The University of Sheffield
Department of History

HST6032: Reading Italian for Historical Research

15 credits (semester 1)


Module Leader: Dr. James Shaw


Module Summary

This module aims to give students a basic foundation in reading historical texts in Italian. N.B. it is NOT intended to develop skills in listening, writing or speaking Italian. Instead, the emphasis is on developing the vocabulary and grammar to read some basic texts in Italian. These will consist of primary and secondary materials relating to the history of Renaissance and Early Modern Italy. The module is intended to provide a bridge for students interested in pursuing research into Italian history and/or culture at a higher level. Students should have some basic skills in Italian, even if only at beginners´ level.

Teaching

Students are expected to work on texts individually and in groups, with 10 x 1-hour seminar workshops for discussions of problems and for guidance. This format is intended to structure the module in block of intense activity linked to specific tasks. Each seminar will be linked to a short piece of translation to carry out as class preparation. An online forum will provide further support and opportunities for discussion for class members.

Assessment

The module is assessed by one piece of assessed translation (approx 1500 words) intended to test students´ practical skills in working with primary materials, and one review (approx 1500 words) of a piece of secondary literature (an academic article written in modern Italian).



Selected Reading

To follow.



Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, a candidate will be able to demonstrate the ability to: