can be challenging due to the highly gendered nature of the language and resistance from French academics and politicians. But Jordan J Tudisco, a doctoral student in Comparative Literature and French teacher at UC Santa Barbara, looks to provide students with the inclusive vocabulary they need to express themselves. In a recent interview, Tudisco discussed their work, some of the challenges that hinder the use of inclusive language in French, and what they see for the future of inclusive vocabulary.

From Chore to Adore: The General Education Requirement
From Chore to Adore: The General Education Requirement

“Inspired by my family roots in Italy and my obsession with spaghetti, I decided to dip my toes into the culture, society, and entertainment of the country. As a Communication major, I would never have thought that a course in Humanities and Fine Arts would play such a huge part in enriching my time at UCSB.”

Mia Sheffield describes how an Italian Cinema class changed how she felt about General Education courses.

BLOG: The Beauty of Languages
BLOG: The Beauty of Languages

“Amid all the stimulation surrounding me, the noises that particularly grabbed my attention were the sounds of various accents and languages. I had never been around so many languages different from my own – English and Tagalog. The sounds of Japanese, French, Portuguese and Chinese stirred within me a sense of curiosity and wonder. I befriended several foreign exchange students that year from Brazil, Japan, Italy, Korea and China, and each time they spoke in their native tongues, I was fascinated.”