The main goal of the Italian department at Smith College is to offer a program of study which provides opportunities for students to acquire both proficiency in Italian and a good appreciation of Italy's rich cultural tradition.

All members of the Italian department are seriously committed to the idea that learning a foreign language is an inherent part of an undergraduate education. We are convinced that if we teach our students a language within a cultural context, we are broadening their minds and opening them up to the possibility of a variety of interpretations of life. We feel that this will assure them access to Italy's rich cultural offerings in literature, in art, and in music, to name just a few.