Community colleges serve smaller population centers and offer higher and continuing education for reasonable prices. For working students, those who cannot afford university tuition and non-degree-seeking students, learning Italian at a community college may be a good option. Many community colleges across the country offer Italian classes from beginner to intermediate. Programs often prepare students to enter a four-year university and earn a bachelor's degree in Italian. Community colleges also offer basic spoken Italian for casual learners and travelers. The highest level of Italian course at a community college is usually intermediate.
State universities often have reduced tuition for state residents and can be a good option for students wishing to stay close to home or contain costs but still achieve a high level of Italian. In almost every state in the U.S. there is a state university that offers a degree in Italian. Many programs offer joint Italian and education bachelor's degrees in preparation for certification as a foreign language teacher. Coursework at these universities usually focuses on advanced grammar and composition and includes electives in Italian literature, culture and history. Some programs offer concentrations in business, translation and historical research.
Many top-ranked private universities offer undergraduate and graduate programs in Italian studies. The cost of a private university can be exorbitant, but there is no better place for high standards of academic learning. Many schools such as Wellesley College and Brown University have satellite campuses in Italy, where Italian students can broaden their knowledge of the language and culture. Coursework in most programs includes intensive grammar study, classic Italian literature, Italian history and culture courses such as cinema and music.
With the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy, it is not surprising that the colleges and universities affiliated with the church have Italian programs. More than 200 Roman Catholic colleges and universities offer a major or minor in Italian. The smaller size of these universities makes a good choice for intensive study, and many of them have study-abroad options like the one-year study program in Bologna, Italy, offered by the College of the Holy Cross. Some programs offer a more extensive abroad experience, like Brown University's two-year teaching internships, in which students live and work in Italy.